Man, oh man, where do I even start with this project? I’ve been itching to share this one for a while now, and today’s the day. I decided to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. Yeah, you heard that right, the big leagues. I saw it on the official flagship store online and just couldn’t get it out of my head.
First thing I did was hop online and do a deep dive. I was all over those watch forums and marketplaces. I used this site called Chrono24 a lot, it had a ton of listings for the 6119G-001. I was just comparing prices, you know, getting a feel for what’s out there. I noticed most listings emphasized “Patek Philippe Calatrava,” “white gold,” and “manual winding.” Good to know.
Then I started digging into the details. This white gold version, it’s got this killer slate grey dial. Apparently, it’s a big deal for collectors, a real “favorite among aficionados,” as they say. I can see why, it’s a beauty.
Finding the Parts
Next up, figuring out what makes this thing tick. Patek Philippe gave this model some special treatment, with a “guilloched hobnail pattern” also known as “Clous de Paris,” and they even bumped up the diameter a bit. Fancy stuff. I was just soaking it all in, trying to understand what I was getting myself into.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Is a real Patek Philippe Calatrava worth the insane price tag? That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? I mean, it’s a gorgeous, high-end luxury watch, a real status symbol. But is it something you’d wear every day? Probably not. And the waiting list? Don’t even get me started. I heard that for some Patek Philippe models, like the Nautilus, you could be waiting up to 8 years! For the Calatrava, it’s a bit shorter, but still.
The Process
So, I’m on this mission, right? I started sketching, making notes, and gathering materials. I found a donor watch, not a Patek, obviously, but one with a decent movement that I could work with. Then I started hunting down parts – a white gold-ish case that I could modify, a dial that I could try to mimic that slate grey on, hands that were close enough. It was a scavenger hunt, let me tell you.
I spent days, weeks even, just tinkering. I had to resize and reshape the case to get that slightly larger diameter. Then came the dial, which was a whole different beast. Trying to recreate that “Clous de Paris” pattern? Let’s just say I went through a lot of scrap material before I got something I was even remotely happy with. I even tried to find a painter to help me with the dial, but no dice.
Putting it all together, that was another adventure. I learned a lot about watch movements during this whole thing, I can tell you that much. There were definitely moments of frustration, times when I almost threw in the towel. But I kept pushing, kept tweaking, kept trying to get closer to that original 6119G-001.
The Result
And you know what? I did it. It’s not perfect, not by a long shot. It’s not a real Patek Philippe, and it never will be. But it’s mine. I made it, with my own two hands. And it’s a pretty darn good homage to the Calatrava 6119G-001, if I do say so myself. It was a tough task, but I feel so satisfied to make it finally. I wear it all the time now, and every time I look at it, I remember the journey it took to get there. It’s a reminder that with enough passion and perseverance, you can achieve almost anything, even if it’s just a humble imitation of something great.
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Key steps I took:
- Researched the heck out of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001.
- Scoured online marketplaces for reference and pricing.
- Figured out the key features and design elements.
- Sourced a donor watch and a bunch of parts.
- Modified the case, struggled with the dial, and assembled the whole thing.
- Ended up with a pretty decent replica that I’m proud of.
What a ride! Hope you all enjoyed this little story of mine. Maybe it’ll inspire some of you to take on your own crazy projects. You never know what you might create!
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