Alright, folks, gather ’round. Today, I’m gonna tell you about the time I tried to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. Now, I’m no fancy watchmaker, but I like to tinker, and I’ve always been a fan of a good-looking watch. This Patek Philippe, they call it the Calatrava 6119R-001, is one of those. It’s got a real classic look. I saw that original one is about 30k, too expensive, you know.
So, I started by doing some research. I looked up everything I could find about this watch. The case is 39mm in diameter and 8.08mm thick, and it’s all polished up and shiny. Looks pretty simple, right? I figured, “How hard could it be?”
First thing I did was try to find a case that was similar. I scoured the internet, checked out all sorts of watch parts suppliers. It took a while, but I finally found one that was pretty close. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for my liking.
Next, I needed a movement. Now, the original has some fancy Swiss movement, but I wasn’t about to spend a fortune on that. I opted for a decent automatic movement I found online. It wasn’t the same, but it kept time, and that’s what matters, right?
- Finding the dial was a bit tricky. I wanted something that looked like the original, with that clean, simple design.
- I ended up getting a custom one made. It wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it to get the look right.
- Then came the hands. I managed to find some that were a good match, and with a bit of careful work, I got them fitted onto the movement.
Putting it all together was the real test. I took my time, made sure everything was lined up just right. It was fiddly work, but I enjoyed the challenge. And you know what? It actually started to look like a watch!
Finally, I added a nice leather strap, and there it was. My very own, handmade, sort-of-like-a-Patek-Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It wasn’t perfect, of course. It didn’t have the same weight, the same feel, but I was proud of it. I’d taken a bunch of parts and turned them into something that, at least to me, was pretty darn special. Also, the water-resistant is a big problem. I tried several times but still can’t reach the 30m.
So, there you have it. My little adventure in watchmaking. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way. Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I might try something a little less ambitious. Or maybe not. Who knows?
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