Today, I want to talk about my little project of remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227J-001. It’s a classic watch, and I thought it would be fun to try and recreate it.
First, I spent a good chunk of time just looking at pictures of the original watch. I wanted to get every little detail right. I searched online for resources and any information about this model, especially about custom jewelry manufacturers and suppliers. I found that there’s some guys in Australia that do this. Then, I started sketching out the design. I am not much of an artist, but I did my best to draw the watch case, the dial, and the hands.
- Looked at tons of pictures of the original.
- Drew up some rough sketches of the watch.
- Searched resources about custom jewelry manufacturers.
Next, I had to figure out what materials I needed. The original is made of gold, but I opted for a more budget-friendly option. I also needed to find a movement. This was trickier than I expected. There are lots of different movements out there, and finding one that fit the size and style of the Calatrava was a real challenge. I even checked some website for some help, but it didn’t work. Also, I tried to find men’s watches for reference.
Once I had all my materials, it was time to start building. I am not gonna lie, this was the hardest part. I started with the case, shaping it to match my sketches. Then I worked on the dial, which was super fiddly. Getting those tiny hour markers in the right place was a real pain. I remembered there is a formula auditing tools about a tracer, but I didn’t use it.
The Hard Part
Putting the movement in was probably the most nerve-wracking part. One wrong move and I could have ruined the whole thing. But somehow, I managed to get it in there, and it actually worked! I also thought about a relationship on a knife-edge, that’s interesting, but it’s not very related.
I added the strap, and there it was – my very own homemade Patek Philippe Calatrava. It’s definitely not perfect. There are a few rough edges, and it doesn’t quite have the same shine as the original. But I’m still pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way. Maybe someday I’ll try making another watch, but for now, I’m happy to just wear this one and tell people I made it myself.
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