So, I got this wild idea to try and make my own version of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. I know, I know, it’s a pretty out-there project, but I was like, “Why not?” Those things are crazy expensive, like, more than a house, man! I saw some folks online talking about the price, some were saying over $100,000, others were mentioning $88,000 or $85,000. All I knew was, there’s no way I could ever afford the real deal.
First thing I did was try to find out what I could about this watch. I looked it up everywhere. Turns out, the whole thing is made of platinum. The case, the back – all of it. And get this – the back is see-through! You can see all the little gears and stuff working inside. It’s pretty wild.
I started gathering materials. Now, I couldn’t get my hands on real platinum, obviously, so I had to get creative. I used some other metals that looked kind of similar, and for the clear back, I ended up using some tough plastic I found. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it gave the right sort of look, you know?
Then came the hard part – putting it all together. I spent hours and hours, messing with these tiny parts, trying to make it all work. I had to learn a bunch of new stuff about how watches are even made. There were times I wanted to just give up, honestly. I messed up so many times, broke a few things, and had to start over more than I can count.
It is really hard to make.
- First try:I put the pieces together, and guess what? It didn’t even work. Not one bit.
- Second time:Got it ticking, but it was way too fast. Like, a whole day ahead in just a few hours!
- Third try:It was running slow, like, really slow. Ugh.
But I kept at it. I mean, what else was I gonna do? I’d already sunk so much time into this thing. Finally, after what felt like forever, I got it working. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. The time wasn’t super accurate, and it definitely didn’t look as fancy as the real Patek Philippe. The real one has these cool designs, these swirls and fancy patterns, called volutes and arabesques, all over the black dial. Mine? Not so much. But hey, it was my own handmade watch, and it actually told the time (sort of)!
In the end, I’ve got something that kind of looks like a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but I’m still pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, even though it drove me crazy sometimes. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll actually be able to buy the real thing. But until then, I’ve got my own little homemade version to wear. And you know what? It’s a pretty good conversation starter!
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