Alright, let’s talk about this little project I got myself into – trying to make a knockoff of the Rolex GMT-Master II, the one they call the “Batman” because of the blue and black bezel. I thought, “How hard could it be?” Famous last words, right?
First off, I started digging around for info. I needed to know what makes the Batman tick, literally. I hit up a bunch of forums and, of course, Amazon. I found out that Timex has a watch called the Allied Three GMT that looks kinda like the Batman, but it’s way cheaper. That gave me a starting point, at least in terms of what the thing should look like.
Then came the fun part – actually trying to make the damn thing. I knew I needed to get the bezel right. That blue and black ceramic is iconic. I found some threads online where people were discussing which factory makes the best replica GMTs. A lot of folks were saying “Clean factory” is the way to go. I’m not sure I totally followed all that, but it was something to go on.
- Finding the Right Parts: This was a pain. I needed stainless steel, a decent movement, and that tricky bezel. I spent hours online, looking at different suppliers.
- Putting It Together: I’m no watchmaker, let me tell you. But I’ve tinkered with a few watches in my time. This was a whole different level, though. Getting everything to fit just right was a nightmare.
- The Bezel: I ended up ordering a few different bezels, trying to find one that looked right. The colors, the feel, the way it clicked when you rotated it – it all had to be spot on.
I messed up a bunch of times. Scratched some parts, broke a few others. But I kept at it. I was obsessed, I guess. I even started reading about the history of Rolex and the GMT-Master. It’s a pretty cool story, actually.
The End Result
After weeks of work, I finally had something that looked like a Rolex GMT-Master II Batman. Did it look exactly like the real thing? Nah. But it was close enough to fool most people, I think. And I learned a lot along the way. Would I do it again? Probably not. It was way more work than I expected. But hey, it’s a fun story to tell, right? And now I have this kinda cool watch that I made myself. Even if it is a fake.