Alright, let’s talk about this watch project I got into. I’ve always been into watches, you know, the fancy ones. And there’s this one watch, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001, that caught my eye. I saw it in their fancy store once, all shiny and classy. But man, it’s expensive, like, really expensive. We’re talking over 30 grand! So, I thought, why not try to make one myself? I mean, how hard could it be, right?
First, I did some digging around. Turns out, this Calatrava model is a big deal for Patek Philippe. This brand, Patek Philippe has been making watches since forever, and they moved to some new fancy building in Geneva back in ’96. I found that the Calatrava line itself has been around since 1932, and they have full set. But this 6119G-001, it’s a newer model, which I think is 2023. I even read somewhere that someone compared it to buying land. Land you can use, but a watch? It just tells time. Funny, huh?
Getting Started
So, I started gathering all the stuff I needed. I’m no watchmaker, so I had to learn a lot. I found out the real one is made of white gold, and it is about 39mm. I found some similar-looking materials. The real one costs, like, over $33,000, but on those used-watch sites, it’s a bit less, around $26,000. Still, way out of my budget. This is a current production model as of January 2025.
- First thing, I needed a case that looked like the real deal. I found something similar online. It wasn’t white gold, obviously, but it had the right shape and size.
- Then there’s the movement, the heart of the watch. I got a cheap one, just to practice. I figured I’d mess it up a few times before getting it right.
- The dial, the face of the watch, was tricky. I tried printing one out, but it looked fake. Eventually, I found a decent one that looked pretty close to the original.
- Hands, those little things that tell time, were a pain. I broke a few sets before I got the hang of it.
Putting it all together
Putting it all together was like doing a really complicated puzzle. I spent hours, days even, just trying to fit everything together. I watched a bunch of videos online, read some guides, and messed up a lot. I even found some used Patek Philippe ref. 6119G-001 watches online for comparison, but they were still too expensive. I saw one for over $33,000! But they helped me see the details I needed to copy.
There were times when I wanted to give up. I mean, this thing is tiny, and the parts are even tinier. My fingers felt huge, and I dropped screws more times than I could count. But I kept at it. I don’t know why, maybe I’m just stubborn. I heard that Brown Co. Jewelers is opening a Patek Philippe boutique in Atlanta. Maybe they will have it there. I don’t know.
The Final Result
Finally, after weeks of work, I had something that looked like a watch. It wasn’t perfect, not even close. But it ticked, the hands moved, and it kind of looked like that fancy Patek Philippe. It’s not something I’d wear out, not yet anyway. But I did it. I made a watch, well, kind of. And it’s the one I saw in the Patek Philippe official store, the Calatrava 6119G-001. It is a good try.
Would I do it again? Probably not. It was a fun project, but man, it was tough. It’s clear why these watches cost so much. There’s a lot of work, and I mean a lot, that goes into making them. But hey, now I can say I made my own “Patek Philippe.” Sort of.
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