Okay, so I decided to take on a little project – remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. Now, I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve always been fascinated by the craftsmanship of these luxury watches. And the 6119R-001, with its rose gold case and that beautiful silvery grained dial, it’s just a piece of art. I started by gathering all the info I could find.
First off, I spent hours just staring at pictures and reading descriptions. The watch is 39mm in diameter and just over 8mm thick. I found out it has a sapphire crystal case back, which means you can see the movement inside. Speaking of the movement, it’s tiny – only 31mm across and 2.55mm thick, made up of 164 parts. It’s crazy how much detail goes into something so small! I mean, a power reserve of a few days in something that small is pretty insane.
I also learned that this particular model is relatively new, launched in 2021. It seems like it is part of Patek Philippe’s 182nd year anniversary thing. Price-wise, this thing is way out of my league – I saw listings ranging from around $28,000 to over $32,000. Yeah, not exactly pocket change. But hey, it didn’t cost anything to dream and try to recreate it, right?
My Process:
- Step 1: I began by sketching out the watch face and case. I found a bunch of close-up photos online and tried my best to replicate the details. The hobnail pattern on the side of the case was particularly tricky, but I think I got it pretty close.
- Step 2: Next, I started working on the dial. I used some silver-colored paper I had lying around and tried to mimic the grained texture. I drew the hour markers, which are supposed to be gold, using a gold-colored pen. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave the right effect.
- Step 3: For the hands, I cut out thin strips of black paper and glued them onto the dial. This part was super fiddly, but I managed to get them in the right positions.
- Step 4: The case was a bit more challenging. I used some cardboard and shaped it into a circle. Then, I painted it with a rose gold-colored paint I found at a craft store. It wasn’t real rose gold, obviously, but it looked pretty good from a distance.
- Step 5: To simulate the sapphire crystal case back, I cut out a circle of clear plastic and glued it to the back of the case. I even drew some gears and springs on a piece of paper and stuck it inside to make it look like a real watch movement.
The Final Product
After a few days of work, my homemade Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001 was finally complete! It was far from perfect, but I was pretty proud of what I had managed to create. It was a fun little project that gave me a new appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into making these incredible timepieces. I learned a lot about watch design and mechanics along the way. Maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real thing, but for now, I’m happy with my cardboard and paper version. It sits on my desk as a reminder that even the most complex things can be broken down into simpler parts. And who knows, maybe this is the start of a new hobby!
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