Alright, so I’ve been messing around with watches lately, and let me tell you, it’s a wild ride. I got this itch to try and make a knock-off of that famous Rolex GMT-Master II, you know, the one with the “Pepsi” bezel—red and blue, pretty slick. It’s a classic, and I wanted to see if I could get close to that look without, you know, breaking the bank.
First off, I started digging around to see what makes this watch tick—literally. I found out that even the pros have trouble telling some of these super-detailed fakes from the real deal. Down to the tiny parts inside! Crazy, right? But yeah, there are differences, and that’s what I was interested in.
I got my hands on a few watches that kinda looked the part. There’s this one, the Ocean 39 Vintage GMT Premium Ceramic, which has a Swiss automatic movement and is 39mm across. Sounds fancy, but it’s just the start. Then I learned about the “hand stack” on the real Rolex GMT-Master IIs. The hands are in a specific order: hour, then the GMT hand, then minute, and finally the seconds hand. Gotta get that right.
- Sourcing the Parts: This was a scavenger hunt. I found bezels, movements, cases, dials—you name it. Some from old watches, some from online shops that sell parts. It was a mix and match. The bezel was the trickiest part. I wanted that red and blue, but making it look good was tough.
- The Bezel: This is where things got real. I tried a few different bezels, some were ceramic, others aluminum. The ceramic ones look way better, but the aluminum ones are cheap and easy to replace. Found one, half-red, half-blue, and tried to fit it onto the watch case. It’s not just about the colors; it’s how they look and feel.
- Assembling the Watch: Putting it all together was like a puzzle. I had to be super careful with the hands, making sure they were in the right order and didn’t scratch anything. Then there was the movement—the guts of the watch. Getting that in place and running smooth was a whole other beast.
- Testing and Tweaking: Once it was all together, I had to see if it actually worked. It wasn’t perfect at first. The hands were off, the bezel didn’t turn right, and it was losing time. I spent days just tweaking, taking it apart, and putting it back together.
There is also this Timex, which has a similar vibe and is way cheaper, like $229. It’s cool for someone who’s not too picky. And then there was this other watch, the Oceaneva GMT Automatic. It’s water-resistant up to 1,250 meters, which is insane. They all have that classic GMT look with the different colored bezels.
There was also this other watch, the Oceaneva’s GMT Automatic. It is water-resistant up to 1,250 meters, which is insane. They all have that classic GMT look with the different colored bezels.
I ended up focusing on this one called the NOOB GMT Master II BLRO, also known as the “Pepsi.” I like this one because it has something called a “Bezel Lip”, I learned about that online somewhere. It’s a detail that’s similar to the real Rolex watches. The movement and other parts are better on another watch called “CF” (Clean Factory), but I preferred the look of the NOOB.
My DIY Pepsi Project
I did some research and figured I could try to put together my own version of the Pepsi watch. I ordered a bunch of parts online, including a case, a dial, some hands, and, of course, a red and blue bezel.
When the parts arrived, I laid them all out on my desk. It looked a bit daunting, to be honest. I started with the movement, which is the heart of the watch. I managed to get it into the case without too much trouble, but then came the hard part: the hands. I had to be super careful not to scratch the dial or bend the hands. After a few tries, I got them on.
Next up was the bezel. This was the trickiest part for me. I wanted that iconic red and blue, but getting it to fit right and look good was a challenge. I finally managed to snap it into place, and it clicked when I turned it, just like the real thing.
The Result
After hours of tinkering, I finally had my own homemade Pepsi watch. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. The hands moved smoothly, the bezel turned with a satisfying click, and the red and blue colors popped. It felt pretty awesome to wear something I had put together myself.
This whole thing was a fun experiment. I learned a lot about watches and got a new appreciation for the work that goes into making them. Plus, I ended up with a cool-looking watch that didn’t cost me a fortune. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but there’s something satisfying about building something with your own hands.
If you’re into watches and looking for a project, give it a shot. Just be prepared for a bit of a challenge. And remember, it’s not about making a perfect replica; it’s about the process and what you learn along the way.
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