Okay, so I got this wild hair to try and remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. You know, the one you see in their fancy flagship stores. I’ve always been pretty handy, and I figured, how hard could it be? Famous last words, right?
First off, I started by looking up a bunch of pictures and videos of the real deal. I mean, you can’t just jump into something like this blind. I spent hours just staring at the thing, trying to get a feel for it. This watch, it’s got this old-school vibe, but it’s also super sleek. It’s a real head-scratcher, how they made it look like that.
Then, I dove into figuring out what makes this watch tick, literally. I found some articles saying it’s worth like thirty grand. Thirty grand! And that’s the retail price, they’re selling for less used! I mean it does not seem bad at all, to get a similar thing for a lower price. Can you believe that? I gathered all the tools I thought I’d need. Of course, I didn’t have half the stuff they probably use at the Patek Philippe factory. I’m not trying to mass-produce these things, just wanted to see if I could do it.
- Tiny screwdrivers,
- tweezers,
- a magnifying glass (my eyes aren’t what they used to be).
I got to work. Let me tell you, taking apart a regular watch is one thing. Trying to make one from scratch? That’s a whole other ball game. I spent days just trying to get the tiny parts to fit together. My fingers felt like sausages, and I’m pretty sure I invented some new curse words along the way. And those Patek Philippe Nautilus, this is another luxury watch, very popular, but this one is more expensive than Calatrava. This Patek Philippe 6119g Calatrava , just remember. Anyway, I pushed on, because once I start something, I’ve got to finish it.
After a lot of trial and error, and a few minor meltdowns, I finally managed to put something together that kind of resembled the Calatrava 6119R-001. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. But you know what? It ticked. And it looked pretty darn good if I do say so myself.
I wore it around for a few days, feeling pretty proud of myself. It wasn’t about having a fancy watch. It was about proving that I could do it. That I could take on a challenge and come out the other side.
So, there you have it. My adventure in watchmaking. Would I do it again? Probably not. But it was one heck of an experience. And hey, now I can say I’ve made a watch that looks like a Patek Philippe. It just lacks the price tag.
I mean it’s not like buying from a secondary market, those guys ask you to pay like 8% extra fee, that’s crazy. And you know what, you don’t have to wait for like forever to get one, just like the Nautilus, it’s insane to wait that long. But I do think Calatrava is a good investment, many people say it keeps its value or goes up, and it’s known for being made super good, and I think it means a lot to people. But for me, I am just happy I did it.
Click to consult