So, I got this wild idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, that 5738R model. Yeah, the one that looks super fancy and costs a fortune. I’ve always been into watches, but I’m no expert, you know? Just a regular guy who likes to tinker and try new things.
First off, I spent days just reading and watching videos about watches. I mean, I really went down the rabbit hole trying to understand what makes these things tick, especially the Patek Philippe ones. It’s crazy how much detail goes into them. Found out some history about the Golden Ellipse, it’s been around since the late ’60s. That’s some serious staying power.
Then, I started looking for parts. I thought, “How hard could it be, right?” Let me tell you, it’s a jungle out there. There are so many places selling parts, and figuring out which ones are legit is a real headache. I ended up ordering from a few different spots, hoping for the best.
- Sourced a movement. This was the trickiest part. I wanted something that looked right but didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
- Got a case that resembled the 5738R’s shape. It’s not perfect, but it’s close enough.
- Found some hands and a dial that I thought matched the original pretty well.
Once I had all the parts, I laid them out on my workbench. It looked like a disassembled watch explosion. I’m not gonna lie, I felt a little overwhelmed at this point. But, I took a deep breath and started putting it together, using some cheap tools I got online. There’s a ton of tutorials on YouTube, which were a lifesaver, seriously.
The hardest part was definitely the movement. It’s so delicate, and those tiny screws are a nightmare to handle. I dropped a few, and they just vanished into thin air. But I kept at it, and after a lot of trial and error, I finally got it all together.
The Result
It’s not a real Patek, obviously. But it looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I wore it out the other day, and a buddy of mine, who’s also into watches, was pretty impressed. He thought it was the real deal for a second! It felt good to see all that work pay off. This whole thing was a fun challenge, and I learned a ton about watches in the process. Might try another model next, who knows?
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