Alright, so, I got this thing for making a, uh, what do you call it? A knock-off, yeah, a knock-off Rolex. It’s one of those GMT-Master IIs, but it’s for lefties. I mean I started this whole thing a while back, maybe a couple months ago? Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.
So, I saw this Rolex GMT-Master II Left-Handed Version watch. You know, the one with the green and black bezel? The original was launched in March of 2022, I think. My friend in the circle told me that it was quite a surprise in the watch circle. Anyway, it looked slick, but my wallet was like, “Nah, bro.” So, I thought, “Why not make my own?”
First thing I did was hit up some forums and chat groups. You know, the usual places where people talk about these kinds of projects. I needed info, and I needed it fast. I learned that to make it look legit, I gotta pay attention to the hands – the hour, GMT, and minute hands. They gotta be stacked in that order, from bottom to top.
Then, I started looking for parts. This was a pain, let me tell you. I found out that the case needs a unique serial number, and the bezel, oh boy, the bezel needs to rotate smoothly, and the colors gotta be spot on. It’s like, you gotta find the “Pepsi” style, which is really popular in GMT-Master II. You know what a real one of those looks like, right?
I ordered some parts online, from different places. Some were good, some were, well, not so good. I even got a 39mm case ’cause I heard it’s a good size, similar to this Ocean 39 Vintage GMT Premium Ceramic thing. It’s a process, you know? Trial and error. I think the movement I used is some kind of Swiss automatic. But to be honest, I couldn’t tell the difference. It ticks, it moves, that’s good enough for me.
Putting it all together, that was another story. But I had some experience with these things, so it wasn’t too bad. I messed up a couple of times, sure, but who doesn’t? Eventually, I got it right. Or at least, right enough to fool most people. I mean the weight, the look, the feel, it’s all pretty close. If you don’t look too close, you might actually think it’s real.
- First, I studied the real Rolex GMT-Master II, especially the left-handed version.
- Then, I found the parts. This was hard. Some parts were good, some were bad.
- Next, I put it together. I messed up a few times, but I learned from my mistakes.
- Finally, I compared it to the real thing. It’s pretty close!
So, yeah, that’s my little project. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg. Plus, I learned a lot along the way. Would I do it again? Maybe. It’s a fun hobby, and you get a cool watch out of it. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not the real deal, but it’s close enough for me. And hey, it tells the time, right?
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