Okay, let’s talk about my little project of remaking the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5722. I’ve always loved those fancy watches, especially the Nautilus. It’s like the holy grail for watch nerds. I saw that Patek Philippe was stopping making some of these, and their prices are crazy high, so I thought, “Why not try to make my own?”
First, I did a lot of digging online. I wasn’t going to just buy from any site. I had to be smart, you know? I read that you gotta email those authorized dealers directly and ask about the specific models. So, that’s what I did. I sent a bunch of emails, asking about the 5722 and a few others, like the 5712R. I even thought about getting a used one, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
I found this one dealer who seemed legit. They sent me pictures of a Nautilus 5712 v2 240 Clone. It looked pretty good from the photos. The price was 3850, plus 210 for shipping. I spent days looking at those pictures, checking every little detail. I even rotated the pics to make sure the indexes lined up right.
Finding the Right Parts
Then came the hard part – finding the right parts. You can’t just use any old stuff if you want it to look like a real Patek. I learned that Patek Philippe doesn’t even focus on plain steel models anymore. They’re all about those fancy materials. So, I had to find parts that matched the quality but wouldn’t cost me an arm and a leg.
I compared a bunch of remakes, like the ones from PPF, PF, and MK. I figured the PPF one was the best, especially the blue dial version. It just looked more like the real deal to me. I also read that these watches, especially the Nautilus, can actually go up in value. That’s insane! It’s like buying a tiny, expensive piece of art that you wear on your wrist.
Putting It All Together
Putting it all together was a real challenge. It’s not like putting together a Lego set. You need the right tools, a steady hand, and a ton of patience. I watched a bunch of videos and read a lot of guides to figure it out. And let me tell you, those tiny screws are a nightmare to work with.
There were times when I messed up and had to start over. It was frustrating, but I kept at it. I learned so much about how these watches are made. Did you know that the Grandmaster Chime is the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch ever made? That’s wild! And the waiting list for some of these watches can be up to 8 years! Imagine waiting that long for a watch.
The Final Result
After all that work, I finally finished it. And you know what? It looked pretty damn good. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it was my own little Patek Philippe Nautilus. I wore it around, and people actually thought it was real. That felt amazing.
- Started by emailing authorized dealers directly.
- Compared different remake models like PPF, PF, and MK.
- Spent hours inspecting photos and details of the watch.
- Learned about the materials and craftsmanship of Patek Philippe watches.
- Faced challenges in assembling the watch and had to redo some parts.
- Felt a sense of accomplishment after completing the project.
This whole experience taught me a lot. It’s not just about having a fancy watch. It’s about the process, the learning, and the satisfaction of making something with your own hands. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. And now I have a cool story to tell whenever someone asks about my watch.
Click to consult