Alright, let’s talk about this project I just finished up – a remake of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. What a doozy, but totally worth it.
I started by gathering all the information I could about this watch. Turns out, this beauty has a 39mm diameter case and is about 9.24mm thick. I needed to get that right. Then I dug into the history – did you know the Calatrava line goes all the way back to 1932? Wild, right? It’s named after some Christian knight order, which is kind of cool.
So, after I got all my facts straight, I started working on the case. I wanted it to be as close to the original as possible, so I spent ages getting that polished round shape just right. And let me tell you, getting the right thickness was a pain. I didn’t want it to look too bulky, you know? The original has this neat “Savonette” caseback, and even though mine isn’t exactly the same, I think I nailed the slim look.
Key Steps
- Gathered materials and tools: It sounds simple, but you won’t believe how long it took to find the right materials.
- Modeled the case: This was tricky, matching the exact dimensions and curves of the original.
- Assembled the movement: I used a self-winding caliber 324 movement, just like the real deal. It was a bit finicky, but I managed.
- Polished and finished: This is where the watch really came to life. Lots of careful polishing to get that signature shine.
Next up was the movement. I decided to use a self-winding caliber 324 movement, just like the original. Putting that together was like brain surgery, but hey, I got it done. It took a few tries, not gonna lie, but the feeling when it finally started ticking was amazing.
Finally, I polished the whole thing up. This part took forever, but it’s what gives the watch that luxurious look. I wanted it to be versatile, you know, something you could wear every day or to some fancy event. And I think I achieved that.
Honestly, this whole project was a rollercoaster. There were times I wanted to throw the whole thing out the window. But I stuck with it, and now I’ve got this awesome watch that I made myself. Pretty cool, huh? It’s not a real Patek Philippe, of course, but it’s my little tribute to a classic.
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