Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get into watch modding for a while now, and I finally took the plunge. I’ve always loved the look of the Rolex GMT-Master II, especially that “Root Beer” bezel – you know, the brown and black one. It’s a total classic, but way out of my price range. So, I thought, why not try to make my own version? A little homage to the real deal, you know?
I started by doing a ton of reading online, mostly on forums and some watch blogs. I found out that the original “Root Beer” was the GMT-Master ref. 1675/3, which Rolex stopped making way back in ’79. Then, around 20 years later, they came out with a new one, the GMT Master II with ref. 16713, made until 2006. Recently, in 2018, they dropped another two-tone GMT-Master II with a brown bezel, the ref. 126711CHNR. That’s the one I really had my eye on.
Now, finding the right parts was a bit of a mission. I wanted it to look decent, but I wasn’t about to spend a fortune on the real Rolex parts. After digging around, I found a couple of online stores that sell, shall we say, “inspired” parts. I ended up ordering a case that looked pretty close to the GMT-Master II style, and a two-tone brown and black bezel insert. Seemed legit, you know?
The movement was another hurdle. I didn’t need anything fancy, just something that would keep time and had a GMT function. I went for a basic automatic movement, I think it was a DG3804 or something. Not the most reliable thing in the world, but it was cheap and fit the case.
- First, I carefully took apart the case that came with the movement I bought.
- Then, I popped the old bezel insert out and put the new “Root Beer” one in. That was a bit nerve-wracking, but it went in without any problems.
- The movement swap was a little trickier. I had to remove the hands, carefully take the movement out of the old case, and put it into the new one. I messed up the hands a bit the first time, I bent the second hand, so I had to order a new set. Whoops.
- Once I got the new hands, I carefully put them on the movement, and made sure everything was aligned.
After a few tries, and a couple of minor setbacks, I finally got it all together. It wasn’t perfect, but I was pretty damn proud of myself! It looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. It kept time reasonably well, and the GMT hand worked as it should.
Here’s the thing: This whole process was way more challenging than I expected. It’s not just about slapping some parts together. There’s a real art to watchmaking, even if it’s just a cheap knock-off. I definitely have a newfound respect for watchmakers now.
So, yeah, that’s the story of my little “Root Beer” GMT-Master II project. It’s not a Rolex, and it never will be. But it’s mine, and I built it. And for me, that’s pretty cool. I mean, who needs to be on a Rolex waiting list anyway, right?
Now I just need to find my next project… maybe a “Pepsi” bezel this time?
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