So, the other day I was trying to remake the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, you know, the one you see on their official flagship store. I thought it would be a fun project to see if I could pull it off. I gotta say, it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, but I learned a ton along the way.
First off, I started by doing some research. I checked out the Patek Philippe website, you know, *, to find the official details about the watch. They’ve got this store locator thing where you can find authorized retailers and showrooms. Turns out, only the ones listed on their site are legit sellers of Patek Philippe watches. I also had a look at Chrono24, where you can find all sorts of watches, including the 5711. Man, the prices there are something else! I saw a 5711G going for over $63,000 and a 5711/1R for a whopping $149,000! Made me realize how valuable these watches are.
Then, I started gathering materials and tools. It took some time to find the right quality, and even longer to make sure I had everything I needed. As WatchPro reported on Monday, I had also looked into the latest version of Nautilus 5711 from PF and PPF is V2, MK factory now has updated this watch to V6. But I did not choose to buy it at the same price. Since this is a remake, I found some similar watch parts and materials on my own. It is really hard to find the same materials to replace.
My Process
Here’s how I went about it:
- Disassembling: I carefully took apart a similar watch to understand how everything fits together. It’s like solving a complex puzzle, but with tiny screws and delicate parts. It is not a simple thing to take those parts apart.
- Measuring and Designing: I measured each part and created a design based on the 5711. This step took a lot of patience and precision. You need to be very careful when you take the measurements.
- Crafting: I tried to find the parts that were similar to those on the 5711. Some parts I could make by myself, but some were just impossible to create from scratch. I spent a long time to find alternatives.
- Assembling: Putting everything back together was a real challenge. One wrong move and you could mess up the whole thing. Finally, I assembled all the parts together.
After countless hours and a few failed attempts, I finally had something that resembled the Nautilus 5711. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn close for a DIY project. I even managed to get the movement working, which was a huge win!
This whole experience taught me a lot about watchmaking and the insane craftsmanship that goes into a Patek Philippe. It also gave me a new appreciation for the value of these timepieces. They’re not just watches; they’re works of art. Would I do it again? Maybe not. But I’m really glad I took on this challenge. It was a wild ride, and I came out of it with a cool story to tell and a watch that I’m proud to have made myself, even if it’s not the real deal.
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