Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches lately, and I gotta tell you about this little project I did. I tried to make a high imitation of the Rolex GMT-Master II, the one with the “Root Beer” bezel. You know, the brown and black one? Yeah, that’s the one. I call it my “Original Order” project, sounds fancy, right?
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to get an idea of what I was dealing with. I hit up the internet, looking at all kinds of watches that were kinda like the Rolex. Found some from brands like Stuhrling, Mathey-Tissot, Meccaniche Veneziane, and Squale. They all had their own thing going on, but none of them really nailed that Rolex vibe I was after.
Finding the Right Parts
Then, I stumbled upon this thing about the “best” GMT2 Root Beer imitation coming from a place called GMF. Apparently, they managed to get it pretty close. This got me thinking, maybe I could piece something together using parts that were already out there.
I also checked out some online marketplaces, like Catawiki. Man, they have everything on there, not just watches. But I was focused on finding the right parts for my project, so I skipped over the necklaces and rings and all that stuff.
Putting It Together
I found a watch that looked pretty good, just as a base to start with. The bracelet felt decent, which was a good sign. But I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me if I wanted to get it looking like the real deal.
- Inspecting the Dial: I learned that checking the dial is important, so I spent a good chunk of time looking at pictures of the real Rolex, trying to figure out what made it tick, literally.
- Comparing the Bezel: The bezel was a big one. I needed to find one that had that same two-tone brown and black look. I found a few that were close, but not quite perfect.
- Sourcing the Movement: I didn’t go too deep into the movement, to be honest. I figured as long as it told time, I was good. I did find some info about different movements, but it was all a bit over my head.
The Final Result
After a lot of trial and error, and a few headaches, I finally got it looking pretty close to what I wanted. It’s not perfect, of course, but it’s my own little creation, and I’m pretty proud of it. It’s got that Root Beer look, the bracelet feels good, and it tells time. What more could you ask for?
This whole thing was a fun little experiment. I learned a lot about watches, and I got to create something unique. It’s not a real Rolex, but it’s my “Original Order” GMT-Master II, and that’s good enough for me.
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