Okay, so, today I want to share my little project: remaking a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. This is a really classy watch, and I’ve always loved its look. So I thought, why not try to make one myself?
First off, I started by gathering all the info I could find about this watch. I learned that the original has a 39 mm case diameter and is about 9.24 mm thick. It’s all polished and round, super classic. The Reference 96, which was released way back in 1932, is kind of the granddaddy of this design. That’s some history right there!
I spent hours looking at pictures and reading descriptions. I found out that these watches can go for around $30,000! Yeah, you read that right. On some sites, people were selling used ones from 2021, still in really good condition, with the original box and papers. That’s how you know it’s a big deal.
So, after getting a good idea of what I was dealing with, I started sketching out my own version. The original has a self-winding caliber 324 movement, but I wasn’t about to try and replicate that! I decided to use a simpler movement that I could actually get my hands on. The dial on the real one is this beautiful ivory color with gold hands and a date window at 3 o’clock. I tried to find similar-looking parts for mine.
The case was the biggest challenge. I wanted it to be round and polished, just like the real Calatrava. I found a case that was pretty close in size and shape, but it wasn’t perfect. I spent a good amount of time polishing and working on it to get it as close as possible to the original. It’s not exactly 39 mm, but it’s close enough for my liking.
Putting It All Together
Once I had all the parts, it was time to put this baby together. I carefully assembled the movement and attached it to the dial. Then, I placed it inside the case. This was nerve-wracking! One wrong move and I could scratch the case or mess up the dial.
The final result? Well, it’s not a real Patek Philippe, but I’m pretty proud of it. It looks similar, especially with the round face and the polished case. It’s got that elegant vibe that Patek Philippe is known for. I even managed to get a date window on mine, though it’s not in the exact same spot as the original.
- Case: Found a close match, polished it up real good.
- Movement: Used a simpler one I could actually work with.
- Dial: Found similar-looking hands and a nice, clean dial.
- Assembly: Carefully put it all together, trying not to mess anything up.
So, that’s my story of remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. Plus, now I have a cool-looking watch to wear!
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