Okay, so, I’ve been wanting a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227J-001 for a while now. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s a beautiful watch. But the price tag? Ouch. And the waiting list? Forget about it. I heard that to get on the Patek Philippe waiting list, you can supposedly fill out a form on their website, but let’s be real, those lists are probably longer than my grocery list during the holidays.
So, I started looking for alternatives. I went on Chrono24. I saw that there were like 35 Patek Philippe Ref 5227J-001 watches available. But man, the price difference is so huge.
After some consideration, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? I’ve always been pretty handy, and I figured it couldn’t be that hard, right? I mean we can easily search for Patek Philippe Calatrava 2024 New 5227J – Calatrava Silver Dial 18k Yellow Gold 39 mm online, which is a good reference.
First things first, I needed to find a decent base watch. Something with a similar shape and size to the Calatrava. I scoured online and finally found a used watch that seemed to fit the bill. It wasn’t a Patek, obviously, but it had a nice, clean design and a yellow gold-plated case that kind of resembled the 5227J.
Next, I started looking for parts. I found a dial that was pretty close to the original, with the same kind of simple, elegant markers. And I managed to find a set of hands that looked almost identical. The strap was easier – I just ordered a high-quality leather strap online that looked the part.
Now came the hard part – putting it all together. I carefully removed the dial and hands from the base watch. Then, I replaced them with the new parts I had bought. It was a bit fiddly, but I managed to get everything lined up correctly. The strap was easy to swap out, so that was no problem.
I also made sure that the watch itself worked properly. I wound it up and let it run for a while, just to check that it was keeping time accurately. Luckily, everything seemed to be in order.
And there you have it, my very own “Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227J-001.” Of course, it’s not the real deal. But it looks pretty darn close, and it cost me a fraction of the price. Plus, I had a lot of fun making it. It’s definitely not perfect. I mean, the original has a 39mm case, and mine is a bit smaller. And obviously, the movement is completely different. The real Calatrava has a beautiful, intricate movement that you can see through the case back. Mine? Not so much.
- First step: Searched for a base watch online.
- Second step: Found and ordered the dial, hands, and strap.
- Third step: Assembled the watch, which was the most time-consuming.
- Fourth step: Tested it to make sure it was working.
But hey, for a DIY project, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s a nice little conversation starter, and it satisfies my craving for a fancy watch without breaking the bank. Maybe one day I’ll get my hands on a real Calatrava. But until then, this little remake will do just fine.
Would I recommend doing this? Probably not. It was a lot of work, and it’s definitely not the same as owning the real thing. But if you’re on a tight budget and you’re feeling adventurous, it might be worth a shot. Just don’t expect to fool any watch experts!
So there you go, that’s the story of my little watch project. Hope you found it at least mildly interesting. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go admire my handiwork.
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