Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Rolex GMT-Master II for a while now, but, you know, the price tag is just… ouch. So I thought, why not try to make one myself? I mean, how hard could it be, right? Famous last words.
First, I needed to find a “base” watch. Something that at least had the general shape and feel of a Rolex. I scoured the internet, looking for deals, like a hawk. Remember that line from the Pokémon theme song? “I got 2 B the one, the only one who can withstand the test ‘n B the best. I got 2 strive, keep up the drive.” That was me, except instead of catching Pokémon, I was hunting for watch parts. I also found this line that said something like “Designed to be cherished as treasured family heirlooms that accompany you through life’s journey and beyond”. I’m not sure if my finished product will be a “treasured family heirloom,” but I sure did try.
- Step 1: The Base Watch – Found a decent-looking automatic watch online. Not a Rolex, obviously, but it had a similar weight and a rotating bezel, which was a must-have.
Next up was the “Root Beer” bezel. This was the tricky part. Finding a bezel insert that looked like the real deal was tough. I spent hours comparing colors, fonts, and materials.
- Step 2: The Bezel – Let me tell you, there are a LOT of bad fake bezels out there. I finally found one that was pretty close. The color was a little off, but the ceramic material felt nice.
Now for the scary part – taking the old bezel off and putting the new one on. I watched a bunch of videos, bought some tools (that I probably didn’t need). I was so nervous, I felt like I was defusing a bomb.
- Step 3: The Operation – With shaky hands and a lot of deep breaths, I managed to pry off the old bezel. I may have scratched the watch case a little (oops). Then, with even more care, I pressed on the new “Root Beer” bezel.
The Result
So, how did it turn out? Well, it’s… okay. It’s not a Rolex, not even close. But from a distance, it kinda, sorta looks like one. I probably put way more money into the whole thing than I originally planned. And definitely more time. Like I saw some ads that said “Profiteer van aanbiedingen van look a like rolex in boeken op Amazon. Miljoenen producten voor 23.59 uur besteld.” I should have just bought one from there I guess. But hey, I can now say I made a, well, let’s call it a “homage” to a Rolex GMT-Master II. Would I do it again? Probably not. But it was definitely an experience. A very, very, time-consuming and slightly frustrating experience. But at least now, when I look at my wrist, I can remember the journey, even if the destination wasn’t quite what I expected.
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