Alright, so, I’ve been itching to do this for a while, and I finally dove in. I decided to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. Yeah, that fancy watch. I figured, why not? Let’s see if I can do it.
First off, I started gathering all the info I could find. I looked up everything about the 6119R-001 – the size, the materials, the movement, all that jazz. This watch is 39mm in diameter and 8.08mm thick, which seemed like a good size to work with. I made notes, sketches, the whole nine yards. It’s a pretty classic look, all polished and shiny, and it’s got this hand-wound movement thing that I found pretty cool.
Next, I started to get the stuff I needed. I tried to find materials that looked like the real deal, you know? Stuff that would give it that fancy feel without costing an arm and a leg. It was a bit of a scavenger hunt, but I managed. It took a while to get everything just right.
Then came the actual making part. I started with the case. I measured and cut and polished until I had something that resembled the round, shiny case of the 6119R-001. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for my liking. It was a lot of trial and error, I’ll tell ya that.
- Started shaping the case.
- Polished it up real nice.
- Tried to get that 39mm diameter.
After that, I tackled the dial. I wanted to replicate that “Clous de Paris” pattern. That was a tough one. I tried a few different techniques until I found one that looked okay. It’s not exactly the same, but it gives the right vibe, you know? And the dial, oh man, it was tricky to get the texture right.
The hands were a whole other story. I tried to make them as delicate and precise as the real ones, but man, that was hard. I ended up making a few sets before I was happy with them. They’re small but make a big difference.
Now, about the movement. Since I couldn’t get my hands on a real caliber 30-255 PS, I had to improvise. I found a hand-wound movement that was similar enough and got to work fitting it in. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to get it working. It doesn’t have a 65-hour power reserve like the original, but hey, it tells time.
Putting It All Together
Putting it all together was the most satisfying part. Seeing all the pieces come together was awesome. I carefully assembled everything, making sure it all fit just right. It felt like putting together a really complicated puzzle.
In the end, I had a watch that looked a lot like the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. I wore it around, showed it to a few friends, and they were pretty impressed. They kept asking if it was real, and I had a good laugh telling them it wasn’t. I’m not trying to fool anyone, you know? It’s just a fun project. I even got compliments on it. Not too shabby, right?
So, yeah, that’s my story of remaking the 6119R-001. It was a lot of work, but I learned a ton, and it was a blast. Would I do it again? Maybe. It’s a lot of time and effort, but it’s pretty rewarding to see the finished product. If you’re into watches and like a good challenge, I’d say give it a shot. Who knows, you might surprise yourself. If you’re just looking for a nice watch, though, maybe just save up and buy a real one – it’s probably easier.
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