Alright, so, I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I recently got this idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. Yeah, I know, it’s a pretty ambitious project, but hey, why not, right?
First thing I did was dive deep into what makes this watch tick. I mean, I spent hours just looking at pictures, reading articles, you name it. This Calatrava, it’s not just any watch. It’s got this black enamel dial, a platinum case that’s 38mm across, and it’s only 8.3mm thick. Real sleek, you know?
And the movement inside, they say it’s some real fancy stuff. But here’s the kicker, they only made ten of these bad boys. Ten! So, getting my hands on a real one? Not happening. And the price? Let’s just say it’s way out of my league. We’re talking over $100,000 new, and even used, they’re going for around $85,000. Crazy, right?
Getting Started
So, after I wrapped my head around all that, I started sketching. Yeah, like, actual pencil and paper sketches. I wanted to get every detail just right. Then, I moved on to sourcing materials. Now, I couldn’t get my hands on real platinum, obviously, so I had to get creative. I ended up using some high-grade stainless steel, which, you know, does the job. And for the dial, I found a guy who does custom enamel work. It wasn’t cheap, but man, it looked good.
Putting It Together
Next up was the movement. I decided to use a reliable automatic movement that I could get my hands on. I’m not trying to pass this off as the real deal, you know? It’s more about the challenge and the experience for me. Anyway, I spent a good few weeks just assembling everything, taking it apart, and putting it back together again. It was a lot of trial and error, let me tell you. I took care of the little things such as the crown, the sapphire-crystal back, etc.
The Final Product
But you know what? I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not perfect, of course, but it’s got that Calatrava vibe. And honestly, it was just a blast to make. I’ve learned a ton through this whole process, and I’m already thinking about what my next project will be. Maybe something with a little more color next time, who knows?
Here’s a quick rundown of what I ended up with:
- Case: 38mm, stainless steel (instead of platinum)
- Dial: Custom black enamel
- Movement: Reliable automatic movement
- Thickness: A bit thicker than the original, but still pretty slim
So, yeah, that’s my little watchmaking adventure. It was tough, but totally worth it. And hey, if I can do it, anyone can. Just gotta have patience, you know? And maybe a little bit of an obsession with watches, haha!
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