Alright, so I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I got this idea to try and make a left-handed version of the Rolex GMT-Master II. You know, the “Sprite” one with the green and black bezel. I heard some people call it “Lefty Sprite” or “VTNR,” which I guess stands for “Verte Noir” in French. Fancy, huh?
First, I did some digging. Turns out, Rolex only made this one watch for lefties, with the crown and date on the left side, at 9 o’clock, instead of the usual 3 o’clock. That means it fits on your right wrist just like a regular watch goes on your left. I figured, why not give it a shot? I am a leftie, you see.
I looked around to see if anyone else had tried making something similar. I found a brand that has this Seacolt GMT collection, pretty close to the Rolex GMT-Master II, and they have it in five colors. Then there was this other one, the Ocean 39 Vintage GMT Premium Ceramic, with a Swiss automatic movement and a 39mm case. Looked nice, but not quite what I was after. I even came across the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial GMT, but that’s not the one I was aiming for. I’ve been thinking of getting another GMT for a while, and since I’m a lefty, I wear my watch on the right wrist. But I thought this whole Sprite thing might just mess with my head, ha!
I started by getting a watch that looked like the GMT-Master II. I wanted to make sure it had that two-color bezel that goes all the way around and shows 24 hours, like the Rolex. The one I got had a black and green Cerachrom insert, just like the real deal. I took the watch apart carefully. I mean, it felt like I was doing surgery or something. The hardest part was moving the crown and the date window. I had to make sure I didn’t mess up the insides, you know? I slowly took out the crown stem, and moved the date wheel over to the other side. It was slow going, but I wanted to make sure I did it right.
After getting the crown and date window moved to the left, I put it all back together. Getting the little pieces back in place was a pain. It was not easy, let me tell you. I’m pretty sure I almost broke a sweat, making sure all the gears and stuff lined up right.
Then, I started looking at other watches, like that TAG Heuer racing one and Tudor’s first left-handed watch, just to get some inspiration. I read online that the Rolex Sprite has been a big deal since it came out in 2022, and it’s gotten pretty popular. I even found a forum where some guy was debating whether to get one because he’s a lefty and wears his watch on the right wrist. He said it might “confuse the crap” out of him, which made me chuckle.
- Took apart the watch carefully.
- Moved the crown and date window to the 9 o’clock position.
- Put the watch back together, making sure everything lined up.
- Checked to see if it worked right and fit well on my right wrist.
Finally, I put the modified watch on my right wrist. It felt weird at first, but kind of cool. It worked, which was a relief, and looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. I wore it around for a few days, just to see how it felt. Honestly, it was pretty neat having a watch that was made for lefties. People would actually do a double take to see if they were seeing right. It’s definitely a conversation starter.
So, that’s my story of making a “Sprite” Rolex GMT-Master II for lefties. It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot. Plus, now I have a unique watch that not many people have. If you’re into watches and like a good challenge, maybe give it a try. Just be prepared to be patient and have a steady hand!