Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches lately, and let me tell you, it’s a rabbit hole. I got this idea to try and make a “Batman” bezel, you know, like that famous Rolex GMT-Master II. Yeah, I know, Rolex is like the holy grail of watches, and they are not in my budget right now. But hey, a guy can dream, right?
First off, I had to get a watch to work on. After looking at some reviews on Amazon, I did not buy a Timex GMT. Some people said it is a good and cheap alternative to Rolex. But I went with a random, cheap watch I found online – something that looked similar enough to the Rolex shape. No point in ruining a good watch for this project.
Next, I started digging into what makes a “Batman” bezel, well, a “Batman.” It’s all about that black and blue color split. I spent hours looking at pictures of the real deal – the Rolex ref. 116710, and other GMT-Master II. Gotta say, those things are beautiful. Anyway, I needed to figure out how to get that color scheme onto my cheap watch.
I thought about painting it. I even bought some tiny brushes and model paint. But then I realized that would be a disaster. My hands aren’t steady enough for that kind of detailed work. Plus, I didn’t want to permanently mess up the watch in case this whole thing went south.
Then I stumbled upon these things called bezel inserts. Basically, they’re like stickers that go on top of the existing bezel. I found a few online that were black and blue, trying to copy that Rolex look. Ordered a couple, just to be safe.
When the inserts arrived, I carefully removed the original bezel from my watch. This was a bit nerve-wracking, but I managed not to break anything. Then, I lined up the new black and blue insert and… it didn’t fit perfectly. Of course, it didn’t. This is a cheap, no-name watch, not a Rolex.
So, I had to do some trimming. I used a tiny pair of scissors and very slowly, very carefully, trimmed the edges of the insert until it fit snugly onto the watch. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough. I put the bezel back on the watch, and there it was – my very own, very fake, “Batman” bezel.
The Result
- Look: From a distance, it actually looks pretty decent. The black and blue is there, and it does give the watch a bit of that Rolex vibe.
- Quality: Let’s be real, it’s not fooling anyone who knows watches. It’s obviously not a Rolex. But for a fun little project, it’s not bad.
- Satisfaction: Honestly, I’m pretty proud of myself. I took a cheap watch and made it look somewhat like a watch I love but not afford. It was a fun experiment, and I learned a lot about bezels and watch modding in the process.
Would I wear this out and try to pass it off as a real Rolex? Absolutely not. But it’s a fun conversation starter, and it’s a reminder that sometimes, it’s okay to just mess around and create something for the fun of it. Maybe someday I’ll own a real Rolex GMT-Master II, but for now, my little homemade “Batman” will do just fine.
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