Man, oh man, you wouldn’t believe the project I just wrapped up. It was a doozy. I decided, for some reason, that I was going to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. Yeah, the fancy one with the engraved dial. Why? Because I like a challenge, I guess. And let me tell you, it was a challenge.
First things first, I started by gathering some details. I spent hours looking at pictures, reading descriptions, anything I could find. That watch is a beauty, 38mm platinum case, automatic movement, and that black enamel dial… gorgeous. It’s got a 48-hour power reserve, whatever that means, but it sounds cool. The original is out of stock everywhere, no surprise there.
Then, I started on the case. Now, I didn’t have any platinum lying around, so I had to improvise. I found a nice, solid piece of metal that was close enough in size and shape. I spent days, and I mean DAYS, working on getting it just right. Grinding, polishing, shaping… you name it. My hands were raw, but I kept at it. Screw down crown was kind of a pain, but eventually I made it.
- Grinding: I started by grinding down the metal to roughly the right size.
- Polishing: After grinding, I polished the metal until it had a nice, smooth finish.
- Shaping: The hardest part was shaping the metal into that perfect Calatrava case shape.
The dial, that was a whole other beast. I tried a few different things for that engraved look, but nothing was quite right. Finally, I decided to just paint it. I know, I know, it’s not the same, but it was the best I could do. I used a fine-tipped brush and some black paint, and tried to copy the pattern as best as I could. It took forever, and I messed up a bunch of times.
Putting it all together was a big task. I used some tiny screws and a lot of patience. I’m pretty sure I held my breath the entire time I was screwing that crystal on. And the movement? Don’t even get me started on the movement. I ended up using the insides of an old watch I had. It’s not automatic like the real one, but hey, it ticks.
Finally, after weeks of work, it was done. It’s not perfect, not by a long shot. It doesn’t have the original papers or the original box. But it’s my little version of that Patek Philippe. And you know what? I’m proud of it. It’s a reminder that even if something seems impossible, you can usually figure out a way to make it happen, even if it’s a little rough around the edges.
The Result
It’s not a Patek Philippe, but it’s mine. It doesn’t have a 48-hour power reserve, but it tells the time. It’s not made of platinum, but it’s got some heft to it. And the dial? Well, the dial is hand-painted, and that’s something, right?
So, there you have it. My adventure in watchmaking. Would I do it again? Probably not. But it was definitely an experience. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find something a little less complicated to work on. Maybe I’ll just read a book.
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