Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. That thing is sweet, but the price? Forget about it. I heard it’s, like, way up there. So, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? I mean, I’m pretty handy, and it seemed like a fun project.
First, I started digging around for info. Found some websites talking about it, but mostly just places trying to sell the real deal or remakes. There was this one site, Catawiki, that auctions off fancy stuff, but it wasn’t much help for what I was trying to do.
Then I hit up some forums. People were chatting about the watch, saying how it’s a “statement piece” and all that. Yeah, no kidding! It’s a Patek Philippe. Some folks were talking about remakes, which got me even more interested. One guy mentioned something about an “Original order” version. Sounded promising.
Getting the Parts
I figured I’d need to find some decent parts. The case is supposed to be platinum, and the dial is hand-engraved. That’s not something you just pick up at the corner store. I spent a good chunk of time searching online, looking for places that sell watch parts. Found a few that had some similar-looking stuff, but nothing that really matched the 5088/100P-001.
- Searched online for platinum watch cases.
- Looked for hand-engraved dials, or something close.
- Checked out watch part suppliers.
Putting it Together
This was the tricky part. I ordered some parts that I thought might work. When they arrived, I started trying to assemble the thing. It was a lot harder than I expected. Getting the movement to fit right, attaching the dial, and making sure everything lined up – it was a real pain. I messed up a few times, had to re-order some parts, and almost gave up altogether. But I’ve been reading a lot of these kinds of things online, and I figured I should keep at it.
The Final Product
After a lot of trial and error, I finally got it all together. It’s not perfect, but it actually looks pretty good! The case is close enough, and the dial, well, it’s not hand-engraved, but it has a similar vibe. I even managed to find a movement that’s similar to what’s in the real 5088/100P-001. It doesn’t have all the fancy complications, but it tells the time, and that’s what matters. And I think it’s important to have something of good quality that will last. So I’m happy with the movement I used.
So, yeah, I remade a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. It was a lot of work, but it was definitely a fun project. And now I have a watch that looks kind of like the real thing, but without the crazy price tag. I’m pretty proud of myself, I’ve got to say. It’s not a perfect copy, but it’s my own little version of a classic. Plus, I learned a ton about watches in the process.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a challenge, for sure. But hey, who knows, maybe I’ll try remaking another fancy watch sometime. For now, though, I’m just going to enjoy wearing my “Original order” 5088/100P-001.
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