Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches lately, and I got this idea to try and make a high imitation of a Rolex GMT-Master II, the one with the Pepsi bezel. You know, the red and blue one? It’s a real looker, but way out of my price range.
First, I did some digging. I learned that the real deal has the hands stacked in a specific way: hour, then GMT, then minutes. I made a note of that, figuring it would be important to get it right.
Then I started looking for parts. I found this case, a 39mm one. And I found a movement too, it is a Swiss automatic. This is just like the Ocean 39 Vintage GMT Premium Ceramic. Not too bad, right? It seemed like a good starting point, and it wasn’t going to break the bank.
The bezel was the tricky part. I read up on the original Rolex Pepsi bezel, the 126710BLRO, and found out it’s a two-color, 24-hour thing that rotates. It’s a big part of what makes the watch a “cosmopolitan” one. Plus, it lets you see a second time zone, which is pretty cool.
I managed to find a bezel that looked pretty close, at least to my untrained eye. It had the right colors, and it rotated, so I figured it was good enough for my little project.
Putting it all together was a bit of a pain. But you know the hands are set in order? I spent a lot of time to make sure this step is right. I kept messing up and having to start over, but eventually, I got it.
- Step 1: Gather all the parts – case, movement, dial, hands, and that all-important bezel.
- Step 2: Carefully assemble the movement and dial into the case. This part was super fiddly.
- Step 3: Attach the hands in the correct order. I cannot emphasize how important this was and how many times I screwed it up.
- Step 4: Press-fit the bezel onto the case. I was worried about breaking it, but it went on okay.
And there you have it. My very own, not-so-authentic Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi. It’s not perfect, of course. I heard that the real one has a new-generation movement called caliber 3285. A real good one. Mine is not that good. I mean, it tells the time, and the bezel turns, and it looks kinda like the real thing from a distance. I’m pretty happy with it, especially considering it cost me a fraction of what a real Rolex would. This thing was deemed an instant classic when it came out in 2018. So I would say it is a pretty good one for a fun project like this.
It was a fun little experiment, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. Maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real deal, but for now, I’m happy with my little imitation.
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