Okay, so I’ve been wanting to mess around with watches for a while now, and I finally took the plunge. I decided to try and remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It’s a real beauty, you know? Super classy and elegant. I figured, why not give it a shot? I mean, it’s just a round wristwatch, how hard could it be, right? Well, let me tell you, it was a journey.
Getting Started
First off, I needed to gather all the stuff. I spent days, maybe even weeks, just looking at pictures of the watch online. I wanted to get every little detail right. You would not believe how many different versions of the same watch are out there. Then, I had to find the right parts. Let me tell you, finding the correct watch hands that look like the original is a nightmare, let alone one in rose gold. I spent hours searching in forums, and different websites with no luck.
The Work Begins
Once I had most of the stuff, I started putting it all together. The movement was the trickiest part. You know all those tiny gears and springs? Yeah, they’re a pain to work with. I swear, I almost lost my mind a couple of times. But I kept at it, referencing those pictures I’d studied and a couple of badly-made videos I found.
- The Dial: Finding a dial that even remotely resembled the original was rough. I ended up settling for something close enough, but it still bugged me that it wasn’t perfect.
- The Case: The case was also tough. I thought I ordered the right size, but when it arrived, it was slightly off. I made it work, but it wasn’t ideal. After a few hours of work I realized that the case was the wrong material and I would have to start again with that part.
- The Hands: Remember when I said finding the hands was tough? Well I finally found something that would work after ordering a few different ones, but honestly, I think they ended up looking pretty good.
- The Strap: This was the easiest part. I just bought a leather strap that looked decent. Nothing fancy. This was the only part of this process that went smoothly, hah.
Putting It All Together
After what felt like forever, I finally had all the pieces in place. Screwing the back of the case on was a moment of truth. I wound it up, held my breath, and… it ticked! It actually worked! I couldn’t believe it. Sure, it’s not a real Patek Philippe, but it’s my Patek Philippe, you know?
Final Thoughts
This whole project was way harder than I expected. There were times I wanted to throw the whole thing in the trash. But I’m glad I stuck with it. I learned a ton about watches, and I have a newfound respect for those watchmakers. Those guys are seriously talented. Would I do it again? Maybe. If I did, I’d definitely do some things differently. But for now, I’m just happy to have a watch that looks somewhat like a Calatrava 6119R-001 on my wrist. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.
This took me way longer than I thought it would, but hey, at least I can say I tried, right? And maybe, just maybe, it’ll inspire someone else to give it a go. Just be prepared for a wild ride!