Okay, so, a while back, I got this idea to try and make a high-end replica of a Rolex Submariner, the green one, you know, the classic style. I’ve always been a fan of how these watches look, but the real ones? Way out of my price range. So, I thought, why not try to make one myself?
Gathering Everything
First thing I did was to research. I spent days, maybe even weeks, just looking up everything I could about the Rolex Submariner. I looked at pictures, read articles, even watched videos of people taking them apart. I needed to know this watch inside and out if I wanted to even come close to replicating it.
Next, I had to get the parts. This was tricky. I couldn’t just go to a regular watch store and ask for Rolex parts. I had to dig around online, find some not-so-reputable websites, you know the type, and order parts that looked like they would fit the bill. It was a bit of a gamble, but I managed to get everything I needed: the case, the band, the face, the little hands, even the tiny screws.
The Hard Part: Putting It Together
Once I had all the parts, it was time to put this thing together. Let me tell you, it was not easy. I’ve always been a pretty handy guy, I like to build things, fix things around the house, but this was on a whole other level. We’re talking about tiny, delicate parts that require a steady hand and a lot of patience.
- First, I tried to assemble the movement, that’s the guts of the watch, the part that makes it tick. This was the hardest part, by far. I fumbled around with those tiny gears and springs for hours, dropping them, picking them up, squinting at diagrams, it was a mess.
- Once I finally got the movement together, I carefully placed it into the watch case. It was a tight fit, but I managed to get it in there without breaking anything.
- Next, I attached the watch face and the hands. This was a bit easier, but still required a lot of precision. One slip and I could scratch the face or bend the hands.
- Finally, I screwed on the back of the case and attached the band. It took me a good few days of work, but I finally had something that resembled a Rolex Submariner.
The Result
Now, I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t perfect. It didn’t have that satisfying weight of a real Rolex, and if you looked really closely, you could see some imperfections. But you know what? It looked pretty darn good. From a distance, you wouldn’t even know it was a fake. I wore it around for a while, and I even got a few compliments on it. People thought I had a real Rolex!
In the end, it was a fun project. I learned a lot about watches, and I got to experience, in a small way, what it’s like to have a luxury watch on my wrist. Would I do it again? Probably not. It was a lot of work, and honestly, I think I’d rather just save up and buy a decent watch from a reputable brand. But hey, it was an experience, and I’m glad I did it.