So, I got this idea stuck in my head. I wanted to remake a Patek Philippe, you know, that fancy watch they call the Calatrava 6119G-001. I’d seen it in the official store, shiny and all that. Costs a pretty penny, that’s for sure.
First thing I did was look it up online. Found out this model, it’s pretty new, from 2023 or so. Made of white gold, 39mm wide. Fancy, right? They say these watches go for around $11,000 to $84,000, but most sell for about $24,000. It’s like the 6th most expensive Patek Philippe collection. Seems they started making Calatravas way back in 1932, inspired by some Bauhaus thing. And that Calatrava cross? Been their symbol for over 60 years.
I started gathering materials. Now, I’m not using real white gold, obviously. But I found some good substitutes. Then there was the matter of the movement. This thing has a diameter of 31mm and is only 2.55mm thick. I had to get my hands on something similar. Took some time, but I managed to find a close match. Not perfect, but close enough for a remake, I thought.
Next, I got down to the actual making. Carefully took apart the movement I got, studied it, and started putting together my own version. It’s got that charcoal gray dial, 18K, just like the original. It’s tricky work. Tiny parts, gotta be super precise. Hands were shaking a bit, not gonna lie. This Calatrava 6119G, though, it’s different. It’s got that old-timey look, even though it’s new. It’s a head-scratcher, ain’t it?
After a lot of sweat and maybe a few curse words, I finally assembled the whole thing. Put it in a casing, again, not real white gold, but looks the part. Stepped back, looked at it. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. I wore it around, showed it to a few friends. They were impressed, couldn’t even tell it wasn’t the real deal, at least not at first glance.
Now, this Patek Philippe Calatrava, they say it’s a good investment. Like buying land. But land, you can grow things on it. What you gonna grow on a watch? Time? Ha! But I’m not planning to sell this baby. It’s more of a personal project, a proof that I could do it. And you know what? It was worth all the trouble. A nice little project, and I learned a ton about watches in the process.
In the end, I achieved what I set out to do. I have my own Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001, well, a remake of it. It’s not about fooling anyone or making money. It’s about the challenge, the process, and the satisfaction of creating something with your own two hands. And who knows, maybe this is just the beginning. Maybe I’ll try my hand at remaking other fancy watches. But for now, I’m pretty darn happy with my Calatrava.
The whole thing, from start to finish, it was a real adventure. But I did it. And that’s what matters, right?
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