Okay, so I’ve been wanting to remake a classic watch for a while now, and I finally decided to go for it. I picked the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R because, well, it’s gorgeous. It has got that old-school charm mixed with a bit of modern style, you know? So, I started this little project, and let me tell you, it was quite the journey.
First off, I gathered all the info I could find about this watch. I learned that it’s inspired by something called the “Golden Ratio” from ancient Greece, some kind of math thing that makes designs look super pleasing. Apparently, this ratio, it is 1 to 1.6181, is in a bunch of famous art and buildings. Fancy, huh?
I dug deeper and found out that Patek Philippe makes a small batch of watches each year. They take about nine months to make a basic watch. So, I knew this remake wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.
Next, I started sketching. I wanted to get that rose gold case just right, and the dial, oh boy, the dial had to be perfect. It’s this ebony black sunburst thing with gold hour markers. I spent days just trying to get the look right. It was tough, but seeing it come together was so satisfying.
- Sketching the case: This took forever. Getting the curves and the size right was a real challenge.
- Designing the dial: I tried different shades of black, and experimented with the markers, Finally got the design.
- Choosing the strap: I decided on a simple black leather strap. It just seemed to fit the watch’s vibe.
After all the designing, I moved on to actually making the watch. I don’t have all the fancy tools, so I had to get creative. I used some basic tools I had lying around and even made a few myself. The case was the hardest part. I molded and shaped it, trying to get as close to that Golden Ellipse look as possible.
The dial was another adventure. I carefully painted it and then added the gold markers. It was delicate work, but man, seeing it finished was a high. It took me almost two years to finish the complex ones, but the easier ones only took about nine months.
The Final Touches
Finally, I put everything together. Seeing the finished watch was amazing. It’s not perfect, but it’s my take on the Golden Ellipse, and I’m pretty proud of it.
This whole thing taught me a lot about watchmaking, patience, and just how cool old designs can be. It was a ton of work, but totally worth it. I hope you guys like it too!
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