Alright, so I decided to get my hands dirty and try to remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. This is a classic watch, and I’ve always been a big fan of its simple and elegant design. You know, there’s talk that if you want an original, you might be waiting for like, 8 years? Crazy, right? Anyway, I figured, why not try making one myself?
First things first, I started by gathering all the info I could about this watch. I looked up pictures, watched videos, and read a bunch of articles. I really wanted to understand every little detail about it. I noticed this watch has a cool “Clous de Paris” thing on the bezel, and really sharp, three-dimensional hands. It’s definitely got a bolder look than some of the older models. Makes you want to wear it every day, you know?
Next, I started working on the case. The original is 39mm and made of 18k white gold. I tried to get the shape and size as close as possible to that. Then there’s that “guilloched hobnail” pattern on the bezel – that was a real challenge! I spent a lot of time trying to recreate that, It is very detailed. I made a lot of mistakes at first. But, you know what they say, practice makes perfect. And let me tell you, I practiced a lot.
- Drawing: Sketched out the design multiple times to get the proportions right.
- Cutting: Carefully cut the materials, trying to mimic that white gold look.
- Shaping: This took forever, trying to get that 39mm size and the round shape.
- Detailing: The hobnail pattern was the hardest part. So many tiny details!
After that, I moved on to the dial. The original has a charcoal gray dial with these really nice faceted hour markers. I tried my best to copy that. The hands are “dauphine-style,” which means they’re kind of diamond-shaped. Getting those hands right was tough, but I think I managed to do a decent job. I spent a lot of time just staring at pictures of the original, trying to get it right.
Getting It All Together
Once I had all the parts ready, it was time to put it all together. This was actually the most satisfying part. It is like watching all my hard work come to life. I carefully assembled everything, making sure it all fit perfectly. Seeing the finished product was a great feeling. It is not exactly like the original, of course, but I’m pretty proud of it.
Honestly, this whole project was a lot harder than I thought it would be. There were times when I wanted to give up, especially when I was working on that hobnail pattern. But I kept pushing through, and I’m glad I did. I learned a lot about watchmaking, and I have a new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into these luxury watches.
This isn’t just about making a watch. It’s about the challenge, the learning process, and the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands. Plus, now I have a cool watch to show off, even if it’s not a real Patek Philippe!
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