Man, let me tell you about this little project I took on. I decided to try and remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. Yeah, that fancy watch from their official flagship store. It’s a real looker, all white gold and classy, and folks call it the 6119G-001 Calatrava, like it’s some kind of secret code. It is a classic style.
First thing I did was dig up everything I could find about this watch. Pictures, specs, you name it. Turns out, this thing is 39mm wide and 8.08mm thick. And it’s not just any watch; it’s a remake of an old favorite, which makes it even cooler. They say it has a charcoal gray dial, a white gold case, and a hand-wound mechanical movement. They first made the Calatrava back in 1932, so it’s got some history.
Then I got to work. I’m not a watchmaker, but I know how to take apart and put things together. I found a watch with a similar look and started there. This was the hardest part, trying to get that charcoal gray dial just right. I messed around with different paints and techniques until I got something that looked pretty close.
Next up was the case. I tried polishing it up to match the white gold look. Took me a few tries, but I got it to where I was happy with it. Then I found this old mechanical movement, took it apart, cleaned it up, and put it back together. It’s not hand-wound like the real deal, but it does the trick.
Here’s what I learned:
- Getting the dial right is a pain. It took forever to find the right shade of gray and get it to look good on the watch face.
- Polishing metal is an art. You can’t just slap some polish on there and call it a day. It takes time and patience to get it shiny and smooth.
- Old mechanical movements are cool but complicated. I spent hours just figuring out how it all went together.
After a lot of trial and error, I finally had something that looked like the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. It’s not perfect, but I’m proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches along the way.
Would I do it again?
Probably not. It was a lot of work, and I’m not sure it was worth all the effort. But hey, if you’re into watches and you’ve got some time on your hands, give it a shot. Just be prepared to get your hands dirty.
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