Okay, let’s talk about this project I’ve been working on – remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001, the original order version. It’s a pretty sweet watch, but way out of my budget. I mean, it’s like, $28,000 or something crazy like that! So, I thought, why not try to make my own?
First thing I did was to get my hands on as many pictures and videos of the real deal as I could. I needed to see all the angles, all the details, you know? This watch has this cool “Clous de Paris” pattern on the bezel, and the hands are pretty unique too. I spent hours just staring at those pictures, trying to memorize every curve and line.
Next, I started looking for parts. This was a real pain. I needed a case that looked like the original rose gold one, a dial with that silver color, and hands that matched the real thing. I went through tons of online stores and some local watch part suppliers. It took weeks, but I finally found some decent parts.
- Case: I found a rose gold-plated case that was pretty close to the original. It wasn’t perfect, but it had the right shape and size.
- Dial: The dial was tough. I ended up getting a plain silver-colored dial and then tried to recreate that “Clous de Paris” pattern myself. It was a disaster at first. I tried using a bunch of different tools, but nothing looked right. Then, I found this tiny engraving tool online and gave it a shot. It took forever, but I started to get the hang of it.
- Hands: The hands were a bit easier. I found some that had a similar shape, although they weren’t exactly the same. But, they were close enough for me.
- Movement: I knew I couldn’t get a real Patek Philippe movement, not unless I robbed a bank or something. I found a cheap, reliable manual-winding movement online. It wouldn’t have the 65-hour power reserve like the real one, but I wasn’t that serious about making it a precise clone.
Once I had all the parts, I started putting the watch together. This was the trickiest part. I’d never assembled a watch before, so I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and read some online guides. I messed up a few times, but I finally managed to get everything in place.
The hardest part was definitely the dial. Getting that “Clous de Paris” pattern right was a nightmare. It’s not perfect, but I think it looks pretty good. It’s got that same kind of textured look as the original, even though it’s not as precise. It took forever, my hands were sore, but it was an interesting experience to get it done.
The Result
So, after all that work, how does it look? Honestly, it’s not a perfect replica. It doesn’t have the same weight, the same feel, and it’s definitely not worth $28,000! But, it looks pretty darn close to the real Patek Philippe 6119R-001. It’s got that classic Calatrava look, the rose gold color, and that cool textured dial. I’m pretty proud of it, especially considering I did it all myself. I even found myself wearing it around daily.
Would I recommend doing this? Maybe, if you’re really into watches and you’ve got a lot of time on your hands. It was a fun project, but it was also a lot of work. I didn’t get an 8-year wait like they say for the real Patek Philippe, I got a real hands-on project for a few months. And hey, I saved myself a ton of money! Now I can go buy more stuff I don’t need with the money I saved. That’s it for this project. If I ever decide to remake another crazy watch, I’ll be sure to share that journey too.
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