Hey everyone, it’s your boy back at it again. Today, I’m diving into something a little different – I tried to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. Yeah, you heard that right. Those fancy watches that cost more than a car? I went there.
First off, why the heck did I do this? Well, I saw the price tag on a real one of these, around $24,000, and thought, “Nah, I bet I can get close for way less.” Plus, I was itching for a new project. I know these watches can be an investment. The Nautilus and Aquanaut are like gold, but I figured if I could pull this off, it would be a cool story and maybe a decent fake to wear around. It would be great if I can make it my heirloom piece.
So, I started with the research. Lots of digging around about what makes this watch tick. Found out that getting a real one can take up to 8 years on a waiting list. I also learned about the “Tiffany” blue dial version of the Nautilus that sold for $6.5 million. Crazy, right? Anyway, I was focused on the 6119R.
- I grabbed some tools. Nothing too fancy, just basic watchmaking stuff you can find around.
- Bought a cheap watch movement. I wasn’t about to drop serious cash on this. The goal was to make it look like the real deal, not function like it 100%.
- Got myself a rose gold-colored case because the 6119R is known for that. Found one online that looked similar enough.
The hard part was the dial. I tried to mimic the design of the Calatrava, which is pretty minimalist but classy. Printed a few versions on paper, played around with the layout until I was somewhat happy.
Putting it all together was a pain. Tiny screws, delicate parts, you name it. I swear I almost lost my mind a few times. But after hours of fiddling and adjusting, it started to resemble the 6119R. Not perfect, but hey, not bad for a DIY project.
In the end, did I get a perfect replica? Nope. Did I learn a ton? Absolutely. It’s not something I’d wear and try to pass off as a real Patek Philippe, but it’s a fun piece that I’m proud of. Plus, it didn’t cost me 24 grand! It looks pretty good from afar, and it’s a good conversation starter. Would I recommend trying this? If you’re patient and like a challenge, go for it. Just don’t expect to fool any watch experts. I just think that it is a nice try and I am happy with the result.
That’s it for my little watch adventure. Let me know what you think, and if you’ve tried something like this yourself, I’d love to hear about it!
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