Okay, so, I decided to get my hands dirty and remake the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. Yeah, the white gold one. I saw this watch online, all shiny and new, with the box and papers and everything. People online are saying it’s 39mm, but that’s what they always say, right? It looked different from other Patek Philippe models I’ve seen, like that Aquanaut 5167A, which is all modern and stuff. This Calatrava, though, it has this old-school vibe, even though it’s a recent model. Kind of like that Nautilus 5711 everyone’s crazy about.
First, I started by gathering all the info I could find. I went through tons of forum posts, pictures, and even some videos of people showing off their Calatravas. I needed to know what made this 6119G tick. I noticed a lot of talk about the “Clous de Paris” pattern on the bezel, so I figured that would be a key part of my project. I also saw some comments about it being a bit bigger than older Calatravas, so I knew I had to get the dimensions right.
- Looked at pictures of the original 6119G.
- Read forum discussions about the watch.
- Watched videos of people reviewing the watch.
Breaking it down
Then, I broke it down. I needed to understand each part, how they fit together, and what materials were used. From what I could gather, the original uses white gold, so I decided to use a similar material for my project. I mean, it wouldn’t be the same, but it had to have that same weight and feel, you know? I spent days just looking at close-up shots of the dial, the hands, the case, and that “Clous de Paris” bezel. I even tried to sketch it out, but let me tell you, my drawing skills are, well, not the best.
- Studied the watch’s components.
- Chose a material similar to white gold.
- Analyzed close-up images of the watch.
The real challenge was that “Clous de Paris” pattern. It’s this intricate guilloché design that’s super detailed. I searched high and low for a way to replicate it. I experimented with a few different techniques, even tried using some tools I had lying around. It was tough, I won’t lie. I messed up a bunch of times, but hey, that’s part of the process, right? I watched a ton of videos on how guilloché is done, but doing it by hand? Man, that’s a whole other level.
- Researched the “Clous de Paris” pattern.
- Experimented with different replication techniques.
- Learned about traditional guilloché methods.
After a lot of trial and error, I finally managed to get something that looked somewhat decent. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but it had that same textured look. I assembled the whole thing, step by step, using the pictures and videos as my guide. It was like putting together a really complicated puzzle, but way more satisfying. And you know what? When I finally held it in my hands, it felt pretty darn good. It wasn’t a real Patek Philippe, of course, but it was my version of it, and I was proud of what I had accomplished.
- Achieved a satisfactory replication of the pattern.
- Assembled the watch based on references.
- Completed the personal project.
This whole thing taught me a lot about watchmaking, and about Patek Philippe. It’s not just about slapping some parts together. There’s a real art to it, a level of detail and craftsmanship that’s just mind-blowing. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a heck of a ride, and I learned a ton. But for now, I’m just going to enjoy this little project of mine and wear it with a story, and maybe some other people will think “what is this guy talking about?”.
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