Okay, so, let me tell you about this little project I’ve been working on – remaking a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5722. Yeah, the super shiny one. It’s a really beautiful watch, and I just love the design, those things are expensive! You know?
I really wanted to have one, so I started to look into how these watches are made. I watched a ton of videos, from like, how to polish metal to how to set tiny little gems, and I read every forum post I could find about watchmaking.
First thing, I needed the right tools. No way I could do this with just regular stuff from my garage. So, I started gathering all the watchmaking tools. This took me a while, had to order from different places, some were quite niche!
I felt like a real watchmaker when I got all these little screwdrivers, tweezers, and polishing cloths!
- Ordered special tiny screwdrivers online.
- Got some super fine tweezers from a jewelry tool shop.
- Bought special polishing cloths – these were a bit expensive, but they’re super important for that shiny look.
- Found a loupe – that’s the little magnifying glass watchmakers use. It helps to see all the tiny parts.
After getting the tools, the next big step was to find all the parts. Man, this was tough! It’s not like you can just go to a store and buy Patek Philippe parts.
I found a supplier online who could provide a good-looking case and a movement that’s pretty close to the real thing. It wasn’t easy, and it took a lot of emails back and forth to make sure I was getting something decent.
Then came the dial. Oh boy, the dial. I wanted it to look just right, with all those tiny diamonds. Ended up finding a skilled artisan who could hand-set the little gems. This part took the longest, but it was worth it. The dial looks amazing!
Putting It All Together
Once I had all the parts, it was time to put everything together. I set up my workspace, put on some music, and started assembling the watch. It was nerve-wracking! One wrong move and I could scratch the case or mess up the movement.
I carefully placed the movement inside the case, attached the dial, and then the hands. The hardest part was setting the hands just right so they wouldn’t touch each other. Took me a few tries, but I finally got it.
After assembling everything, I spent hours polishing the case and bracelet. I wanted that mirror-like finish that the Nautilus 5722 is famous for. It was tiring, but seeing the watch shine under the light made all the effort worthwhile.
And there it was, my very own remade Patek Philippe Nautilus 5722. It’s not the real deal, of course, but it looks darn close. Plus, I made it with my own hands, which makes it super special to me.
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