Alright, let’s dive into this little adventure I got myself into. So, I’ve been eyeing this Patek Philippe Calatrava, the 6119G-001 model to be exact, for a while now. I mean, have you seen that thing? It’s a real beauty. This isn’t just any watch; it’s a statement. I remember thinking, “How hard could it be to remake one?” Famous last words, right?
First thing I did was spend hours, and I mean hours, just looking at pictures of the 6119G-001. I wanted to get every little detail down. This watch, it’s made of white gold, which gives it this super classy look. I also found out that getting your hands on a remake of one of these Patek Philippe watches isn’t a walk in the park. You gotta know the right people, or at least, that’s what I figured.
Preparation phase: Gathering my tools and materials
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Sourced materials: I couldn’t get white gold, obviously, so I settled for stainless steel. It’s not the same, but hey, it shines, and it’s what I could afford.
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Bought tools: I got myself a set of those tiny screwdrivers, a magnifying glass because my eyes aren’t what they used to be, and some other bits and bobs that looked like they might be useful.
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Studied the design: This was the fun part. I printed out loads of pictures of the Calatrava 6119G-001 and stuck them all over my workshop. I felt like a detective, trying to crack a case.
The remaking part: Where things got real
I started with the watch face, trying to copy that iconic “Clous de Paris” pattern. Let me tell you, it’s way harder than it looks. My first few attempts? Total disasters. But I kept at it, and after a while, I started to get the hang of it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine.
Then came the hands and the hour markers. These were tiny, and I mean really tiny. I spent days just trying to get them right. I might have lost a few along the way – they’re probably still somewhere on my workshop floor. But eventually, I managed to make something that looked sort of like the real deal.
The movement, well, that was a whole other story. I knew I couldn’t make a mechanical movement from scratch, so I bought a cheap quartz movement online. It’s not the same, not by a long shot, but it ticks, and it tells the time.
Putting it all together was like assembling a puzzle where the pieces didn’t quite fit. I had to file down parts, adjust others, and generally just fiddle with it until it all came together. It took forever, but finally, I had something that resembled a watch.
It’s not a Patek Philippe, not even close. But it’s my little creation, and I’m pretty proud of it. I learned a lot along the way, like how much work goes into making these fancy watches, and that I’m not as patient as I thought I was.
Would I do it again? Probably not. But it was a fun experiment, and I ended up with a unique watch that’s got a story behind it. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Creating something, learning, and having a bit of fun along the way. This Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001, or rather, my version of it, it’s a reminder of that journey. It’s shiny, it’s pretty, and it tells the time. What more could you ask for?