Hey everyone, it’s your old buddy here, back with another project. You know how I love diving into these things and sharing the whole process with you guys. So, today, I’m tackling something a bit fancy – I tried my hand at remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. Yeah, the classic one. This is not my first rodeo with watches, but this one, man, it’s got a certain charm to it. It’s part of their emblematic collection and is entering its 182nd year in 2021. That’s some serious history!
First off, I started digging around for info. Needed to get a real feel for this watch, you know? I found out it’s got this cool “Clous de Paris” pattern on it, which is like a fancy way of saying it has a textured, guilloched hobnail design. The original has a slightly larger diameter, and the design just screams class. I wanted to recreate that iconic look.
So, I set up my workspace. I already had many tools and materials, which saved me a lot of trouble. I began by carefully studying the watch’s design, especially that hobnail pattern. Getting that right was key. I practiced on some scrap material first, trying to mimic the texture. It’s all about getting those tiny details perfect, you know?
Next, I focused on the case. The 6119R-001 is known as the “Rose Gold Silver Dial” version, which means a rose gold case and a silver dial. I found some decent rose gold-like materials that I’ve used for other stuff before, and I started working on shaping it. The original has a 39mm diameter, so I made sure to measure everything precisely. This part took some time because I wanted the case to look just right, not too bulky, not too thin.
Then came the dial. This was a bit tricky. The silver dial on the original is super clean and elegant. I used a smooth, silver-toned metal sheet and carefully marked where the hour markers would go. On the real deal, the hour markers are these sleek, elongated batons. I tried to replicate that look using some thin metal strips. It was a lot of precise work, but I think I got pretty close to the original.
The hands of the watch were another challenge. They’re these delicate, leaf-shaped hands that are just beautiful. I shaped some thin metal pieces to match that design. It took a few tries to get them just right, but I was patient. After all, it’s all about those details.
Putting it all together was like the moment of truth. I carefully assembled the case, the dial, and the hands. I even managed to add a little “complication” feature, just like the real one has. It’s not a working complication, of course, but it adds to the overall look and feel.
Challenges Faced
- The Hobnail Pattern: Recreating that guilloched hobnail texture was tough. It required a lot of practice and patience to get those tiny details right.
- The Case: Shaping the rose gold case to the correct dimensions and getting that polished look took a lot of effort.
- The Dial: The clean and elegant look of the silver dial, along with the precise placement of the hour markers, was challenging to replicate.
- The Hands: Crafting those delicate, leaf-shaped hands required a steady hand and a lot of patience.
In the end, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not a perfect replica, but it captures the essence of the Calatrava 6119R-001. I learned a lot during this project, especially about the intricacies of watch design. It’s amazing how much detail goes into these things. This Patek Philippe project was definitely one for the books. It tested my skills and patience, but it was totally worth it. I hope you guys enjoyed this little journey. Until next time, keep tinkering!
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