Alright, so I’ve been messing around with watches again, and this time I got my hands on a Rolex GMT-Master II, the left-handed version. You know, the one with the crown on the other side? Yeah, that’s the one. It’s a pretty classic style, and I wanted to see if I could pull off a decent imitation. Let me tell you, it was a bit of a ride.
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to find a base watch that was somewhat similar. I hunted around online, looked at a bunch of different models, and finally settled on this one. It had a similar shape and size, which is really what I was going for. I ordered it, waited a few days (which felt like forever, by the way), and then it finally arrived.
The Transformation
Once I had the base watch, it was time to start transforming it. It was a huge problem at the first beginning. I mean, where can I find the parts? I searched every website and visited some shops, but still not any good news. I had to make some decisions to find similar parts, I don’t think it is a big problem for me.
- The Bezel: This was the most obvious part that needed changing. I found a green and black bezel insert online that looked pretty close to the original. I did a swap and used some tools, and it snapped right into place. The quality looks good. I mean, it is green and black, the color is really classic.
- The Dial: Next up was the dial. The original has that iconic “GMT-Master II” text, and I wanted to replicate that. I found some printable watch dial templates online, messed around with the design until it looked right, and then printed it out on some high-quality paper. Carefully cut it out and glued it onto the existing dial. I have to say I tried a lot of paper, and finally found one that looked great.
- The Hands: The hands were a bit tricky. The original has that unique “Mercedes” hour hand. I couldn’t find an exact match, so I settled for a set of hands that were at least the same color. Swapped those out with a watch tool kit. Not perfect, but it gets the job done.
- The Crown: Now, for the left-handed part. This was probably the biggest challenge. I couldn’t exactly move the crown to the other side, so I had to get creative. I ended up using a small piece of metal and some strong adhesive to create a “dummy” crown on the left side. It doesn’t actually do anything, but it gives the illusion of a left-handed watch.
The Final Product
After all that work, I finally had my high imitation Rolex GMT-Master II. Honestly, I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out. It’s not perfect, of course. A real watch enthusiast would probably spot the differences in a second. But for a fun little project, I think it’s pretty darn good. It definitely captures the classic style of the original.
Anyway, that’s my little watch adventure. It was a fun challenge, and I learned a lot along the way. Maybe I’ll try my hand at another imitation sometime. Who knows!
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