Okay, so, I wanted to remake a Patek Philippe Nautilus 7008/1, the one made for specialty stores. You know, it’s a pretty nice watch, stainless steel, with a diamond bezel, and a beautiful blue mother-of-pearl dial. It is about 33mm, which is a good size.
First things first, I started by gathering all the materials. I got some stainless steel for the case and the bracelet. For the bezel, I needed to find some decent diamonds, not too big, not too small, just enough to give it that sparkle, you know? And then the most important part, the dial. I managed to get a sheet of blue mother-of-pearl, it’s really pretty, with that shimmer that changes depending on how the light hits it.
Next up, I started working on the case. I cut and shaped the stainless steel into that iconic Nautilus shape. It took some time, but I got there. It’s not just about cutting; you need to polish it too, to make it smooth and shiny. I also made sure the size was just right, 33.6mm, like the original. Same for the bracelet, cut, shape, and polish each link until it’s perfect.
Then, the diamonds. This was tricky. I carefully set each diamond into the bezel, making sure they were secure and evenly spaced. It’s tedious work, but you gotta do it right. You can’t have a luxury watch with diamonds falling out, right?
- Cut and shaped the stainless steel for the case.
- Made the bracelet, ensuring each link was perfect.
- Set the diamonds into the bezel.
Now, for the dial, I carefully cut the mother-of-pearl to fit the watch face. Then, I etched the markers and the Patek Philippe logo. It’s delicate work because you don’t want to crack the mother-of-pearl. It is a soft material.
Finally, I assembled everything. I put the movement inside the case, then the dial, then the hands. After that, I attached the bezel, making sure it was properly aligned. Last but not least, I attached the bracelet. The whole assembly process took quite some time because you want everything to be just perfect. But after many hours, I got them done.
Final Touches
And there it was, my very own remake of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 7008/1. It looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. The diamonds sparkled, the mother-of-pearl dial shimmered, and the stainless steel case and bracelet had that nice, luxurious feel. It was a lot of work, but totally worth it. I might not have the real deal, but I have something I made with my own two hands, and that’s pretty special, you know?
It’s a good watch. Sure, it might not be worth as much as the real Patek Philippe 7008/1, but it’s mine, and I’m proud of it. It is a good watch for ladies.
This whole experience taught me a lot about watchmaking, about patience, and about the satisfaction of creating something beautiful. Would I do it again? Maybe. It’s a lot of work, but the end result is so rewarding. Who knows, maybe I’ll try remaking another model next time.
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