Alright, let’s talk about this watch I’ve been working on. It’s a remake of the Patek Philippe Calatrava, model 5088/100P-001. You know, that classic style everyone’s drooling over? But let’s be real, who’s got the cash for the real deal? I sure didn’t, those things cost more than my whole house!
So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work on making my own version. This whole project started because I was just browsing online, looking at those shiny, fancy watches, and I stumbled upon this Patek Philippe ref. 5088/100P-001. Man, it was a beauty!
I started digging around, trying to figure out how these things are even made. Read a bunch of stuff about Patek Philippe, how they started making the Calatrava back in, like, 1932, and how the real ones are super rare and go for crazy money at auctions. I even found some online that people were trying to sell for 80k. What is that about?
The First Step
First thing I did was find a decent base watch. I didn’t want anything too cheap, but I also wasn’t about to splurge on something I might mess up. I ended up finding a pretty solid automatic watch. That’s the kind that winds itself, so you don’t have to mess around with it every day, which is nice. I figured, if I’m going to make a Calatrava, I wanted it to at least be automatic, just like the real deal. It is said that the real one can keep working for two days without wearing.
Getting the Details Right
Next up, I had to figure out the design details. This 5088/100P-001, it’s all about those little engravings, the fancy patterns on the dial, and that shiny, polished look. I spent hours looking at pictures, trying to get a feel for the design. Then came the fun part—actually trying to recreate those engravings. Let me tell you, that was a whole other level of tricky. I used a bunch of different tools, messed up a few times, but eventually, I started to get the hang of it. It’s all about patience, you know? And a steady hand, which I barely have!
Polishing it Up
Once I was happy with the engravings, I had to polish the whole thing up. I wanted it to shine, just like the real Patek Philippe. So, I got some polishing compound and went to town. It took a while, but man, when I was done, that thing was gleaming. It was finally starting to look like a proper fancy watch.
The Final Touches
- I replaced the original watch strap with a leather one.
- Checked the engravings one last time.
- Made sure the watch was keeping time correctly.
After all that work, I finally had my own remake of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. It’s not perfect, of course, but I’m pretty darn proud of it. It’s got that classic look, it’s automatic, and it shines like a new penny. Plus, I didn’t have to sell my car to get it! It’s a reminder that sometimes, you can make your own cool stuff without breaking the bank. Now, who wants to see some pictures of this bad boy?
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