Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001 for a while now. It’s a beautiful watch, but the waitlist is crazy—like nine months to a year, maybe longer. And the price? Don’t even get me started. But I’m not one to give up easily, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and remake one myself.
First, I spent hours looking at pictures and videos of the 6119G-001 online. I needed to understand every little detail of this watch. The Calatrava is known for its classic, Bauhaus-inspired design, and I wanted to capture that perfectly. Especially that guilloched hobnail pattern on the bezel, also known as “Clous de Paris.” It’s a real standout feature.
Then, I started gathering materials. Since I couldn’t get the exact same parts as the original, I had to find the closest matches. I got a simple, round case that reminded me of the Calatrava’s geometric design. The diameter of the original is 31mm, and the thickness is just 2.55mm, so I tried my best to find something similar in size.
The movement was the trickiest part. The 6119G-001 has a manually wound mechanical movement, which is a big part of its charm. I searched and searched, and eventually found a decent hand-wound movement that would fit the case. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do the job for this project.
Next up was that “Clous de Paris” bezel. I knew I couldn’t replicate the hand-guilloched pattern myself, so I looked for alternatives. I found a textured bezel that, while not exactly the same, gave off a similar vibe. It took some adjusting to get it to fit right, but I finally managed.
Assembling the watch was a real challenge. I had to be super careful with every step because one wrong move, and I’d be back to square one. It took a lot of patience and a steady hand, but I finally put it all together.
- Sourced a round case similar to the Calatrava’s design
- Found a hand-wound mechanical movement
- Located a textured bezel to mimic the “Clous de Paris” pattern
- Carefully assembled all the parts
In the end, did I create a perfect replica of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001? Of course not. But did I make a watch that I’m proud of and that captures the spirit of the original? Absolutely. Plus, I saved a ton of money and didn’t have to wait a year to wear it.
This whole process taught me a lot about watchmaking and made me appreciate the craftsmanship of those high-end watches even more. It was a fun and rewarding project, and now I have a unique timepiece that I can wear with pride. And it wasn’t even out of stock.
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