Okay, so I saw this Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001 watch online, you know, that super fancy one? Yeah, that one. It’s like, way out of my price range, more than my mortgage, seriously. But it got me thinking, “Could I maybe, just maybe, try to make something like it myself?” So that’s what I did. Started this whole project to remake it. Crazy, right?
First things first, I needed to figure out what I was dealing with. This Calatrava, it’s not just any watch. It’s got this “Clous de Paris” thing on the bezel, all shiny and stuff. And it’s a manual wind, meaning you gotta wind it up yourself. No batteries here. I spent hours, maybe days, just staring at pictures of it online, trying to get every little detail down. It’s pretty detailed.
Then came the fun part – trying to find stuff that looked like the real deal. I hit up all sorts of online stores, looking for parts that could work. Let me tell you, it’s tough. I bought all sorts of bits and pieces. Some of it was a total bust, others looked okay but man, it was tough.
- Found some watch hands that were kinda similar.
- Got a cheap leather strap. The real one’s probably some fancy alligator skin, but hey, I’m on a budget here.
- The case was the hardest part. I ended up using some old watch case I had lying around. Not perfect, but it’ll do.
Putting it all together was another story. It’s like a puzzle, but way harder. I messed up so many times. Broke a few parts, had to order new ones. This little tiny screws are so hard to work with! My fingers are too big. The movement, that’s the heart of the watch, was the biggest headache. I tried to take apart an old watch I had, but let’s just say it didn’t go well. Ended up just using a cheap quartz movement I found online. Not the same, I know, but it’s something.
After weeks of work, and a lot of swearing, I finally had something that kinda, sorta resembled the Calatrava 6119R-001. It’s rough around the edges, for sure. It doesn’t even keep time that well, and it’s nowhere near as pretty as the real thing. This thing isn’t fooling anyone. But you know what? I made it. With my own two hands.
My Final Result
So, there you have it. My adventure in trying to remake a super expensive watch. Was it worth it? Probably not. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a fun challenge, and I learned a ton about watches. Plus, I’ve got a new conversation starter. If anyone asks about my watch, I’ve got a story to tell. This was really fun.
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