So, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001 for a while now. You know, the one with the rose gold case and that classic, clean look? Yeah, that’s the one. It’s a real beauty, but man, the price tag is something else. I figured, why not try to remake one myself? It’s not about being cheap, it’s about the challenge and the fun of making something with my own two hands, I think, well, maybe both.
First off, I started digging around to see what makes this watch tick, literally. I found out it’s powered by a self-winding caliber 324 movement. Sounds fancy, right? I’m no watchmaker, but I love tinkering, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I started by looking for a similar movement that wouldn’t break the bank. Scouring online forums, I realized that people are crazy for the Calatrava, especially the old ones.
Then, there’s the case. The real deal is 39mm and made of 18K rose gold. It’s big enough to see what time it is but not so big that it feels like you’re wearing a dinner plate. I found a similar-sized case online that looked pretty good and was way more affordable, made of stainless steel, which I planned to plate later, a bit challenging for me. It took me a while to think it over, but I think I will be fine. The caseback on the original is something called “Savonette,” which I guess is pretty thin. I made sure the one I got didn’t make the watch look too chunky, you know? Because that’s the one thing I worried about.
- Case: I needed a 39mm case, not too thick, preferably rose gold-looking.
- Movement: Something similar to the caliber 324, maybe I could get an old one and give it a new home.
- Strap: The original has a brown alligator strap. Sounds exotic, but I wasn’t going to use real alligator. I found a decent-looking brown leather strap that would do the trick.
Putting it all together was the real test. I had to be super careful with the movement – those things are delicate! I spent hours, maybe even days, just trying to figure out how everything fit together. I won’t lie, there were times when I thought I’d messed up beyond repair. But I kept at it, taking breaks when I got frustrated and coming back with fresh eyes.
The dial was another story. The original is silver, simple and classy. I wanted to replicate that look, so I designed my own, keeping it clean and uncluttered, just like the Patek. Printing it was a bit of a pain, had to make sure the ink didn’t smudge and the lines were crisp. That was some work.
Finally, after what felt like forever, I had something that resembled the Calatrava 5227R-001. It wasn’t perfect, of course. The plating on the case wasn’t as smooth as I’d hoped, and the movement, while it worked, didn’t have that same “Swiss-made” precision. But you know what? It was mine. I made it. And that’s a pretty good feeling. Even though it doesn’t say Patek Philippe, I will buy a logo to put on it. I want it to be as close as the original one.
I’ve been wearing it around, and I get a kick every time I look at it. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the journey is more rewarding than the destination. And who knows, maybe this is just the start. Maybe I’ll try remaking other watches. Or maybe I’ll just enjoy this one for a while. It’s a good conversation starter, that’s for sure.
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