Seriously, what's a realistic timeline for this 401k to Gold IRA move?

• •I've got about $1.8M in an old plan from my previous gig, and honestly, the market volatility is making me increasingly uneasy.
• •It's not my main portfolio, obviously, but still a significant piece I want diversified into something tangible.
• •Real talk, the thought of central banks printing more money just makes me want to hoard physical assets even more.

Okay, so I've been kicking the tires on this for months, now actually pulling the trigger on rolling over a good chunk of my old 401k into a Gold IRA. I've got about $1.8M in an old plan from my previous gig, and honestly, the market volatility is making me increasingly uneasy. It's not my main portfolio, obviously, but still a significant piece I want diversified into something tangible. Real talk, the thought of central banks printing more money just makes me want to hoard physical assets even more.

I've spoken to a few potential custodians and they're all giving me these vague "a few weeks to a month" timelines. I'm based in Greenwich, and frankly, my time is not cheap. I need to know what's a realistic expectation here. Is it really three weeks if I'm on top of it, or am I looking at a two-month saga of paperwork and phone calls? I'm used to getting things done quickly and efficiently, so this feels a bit like navigating quicksand.

For those of you who've actually done a direct rollover from an old 401k (not a Roth conversion, just a straight rollover to a new Gold IRA), what was your actual experience? Did your old plan administrator drag their feet? Did the gold custodian make it smooth? Any specific hurdles I should anticipate? I'm considering using Augusta Precious Metals or Birch Gold Group, but open to other suggestions if their process is genuinely streamlined.

I’m trying to get this wrapped up before year-end if possible, just for my own mental accounting and peace of mind. Any insights or war stories would be genuinely appreciated. I'm hoping to get about $500k of that $1.8M into physical, IRS-approved gold and silver. What does that kind of transaction actually feel like from start to finish?