Okay, so I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I’ve always wanted a Patek Philippe. Those things are like, the holy grail of watches, right? But they’re crazy expensive, so I figured, why not try to remake one myself? I decided to go with the Calatrava 6119R-001 because it’s got that classic look I love.
First, I started by digging up everything I could find about this watch. Pictures, specs, whatever. I learned that the Calatrava name comes from the Patek Philippe logo, some cross thing they registered way back in 1887. I also saw a detail mentioned that the bezel first showed up in 1934, but really came to people’s attention in 1985 with the 3919 model. That was good to know.
I found out this particular model, the 6119R-001, came out in 2021. It’s 39mm wide and 8.08mm thick, which seemed like a good size. Oh, and it’s water-resistant to 30 meters, not that I’d ever take a Patek swimming!
Then I got into the nitty-gritty. The real 6119R-001 is made of rose gold. I obviously couldn’t use real gold, so I had to find a good substitute. I searched around some more and learned that the original box and papers are important. Since this is just for fun, I wasn’t too worried about that, but it would be cool to try to replicate them eventually.
Making the Case
- I started with the case. I used some cheaper metal that looked kind of like rose gold. I shaped it as best as I could, trying to match the measurements I found online.
- The bezel on this watch is special. It’s got this “Clous de Paris” pattern, which is like a bunch of tiny little pyramids. That was tough! I tried a few different techniques but wasn’t happy with the result, so I ended up simplifying it a bit. I used a nail file and a hammer, and I think it turned out alright.
Putting It All Together
- For the dial, I just printed out a picture of the real one and glued it onto a piece of thin metal. It’s not perfect, but it does the job.
- The hands were tricky. I found some old watch hands that were kind of similar and painted them to match.
- I bought a cheap quartz movement online and fitted it into the case. I know, I know, it’s not a fancy mechanical movement like the real Patek, but hey, it tells the time!
- Finally, I attached a leather strap I had lying around.
So, there you have it. My homemade Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It’s definitely not perfect, and it’s not fooling anyone, but I had a blast making it. It’s cool to have a little piece of that Patek magic on my wrist, even if it’s just a rough copy. I learned a lot about watchmaking in the process, and I’m already thinking about my next project. Maybe I’ll try to tackle a more complicated model next time!
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