Alright, here is my story about remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. I’ve always been a watch guy, and the Calatrava has always been one of my favorites. It’s just so clean and simple, but it’s also super elegant. So, when I got the chance to remake one, I jumped at it.
First off, I started by gathering information. This PP Calatrava 5227R-001, it’s a classic, you know? It’s got that round case, about 39mm wide and 8.08mm thick. So, I started measuring everything out. I got the calipers, started sketching, trying to get every detail right. I looked at a bunch of pictures online, trying to get a feel for the proportions.
Movement
Now, the movement of this watch is automatic, self-winding, they call it the caliber 324 movement. I didn’t make my own movement though, I just got a pretty standard one that looked similar. I figured it was more important to get the outside looking *’s said the 324 is rhodium plated with some fancy embellishments, built with 29 jewels and a shock absorber. Well, the one I used isn’t that fancy, but it works just fine.
Case
- Size: I made sure my case was 39mm across, just like the real deal. It’s a bit bigger than the older models, which were 37mm.
- Thickness: It’s about 8.08mm thick, but I aimed for around 9.24mm with the caseback. It didn’t turn out too bulky, which I was worried about.
- Material: I used some good quality metal, polished it up real nice. It doesn’t have that fancy “Savonette” caseback, but it’s got a decent heft to it.
Dial
The dial is where I spent a lot of time. I looked up the history of these watches. Turns out the first one, Ref. 96, came out in 1932. That’s the same year the Stern family took over Patek Philippe. They were dial makers, so you know the dial has to be on point. I tried to copy the original design, keeping it simple and classy, with clear markers and hands. I painted it up, made sure the numbers looked right, and the hands were the right shape. It’s not perfect, but it looks pretty good if you ask me.
Putting It Together
Once I had all the parts, I started assembling it. The movement went in first, then the dial, and then the hands. I had to be super careful with the hands, they’re tiny and easy to bend. Then I put the whole thing in the case, and sealed it up.
Finally, I took a step back and admired my work. It wasn’t an original Patek Philippe, but it was my own version of a classic. I wore it around, got some compliments, and felt pretty proud of * wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. And that’s the story of how I remade the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way.
So, that’s my story. It wasn’t about making a perfect replica, but more about the process and the fun of trying to recreate something I admired. It’s not a 44K+ watch, but it’s special to me.
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