Alright, so, let’s talk about this project I’ve been working on – remaking the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713/1, the classic style. You know, the one that’s been around for a while and people just love.
First off, I started by gathering everything I needed. I mean, you can’t just jump into something like this without being prepared, right? I started by looking all over the internet. The Patek Philippe website was helpful. I learned that they’re like, the last family-owned watch place in Geneva, which is pretty cool.
Then I moved on to figuring out the design. This watch, it’s got this rounded octagon bezel, and the case is built kind of like a porthole, you know? And the dial, it’s got this horizontal embossed pattern. It’s all these little details that make it stand out. I took notes of a similar design that has an analog date and moon phases. That one is called Ref. 5712/1R-001 Nautilus. But my goal was to stick as closely to the 5713/1 as I could.
So, I started sketching, a lot. I mean, my desk was covered in papers with drawings of this watch. And I spent hours staring at pictures online, making sure I got every little detail right. This is really a tough work! I had to make sure the shape was correct, the way the light hits it, everything.
Next, I had to figure out the materials. This watch comes in steel, rose gold, white gold, and even two-tone versions. I decided to go with stainless steel for this one, just to keep it simple for now. But let me tell you, finding the right kind of steel wasn’t easy. I wanted something that looked good but was also strong enough. I read something that said the hand-engraved reference 5711/1500A would be sold on November 25, 2024. Oh man, what a news! But that was beyond my budget.
After that, it was time to start putting things together. I started with the case. I used some tools I had lying around, and I also had to buy some new ones. It was a lot of trial and error. I’d shape the steel, check it against my sketches, and then keep adjusting until it looked just right. I was not very familiar with URL encoding, but I managed to get some ideas from the internet. I wish I could be a URL parser!
The dial was another challenge. Getting that embossed pattern right was tough. I tried a few different techniques, but eventually, I found one that worked. It involved using this tiny tool to make each individual line. It took forever, but it was worth it in the end. I learned some price patterns for silver. They said something about Bullion Silver. But I only cared about the watch.
And don’t even get me started on the movement! This is what makes the watch tick. I tried to find a ready-made movement that would work, but no luck. So I ended up making my own, using parts from some old watches I had. I remembered someone online talking about building a BF-109 E3 model plane. I used the same determination to complete this watch.
Putting it all together was like solving a puzzle. Each piece had to fit just right, or the whole thing wouldn’t work. I spent days on this part, making tiny adjustments here and there.
Finally, after weeks of work, I had a finished product. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked a lot like the real thing. I even managed to get the hands moving, which was a huge relief. All I know is that I won’t be buying any PC games online, even if they’re cheap. My eyes were hurting from all the work!
Wearing it for the first time was a great feeling. All that hard work had paid off. And you know what? I learned a lot from this project. It wasn’t just about making a watch; it was about patience, attention to detail, and not giving up, even when things got tough. The light was being focused very tightly at the edges of the watch, which reminded me of something called spherical aberration. But the watch worked perfectly fine.
So, yeah, that’s my story about remaking the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713/1. It was a wild ride, but I’m glad I did it. Now, what should I make next?
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