Man, today I’m gonna talk about how I tried to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. This ain’t your everyday watch, it’s a real beauty, the kind that makes you wanna roll up your sleeves just to show it off. It’s got this classic look, a silver face, and gold markers that just scream class.
So, I started by doing some digging around. Turns out, these bad boys go for anywhere between $11,000 to $84,000 on the secondary market, with the average being around $24,000. Sheesh, that’s a lot of dough! Anyway, the 6119R-001 is a 39mm beauty, only 8.08mm thick. It’s got this cool hobnail pattern on the bezel, called Clous de Paris, which I thought was a nice touch.
First off, I grabbed some reference images. I mean, I needed to see every angle of this thing. I studied that Clous de Paris pattern like it was the most important thing in the world. I noticed the case was 18k rose gold, so I knew I had to get that material right.
Next, I started sketching. I ain’t no artist, but I did my best to get the proportions right. It’s a pretty simple design, but man, getting those curves just right was a pain. I started with making the case. Luckily, I found some high-quality rose gold material that was perfect. I carefully shaped the case with some tools. It took forever to get it just right. I tried to replicate that hobnail pattern on the bezel. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. I used some tools to try and get that textured look, but it definitely took some trial and error.
- Gathered reference images: Spent hours just looking at pictures of the watch.
- Sketched the design: Tried to capture the watch’s simple elegance on paper.
- Crafted the case: Found some rose gold and got to work.
- Worked on the bezel: Attempted that fancy Clous de Paris pattern.
The dial was next. I found a silver material that had a nice grain to it, similar to the original. I carefully cut it to size and then started working on the hour markers. For those, I used some gold-colored material. It was tricky getting them to look just right, but after a few tries, I think I nailed it.
Putting it all together was the most nerve-wracking part. I carefully assembled the case, dial, and markers. I even managed to add a sapphire crystal case back, just like the real deal. It’s water-resistant, too, although I’m not planning on taking it for a swim anytime soon.
The Final Result
After all that work, I finally had my own version of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. It ain’t perfect, but I’m pretty darn proud of it. It looks pretty close to the real thing, and it’s got that same classic feel. It was a real challenge, but definitely a fun one.
So, there you have it. That’s my little adventure in trying to remake a fancy watch. I learned a lot and even made some mistakes along the way, but hey, that’s how you learn, right? And now, I’ve got a pretty sweet-looking watch to show for it, and it didn’t cost me a fortune! What a day!
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