Okay, so here’s my experience with remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001.
First off, I started by gathering as much info as I could about this watch. I spent hours online looking at pictures and reading about it. I read somewhere that Patek Philippe is like the king of luxury watches, and the Calatrava is one of their most classic designs. They say it’s “supremely elegant” and has “timeless understated perfection.” I could definitely see that from the images. This 6119R-001 model is particularly cool with its rose gold case.
Then, I needed to find some way to recreate this beauty. I’m not a watchmaker, so I had to get creative. I decided to try 3D modeling. I downloaded a free 3D modeling software and started learning the basics. I figured it would take some time, but I was determined. It took a while to find a free 3D modeling software that worked for me. Let me tell you, it’s not easy! I watched a ton of tutorials online, and slowly but surely, I started to get the hang of it.
- I started with the case, carefully studying the curves and dimensions of the 6119R-001.
- Then, I moved on to the dial, paying close attention to the hobnail pattern and the placement of the hour markers and hands. I learned that the real watch has this “automatic caliber 26-330 S C” thing. I have no clue what that is, but I tried my best to replicate the look of it. I noticed that the original has a 45-hour power reserve. I could not replicate it in a 3D software, so I just skip it.
- I even tried to recreate the strap. They say the original comes with two different hand-stitched straps, one being “nubuck calfskin.” Again, no idea what that is, but it looks fancy. I just picked a texture that looked similar in my software.
It was a long process, full of trial and error. I spent many late nights tweaking the model, trying to get it as close to the real thing as possible. I kept comparing my work to the pictures I had collected, making adjustments here and there. It was kind of frustrating, but also pretty rewarding. I remember one time I accidentally deleted half of my work and had to start over. That was a rough night.
Finally, after what felt like forever, I had a 3D model that I was pretty happy with. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it captured the essence of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. I even managed to render some images of it, which looked surprisingly realistic. I also found that the new Patek Philippe Calatrava 5226G has a price of $39,033 at launch. I mean, who has that kind of money to spend on a watch?
I shared my creation online, and people seemed to like it. I even got a few requests from people asking if I could model other watches for them. It was pretty cool to see that others appreciated my work. I’m thinking about trying to model the Patek Philippe Nautilus next. It looks like a really cool watch, too. They also have this one, the 4997/200G-001, but I think I’ll start with the Nautilus.
Overall, it was a fun and challenging project. I learned a lot about 3D modeling and about Patek Philippe watches. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll even be able to afford a real one! (Probably not, but a guy can dream, right?) The price is out of this world. But who knows, maybe one day. Anyway, that’s my story of how I remade the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001.
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