Got the itch to try my hand at making a knockoff Rolex Submariner, the one without the date window, you know? Been eyeing those sleek black ones for a while. So, I dove into this project, and man, it’s been a ride.
First off, I started digging around to figure out what makes a Submariner tick, especially the no-date version. Turns out, it’s a whole different beast than the ones with a date. Found out that the real deal, the Rolex Submariner 114060 No Date, goes for something like $9,100 brand new! Crazy, right? Used ones aren’t much cheaper either. These watches are like the gold standard for divers, or so they say, going back to the late 1950s.
Then, I got to thinking about the parts. This watch has a 40mm case, so I needed to find something similar. I started with the case, looking for something that had the same vibe, you know? And the weight! Authentic Submariners are pretty hefty, so I tried to match that as best as I could. Also learned that for most modern pre-owned Submariner watches in today’s market range from $9,000 to $15,000 for steel models, $13,000 to $19,000 for two-tone models, and $35,000 to $42,000 for gold models. So I need to find a cheap meterials for my work.
Sourcing the Parts
- Case: Finding a 40mm case that looked the part was tough. Scoured a bunch of online stores and finally found one that was close enough.
- Movement: Now, I’m no watchmaker, so I opted for a cheaper automatic movement. Found a decent one, reminded me a bit of those Timex M79 ones. I mean, they’re not Rolex quality, but hey, it’s a start.
- Dial and Hands: This was tricky. Getting that iconic Submariner look without it being a blatant rip-off was a challenge. Ended up getting a simple black dial and some hands that kinda looked the part.
Putting it all together was a whole other story. I had to be super careful not to mess up the movement or scratch the case. Watched a ton of videos, read a bunch of guides, and just went for it. It was nerve-wracking, to say the least. But after some trial and error, I managed to get it all assembled.
The final product? It’s not a Rolex, obviously. But it’s got that Submariner look, the weight is pretty close, and it tells the time. Plus, it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg, which is a win in my book. Would I wear it to impress some watch snobs? Probably not. But as a fun project to see if I could do it, it was totally worth it.
So, that’s my story of making a “homage” to the Rolex No-Date Black Submariner. It was a fun challenge, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. Maybe next time I’ll try something even more ambitious, who knows?
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