Okay, so today I wanted to try my hand at remaking the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R, the original order version. This watch is a classic, and I was curious to see if I could recreate its elegant look.
First, I gathered all the materials I needed. I found a nice rose gold-colored case online that looked pretty close to the original. The dial was a bit trickier. I ended up getting a sunburst brown dial that had a similar warm tone. Of course, I needed some decent hands, so I picked up a set of dauphine-style hands that matched the case.
Finding the Right Movement
- Looking for a movement was a bit of a challenge.
- I wanted something thin and reliable, just like the original.
- After some searching, I settled on a Seagull automatic movement. It’s not Swiss, but it’s known for being pretty solid and keeping good time.
Next, I started putting it all together. I carefully removed the case back and placed the movement inside. Then, I carefully attached the dial to the movement. This part was super delicate, and I had to make sure everything was aligned perfectly. I used some small tools to help me to put the dial in the correct position.
After that, I installed the hands. This was probably the most nerve-wracking part because these hands are tiny! I used a hand-setting tool and a loupe to make sure I didn’t damage anything. It took a few tries, but I finally got them on straight.
Finally, I put the case back together and attached a nice leather strap. I found a brown alligator strap that I thought matched the overall aesthetic pretty well.
The finished product? Well, it’s not a real Patek Philippe, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It definitely captures the spirit of the Golden Ellipse. It’s got that classic, understated elegance that I was going for. It’s not perfect, but I learned a lot from this little project. And honestly, it’s kind of cool to have a watch that I built myself. Maybe not for everyone, I get that. But for me it is a funny experience and I’m quite happy with the result.
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