Okay, so, I got this idea to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R-001. You know, the one with the hobnail pattern? Yeah, that’s the one. I’ve always liked the look of it, but let’s be real, I’m not about to drop that kind of cash on a watch. So I thought, why not try to make one myself?
First, I started by gathering some info about the watch. I found out that the real deal is 39mm in diameter and 8.08mm thick. And of course, it’s water-resistant to 30 meters. I spent some time looking at pictures of the watch online, trying to get a good feel for all the details. These watches have been around forever, and there are tons of them. Some are super collectible too, or so I’ve read.
Next, I needed to figure out the materials. I knew I wouldn’t be using real gold like the original, so I decided to go with a rose gold-colored stainless steel instead. It’s way cheaper and still looks pretty good. For the strap, I chose a good quality leather strap that matched the color of the original one. I found some nice ones after looking around for a bit.
Then came the hard part – making the case. I started with a block of the stainless steel and used a small saw to cut it into a rough circle shape. This took forever, and my hands were killing me by the end. After that, I used a file and sandpaper to smooth out the edges and get it to the right size. I had to be extra careful to make it 39mm, just like the original.
The dial was another challenge. I decided to print the dial design onto a thin piece of metal. I found a design online that was pretty close to the original and printed it out. It took a few tries to get the size and colors just right. Once I was happy with the print, I carefully glued it onto the dial. This part was super fiddly, and I messed up a couple of times before I got it right.
For the hands, I used some thin metal strips and cut them into the right shape using a pair of pliers and a file. This was even more fiddly than the dial, and I nearly gave up a few times. They’re not perfect, but they look okay from a distance.
The hobnail pattern, or “Clous de Paris” as it’s apparently called, was the biggest challenge. I tried a few different methods, but in the end, I decided to use a small hammer and a sharp tool to create the pattern by hand. This took ages, and I had to be super patient not to mess it up. It’s not as precise as the original, but I think it captures the essence of the design. It is not as large as the original, but at least it will have my signature.
Putting it all together was the most satisfying part. I carefully assembled all the pieces, making sure everything fit together properly. I used a tiny screwdriver and a pair of tweezers to put in the screws and other small parts. It was like building a tiny, intricate puzzle.
The Results
- Diameter: I managed to get it pretty close to 39mm.
- Thickness: Mine is a bit thicker than the original, but not by much.
- Water Resistance: Let’s just say I won’t be taking this one swimming.
- Strap: The leather strap looks great, though!
- Overall Look: It’s definitely not a perfect replica, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It looks like a Calatrava from a distance, and that’s good enough for me.
It was a lot of work, but I learned a lot about watchmaking along the way. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was fun, but also super frustrating at times. I might try making a different model next time, or maybe I’ll just stick to buying watches. We’ll see!
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