Alright, so, the other day I got this crazy idea in my head. I saw this Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001, you know, the fancy one, in the store. Shiny, pretty, and all that. But way out of my league, price-wise. Then it hit me – why not try to remake it? I mean, how hard could it be, right?
First thing I did was, I went online and started digging up everything I could find about this watch. Pictures, articles, you name it. I learned that it’s got a charcoal gray dial, white gold case, and it’s 39mm. Looked simple enough. And I found it is mechanical movement.
Then came the fun part – trying to find parts that looked like the real deal. I spent days, maybe weeks, looking for stuff. Scouring online stores, local shops, even some shady-looking places. I found some hands that looked close enough, a dial that was kind of similar, and a case that was about the right size. It was like putting together a puzzle, but way more complicated.
- Sourcing the Movement: This was the hardest part. I didn’t even try to find an original movement – too expensive. Instead, I looked for something that would just tick. Found a cheap one online, it wasn’t pretty, but it worked.
- Finding the Right Dial: I ended up settling for a plain gray dial. Couldn’t find one with that fancy pattern the original has, but hey, close enough.
- The Case: Found a 39mm white gold-plated case. Not solid gold, obviously, but it had the right look.
- Hands and Crown: These were easier to find. There are tons of generic watch hands out there. The crown was a bit trickier, but I managed.
Putting it all together was a whole other story. I’m no watchmaker, let me tell you. Watched a bunch of videos online, bought some tiny tools, and just went for it. It was tough, I messed up a few times, bent a few hands, scratched the case a couple of times.
The Result
But you know what? After all that, I actually did it. I made a watch that, from a distance, kind of looks like a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. It’s not perfect, not even close. The dial’s not right, the movement’s cheap, and it probably won’t last very long. But it’s mine, and I made it. And you know what they say – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Would I do it again? Probably not. It was a fun project, but way more work than I thought. But hey, I can now say I have a “Patek Philippe” on my wrist, even if it’s just a homemade version. And who knows, maybe this is the start of a new hobby. But for now, I’m just happy to have a working watch that I put together myself. I wear it sometimes, mostly to see if people notice. It’s a good conversation starter, I’ll give it that.
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