So, I got this itch to get myself a nice watch, you know, something classy. I’ve always liked the look of those Patek Philippe Calatravas, especially the 5088/100P-001 model. But man, those things are expensive! I saw some folks online talking about how much they cost. Some say it’s like, over $100,000, others say around $88,000, and I even saw someone say it can be as cheap as $85. It’s like buyin’ a good piece of land, right?
I did some digging, and these watches ain’t just your regular time-tellers. I learned that this Patek Philippe 38mm Calatrava is made of platinum. And it has this fancy “ultra-thin self-winding mechanical movement” inside. I’m not even sure what all that means, but it sounds impressive.
Anyway, since I couldn’t just drop that kind of cash on a real one, I thought, “Why not try to get a remake?” I figured it would be a fun project, and I’d learn a thing or two about watches along the way. So, I started looking around for parts.
First, I needed a case. I found one that looked pretty close to the original, also made of platinum, which was a good start. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it had that same round shape and it’s about 38mm, which I like. It was not cheap, but nothing compared to the real deal.
- Case: Looked for a platinum one similar to the original, 38mm.
- Movement: This was the tricky part. I needed something that would fit inside the case and keep time.
- Dial and Hands: Found ones that matched the style of the 5088/100P-001. Black, with those fancy patterns.
Next was the movement. Now, this is where things got a bit complicated. I’m no watchmaker, but I managed to find a movement that would fit. It wasn’t the same as the one in the real Patek Philippe, but it worked. And it was automatic too, which means I don’t need to wind it every day. I just wear it and my movement will keep it going.
Then came the dial and hands. I wanted it to look as close to the original as possible, so I got a black dial with that fancy engraving like the 5088/100P-001. The hands were a bit tricky to find, but I eventually found some that looked right. They were a little rough around the edges, but I figured I could smooth them out a bit.
Putting it all together was a real challenge. I watched a bunch of videos online and read some articles, and with a lot of patience, I managed to get it all assembled. It took a while, and I messed up a few times, but I didn’t give up.
The Result
After all that work, I finally had my own remake of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. It’s not perfect, of course. The engraving on the dial isn’t as sharp as the original, and the hands are a little bit rough. But you know what? It keeps time, it looks pretty darn good, and I made it myself. And that’s something I’m really proud of. I even heard some people say that if you got money, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6007G-010 Classic Style is a good one to get too. Maybe that is my next target. Who knows?
It’s like that old saying, “A remake of an old favorite, with new parts and a fancy look.” It didn’t cost me a fortune, and I learned a lot along the way. It’s a good feeling to wear something you built with your own hands.
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