Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726 for a while now. But man, those prices are insane! I mean, we’re talking like $65,000, maybe even $95,000 for a new one. No way I’m dropping that kind of cash on a watch, as much as I love it. So, I decided to try and remake one myself.
First, I started looking around online, trying to figure out what makes the 5726 so special. I mean, besides it being a Patek and all. Found some info that said in 2019 they switched to a blue dial, the 5726/1A-014, and that the newer ones are 41mm. They’re also water-resistant, but only to 30 meters now, which is kind of a bummer. Used to be more, I guess.
Then I began the search for parts. I was not going for genuine Patek parts, obviously. I just needed stuff that looked the part. Finding a case that was the right size and shape was a real pain. It took me weeks. I finally stumbled upon a decent-looking 41mm case from a seller in China, I think. I figured I would start with the dial. And I wanted that blue dial, like the newer 5726. That took a few days, had to find a good one with the right color and texture. I tried to get the right white gold, but that didn’t work out, so I just found something that looks like it.
After that I needed a movement. Again, not a real Patek movement, just something that would fit and work. I ended up ordering a cheap automatic movement. It took forever to arrive, but eventually, it showed up.
Assembling the watch was a whole other adventure. I broke a couple of hands trying to get them on. And getting the movement to sit right in the case was a nightmare. I watched a bunch of videos online, but it’s way harder than it looks. After a few very frustrating evenings, I started to get the hang of it.
Finally, after weeks of work, a lot of cursing, and way more money spent than I originally planned, I had something that looked kind of like a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726. It’s definitely not perfect. The finishing isn’t great, and I’m pretty sure it’s not water-resistant at all. But, from a distance, it kinda looks the part. I mean you will definitely know if you are a watch guy, but it’s not terrible.
Would I do it again? Probably not. It was way more work and stress than it was worth. But hey, now I have a watch that at least resembles my dream watch. And I learned a lot along the way. Maybe one day I’ll actually be able to afford the real deal. Until then, this will have to do. It took a few weeks but I got it done.
- Weeks of searching for parts
- Ordered a 41mm case from China
- Found a blue dial after several days
- Ordered a cheap automatic movement
- Assembled the watch (broke a couple of hands)
- A few frustrating evenings
- Finally got something that looks similar
Final thoughts
It was a fun experience, but also difficult. I will say that I was pleased with the end result. It’s not a perfect product, but it does the trick. I won’t be fooled, but others might be. I’m not sure I would go through this again, but I am glad I did. I learned a lot, and now I have this watch!
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