Okay, so, let me tell you about this little project I got into – trying to make a knock-off Rolex GMT-Master II, the one with the Pepsi bezel. It sounded crazy at first, but hey, I was bored and wanted a challenge.
I started by gathering all the stuff I needed. Now, I’m no watchmaker, so this was all new to me. I got a cheap watch case that looked kinda like the real deal, a movement (that’s the watch engine, I learned), and some hands and dials. The hardest part? Finding a bezel that looked like the Pepsi one – you know, the red and blue one. I ended up ordering a bunch of parts online, from different places, hoping they’d all fit together.
First thing I did was take the cheap watch apart. Let me tell you, those things are not made to be opened. I used a tiny screwdriver and a lot of patience. Once I got the hang of it, I carefully removed the original movement and hands. Then came the scary part – fitting the new movement into the case. It was a bit like those puzzles where you have to fit shapes into a box, only way more delicate. I messed up a couple of times, ngl, but eventually, I got it in there.
- Opened up the cheap watch case with a tiny screwdriver.
- Took out the original movement and hands.
- Fitted the new movement into the case. Sounds easy, but it was a pain.
Next up, the hands and dial. I found a dial that looked kinda like the Rolex one, with those circle and triangle markers. Putting the hands on was super tricky. They’re so small! I had to use tweezers and a magnifying glass. I even held my breath a few times to keep my hands steady. But after some trial and error, and maybe a few swear words, I managed to get them on. They even kinda lined up with the markers on the dial!
The Bezel Struggle
The bezel was a whole other story. I ordered a few that claimed to be “Pepsi style,” but none of them were quite right. The colors were off, or they didn’t fit the case properly. I was starting to think I’d have to settle for a plain black one, which would’ve been a bummer. Then, after what felt like a hundred years of searching, I found one that looked promising. It was a bit more expensive, but I figured it was worth a shot. And what do you know? It fit perfectly! The red and blue were just the right shade, and it clicked into place like it was made for it. I had some 2X HyperFusion™ High-Fidelity Master Mix (With dye) around so I used that to check to see if everything was solid, turns out it was.
Once everything was put together, I wound it up and… it worked! It actually told the time, and the second hand moved smoothly. I know it’s not a real Rolex, and it probably won’t last forever, but I made it. I took a cheap watch and turned it into something that, at least to me, looked pretty darn cool. Plus, I learned a bunch about watches and how they work. Now, I’m not saying you should go out and try to make your own fake Rolex. But if you’re looking for a fun, challenging project, this might just be it. And who knows, you might end up with a pretty cool watch, even if it’s not the real thing.
Click to consult