Okay, so today I decided to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. Let me tell you, it was quite a journey. I started by gathering all the information I could find online about this watch. I mean, this thing is beautiful, a true classic.
First, I focused on the basics. This watch is powered by a self-winding caliber 324 movement. Alright, movement, check. Then, I looked at the case. It’s got this classic, polished round case that’s 39mm in diameter and about 9.24mm thick. The one I’m aiming for is the rose gold version, the 5227R-001. It’s a bit hefty in price usually, I saw it going for around $44,000 on some websites. Ouch!
I started by trying to replicate the case. I mean, 39mm, that’s not huge, but it’s got to be perfect. I used some modeling clay first, just to get a feel for the size and shape. It took a few tries, I’m not going to lie, clay is not my thing. Then I moved to a harder material, something more solid to achieve that polished look. I spent hours just sanding and polishing. I was using some different materials, trying to get that perfect look. It took me the whole day just on that, I think the materials wasn’t right.
- First, I focused on the size.
- Then, I worked on the shape.
- After that, I worked on polishing the case.
- Then, tried to select some materials.
Day 2
The next day, I tackled the movement. Now, I’m not a watchmaker, but I wanted to at least get the look right. I found some old watch parts and started tinkering. I wanted to make it look like this caliber 324 thing, but there are so many tiny parts, it is impossible. I disassembled a few old watches I had lying around, just to see how they worked. It’s way more complicated than I thought. I did manage to put together something that vaguely resembled a watch movement, at least from a distance. Let’s just say it’s more for show than for actual timekeeping.
Day 3
Finally, I put it all together. Attaching the movement to the case was tricky, but I managed. I had to remake the hands a couple of times because they kept falling off. The dial was another challenge. I tried painting it, but it looked terrible. Eventually, I printed out a picture of the real dial and glued it on. It’s not perfect, but from afar, it kind of looks like the real deal. And I crafted a leather strap, not a great one, but it’s working.
So, there you have it. My homemade Patek Philippe Calatrava. It’s not going to fool any experts, but I’m pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. Next time, maybe I’ll try something a little less ambitious, haha.
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