Today, I tried to remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001, the one you can find in their official flagship store. Let me tell you, it was a journey.
First, I started by digging up all the info I could find about this watch. I mean, this isn’t just any watch, it’s a Patek Philippe, and the Calatrava 5088/100P-001 is like, a big deal. From what I gathered, this beauty usually goes for around $105,820 retail, and even on the pre-owned market, you’re looking at about $83,995. It is still in production now in September 2024. Crazy, right? This model, the Reference 96, it came out way back in 1932. That’s the same year the Stern family, who were big shots in dial manufacturing, took over Patek Philippe. And the name “Calatrava”? It’s from some Christian knighthood order from the Crusades. Wild history!
After I got all that background, I started looking at the actual watch. I found some details that it’s a 38 mm platinum case, 8.3 mm thick. And the dial? Hand-engraved with black enamel. It’s powered by this ultra-thin self-winding movement, the caliber 240, and it’s got about a 48-hour power reserve. I even compared a bunch of deals for this model online. 2024 new model, it got the original box and papers, the whole shebang.
So, with all this in mind, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.
- First, I sketched out the basic design. Getting that 38 mm case size right was crucial.
- Then, I focused on the dial. I tried to mimic that hand-engraved look with the black enamel, but man, that’s tough.
- After that, I moved on to the movement. Now, I obviously couldn’t replicate the caliber 240, but I wanted to capture its essence, you know?
It was a long process, with a lot of trial and error. I spent hours just trying to get the look of that enamel right. And don’t even get me started on the movement. But you know what? I learned a ton. About Patek Philippe, about the Calatrava, and about watchmaking in general.
The Final Result
In the end, did I perfectly remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001? Of course not. It’s not the same. But did I create something that pays homage to it? I think so. And I had a blast doing it. It was a challenge, but a fun one. And hey, I got to share the whole experience with you all. Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did!
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