Alright, let’s talk about this project I just wrapped up – remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It was a real doozy, but I’m stoked with how it turned out. I’ve always been a massive fan of Patek Philippe, especially the Calatrava line. There’s just something about that simple, elegant design that gets me every time. I saw that they brought back the “Clous de Paris” thing on the bezel of the 6119R-001, and I knew I had to try my hand at recreating it.
First off, I started by looking up a whole bunch of pictures of the 6119R-001. I mean, tons of them. I needed to get a really good sense of all the little details. I’ve always admired the Calatrava watches over the years, but this was the one I had to get my hands on.
Then, I started gathering materials. Finding the right type of rose gold-colored was tougher than I thought it would be. I went to a few different places before I found one that looked just right.
Next up was the movement. Now, I’m not exactly a watchmaker, so I decided to start with a basic mechanical movement that I could modify. I figured, if people can customize cars, why not watches, right? I spent a good chunk of time taking it apart and figuring out how to make it look a bit more like the real Patek Philippe movement.
- Disassemble the basic mechanical movement carefully.
- Study the actual Patek Philippe movement through images and videos.
- Modify the parts to resemble the real movement.
The dial was another beast. Getting that clean, simple look with the right font for the numerals was tricky. I practiced a few times on some scrap pieces before I got it down. Then I carefully painted the dial and applied the numerals. It took a steady hand, let me tell you. The “Clous de Paris” pattern on the bezel was definitely the hardest part. I tried a few different techniques, and after messing up a couple of times, I finally got a method that worked. It involved a lot of patience and a very tiny tool. It was a real test of my skills, but I’m pretty proud of how it turned out.
After that, it was just a matter of putting everything together. I carefully assembled the movement, attached the dial, and then set the hands. The final step was attaching the strap. I picked out a nice brown leather strap that I think complements the rose gold color really well.
All in all, it was a pretty challenging project, but I learned a ton along the way. It’s definitely not perfect, but I think it captures the spirit of the original Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It’s now one of my favorite pieces in my collection, and I’m already thinking about what watch I want to try and remake next. Maybe something a little less complicated next time, though!
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