So, I decided to remake a Patek Philippe watch. Yeah, you heard that right. I’m talking about the Calatrava 6119R-001, a real classic. This whole thing started when I saw this beauty online. The rose gold, the details, it just caught my eye, you know?
First, I spent hours just looking at pictures of this watch, trying to get every little detail in my head. The case, the dial, the hands – I wanted to get it all right. This Patek Philippe Calatrava, it’s 39mm, which is a pretty decent size, and only 8.08mm thick. That means I have to make sure the parts I remake fit to those size requirements.
Getting the Case Right
- I started with the case. It’s round, polished, and made of rose gold, or at least it looks like it. Finding the right material was a bit of a headache, but I managed.
- I measured and cut, and measured again, I tried to get the shape and size as close to the original as possible. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, I’m not a machine. I shaped the round case carefully, making sure it was 39mm across, just like the real deal.
The Dial and Hands
- Next up was the dial. This watch has this cool “Clous de Paris” pattern, it’s like tiny little hobnails. I found a material that looked similar, and tried to engrave it with the pattern. Tricky, but it turned out okay.
- The hour markers are these little rose gold things. I cut and shaped them, trying to get that faceted look. Then there are the hands – they’re called “dauphine” style. They’re thin and elegant. I spent a good chunk of time shaping these, making sure they looked the part. I had to figure out a way to get those rose gold hour markers on there, and those fancy dauphine-style hands.
Putting It All Together
- The movement, that’s the tricky part. It’s a manual wind, meaning you have to wind it by hand. I got a basic one that kind of worked but wasn’t as fancy as the original.
- After I had all the parts, I started putting the watch together. It was like a puzzle, a really complicated one. But piece by piece, it started to look like a watch.
Finally, after all that work, I had my own version of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It’s not exactly like the original, but it’s my take on it. This watch, it’s got a sapphire crystal case back, so you can see the movement inside. I think that’s pretty neat.
Looking at it now, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And the best part? I learned a ton along the way. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. Plus, now I have a cool watch to show for it.
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