I’ve been wanting to try my hand at remaking a classic watch for a while now, and I finally decided to take the plunge with the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. I just love that classic, clean look. So, I figured, why not give it a shot?
First off, I had to find all the parts. This was a bit of a scavenger hunt, honestly. I spent hours online, digging through forums, and basically, any place I could find that might have watch parts. Eventually, I managed to source everything I needed. It felt like winning the lottery, seriously. I ordered the parts, like, a case that looked like the original, a movement that’s known for being reliable, and all the little bits and pieces in between.
Once everything arrived, I got my workspace ready. I got a small, organized workbench area. Then, I laid out all my tools – tiny screwdrivers, tweezers, and this loupe thing that makes everything look bigger so I could see what I was doing. I also made sure I had a good light.
The actual assembly was the tricky part. I started with the movement. I carefully put it into the case, making sure everything was lined up perfectly. It was nerve-wracking, not gonna lie. One wrong move, and I could mess up the whole thing.
- Next up was the dial and hands. I had to be super gentle with these. The dial went on first, and then I used these tiny tweezers to place the hands on. This took a few tries to get right, but eventually, I managed to get them on without scratching anything.
- After that, I attached the crystal, which is the clear part on top. This was a bit easier, but I still had to make sure it was secure and wouldn’t fall off.
- The final step was putting on the strap. I chose a leather one that I thought looked pretty close to the original. Attaching it was simple, just a couple of spring bars.
Putting it all together took me a whole weekend. I had to take breaks because my eyes were getting tired from staring at such small parts. Plus, I wanted to make sure I didn’t rush anything and make a mistake.
It worked!
When I finally finished, I was so proud of myself! It looked amazing, and it actually worked! It wasn’t perfect, but it was my own version of a Patek Philippe Calatrava. That was really really really cool. I learned a lot from this project, not just about watches, but also about patience and attention to detail. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Maybe next time I’ll try a different model, but for now, I’m just enjoying my new watch.
Click to consult