Okay, so, I wanted to share this little project I’ve been working on. I’ve always been a fan of those fancy Patek Philippe watches, especially the Calatrava 6119R-001. I mean, who isn’t, right? But, they’re way out of my budget. So, I thought, why not try to make my own version? Not to sell or anything, just a fun project for myself.
I started by looking up everything I could find about this watch online. The official diameter is 39mm and the height is about 8.08mm. It can handle a bit of water, but it’s water-resistant up to just 30 meters, so don’t go diving with it. And it has this cool sapphire crystal case back that shows all the tiny parts inside.
Speaking of the inside, the movement or the engine of the watch, if you will, is a whole other beast. From what I gathered, it’s about 31mm in diameter and only 2.55mm thick. It’s made up of 164 tiny parts! Can you believe that? And it can run for a minimum time on a full wind, which is pretty impressive.
Now, the design of the Calatrava 6119R is something else. It’s got this “Clous de Paris” guilloche pattern on the bezel, which is a fancy way of saying it has this textured pattern around the edge of the dial. It’s what makes the watch stand out. I spent days just trying to figure out how to replicate that. I used some basic tools I had at home and a lot of patience.
- First, I sketched out the design on paper, trying to get the proportions right.
- Then, I started working on a prototype using some scrap materials. I used simple tools like a small metal file, a compass, and a ruler to carve out the basic shape and the pattern.
- It took a few tries, but I finally got something that looked somewhat similar to the real thing. I focused on making the bezel and the case first, using some cheap metal alloys to practice.
- Getting the “Clous de Paris” pattern right was the hardest part. I ended up using a tiny file and a magnifying glass to create the tiny pyramid shapes.
The dial was another challenge. I wanted to get that silver color just right. I experimented with different paints and finishes until I found one that looked good enough. The hands and the hour markers were tricky too. I had to make them small enough to fit the dial but still be visible.
Putting It All Together
After weeks of trial and error, I finally had all the parts ready. Putting them together was like solving a puzzle. I had to be super careful not to damage anything. The movement was the last thing to go in. I didn’t make a working movement, of course, but I crafted a static piece that looks like the real deal from the back.
The final product isn’t perfect, but I’m pretty proud of it. It looks decent from afar, and it was a great learning experience. It’s not a Patek Philippe, but it’s my little homage to the Calatrava 6119R-001. I might not be able to buy one, but at least I can say I made something that resembles it.
This whole project taught me a lot about watchmaking and how much detail goes into these luxury timepieces. It’s way more complicated than it looks! I’m not saying I’m a watchmaker now, but I definitely have a newfound respect for them.
So, yeah, that’s my story. It was a fun ride, and I’m happy with how it turned out. Maybe one day I’ll actually own a real Patek Philippe, but until then, I’ll keep tinkering and making my own versions of things I like.
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