Alright, folks, let’s dive into today’s little project. I’ve been eyeing those fancy Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” watches for a while now, but the price tag? Ouch. So, I thought, why not try my hand at making a high-quality imitation? Sounds crazy, I know, but stick with me here.
First things first, I had to get my hands on some reference materials. After scouring the internet, I found some pretty detailed info. Apparently, the real deal has this cool UV light feature where some hidden details pop out. Plus, there was this discontinued model, the 116718LN, with a yellow gold case, black ceramic bezel, and a green dial. It’s a looker, that’s for sure.
Next, I needed to figure out the materials. The original is water-resistant up to 100 meters, which is neat, but I’m not planning on deep-sea diving with this thing. I just need it to survive a splash or two. I started gathering the components – a decent-quality case, a ceramic bezel that looks the part, and a dial that mimics that signature green.
The assembly process was a bit of a trial-and-error situation. I watched a bunch of videos online, trying to understand how these things are put together. It’s a lot more complicated than I initially thought! But after a few attempts, I started to get the hang of it. Getting the bezel to rotate smoothly was a real pain, but I finally cracked it.
Now, for the tricky part – the UV light feature. I did some digging and found out that the real Rolex has these tiny, almost invisible markings that only show up under UV light. Replicating that was a whole other challenge. I experimented with different inks and a UV light pen, trying to get that same effect. It took a lot of patience, but I managed to create something pretty close.
Here’s how the final product looks:
- Case: Got a solid stainless steel case. Feels weighty and looks pretty darn close to the real thing.
- Bezel: The Pepsi bezel is on point. Red and blue, ceramic, and it rotates just like it should.
- Dial: I opted for a clean, black dial this time. It’s not green like that fancy discontinued model, but it looks sharp.
- UV Feature: This is where I’m most proud. I managed to add some hidden details that only pop under a UV light. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty cool if you ask me.
So, there you have it – my attempt at making a high-quality Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” imitation. Was it easy? Nope. Was it worth it? Absolutely! I learned a ton about watches, and I ended up with something that looks pretty awesome on my wrist. I mean, who knew that approximately 88.5k GMT-Masters are made a year? That’s a lot of watches! It really puts the whole imitation game into perspective.
The Takeaway
This whole project was a wild ride. It’s not just about slapping some parts together and calling it a day. There’s a real art to this, and I have a newfound respect for watchmakers. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a fun challenge, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.
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