Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001 for a while now. It’s a pretty slick watch, you know? But the price tag on these things is, well, let’s just say it’s up there. So I started thinking, why not try to remake one myself? Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy, but hear me out.
I started by looking up everything I could find about this watch online. I found a bunch of stuff – pictures, some articles, even prices on a few websites. This one place called Chrono24 had a bunch listed, and there was some info from Japan and Hong Kong too. Seemed like a popular model. And based on my research, the waiting list for it can be about a year. It’s a pretty long wait, but I’m ready to take on the challenge.
First I gathered all the pictures I could. I mean, every angle, close-ups of the dial, the hands, the case, everything. I wanted to really see how this thing was put together. And I spent hours studying those pictures, trying to figure out the details.
Then, I started looking for parts. Now, this was the tricky part. I wasn’t going to find genuine Patek parts just lying around, obviously. So I had to get creative. I searched online for similar-looking parts, things that could maybe work. It was a lot of trial and error, I’m not going to lie.
- First of all I found this guy selling replica movements online. I know, I know, replicas, but honestly, it looked pretty darn close to the real thing. It has a similar structure at least.
- Then I found some watch hands that were almost identical to the ones on the 6119G. It wasn’t easy, but I finally found a set that looked right.
- The case was the hardest part. I ended up using a case from an old watch I had lying around. It wasn’t the same shape, but it was close enough, I figured. And it’s made of metal just like the original one.
Once I had all the parts, I started putting it all together. This was the most nerve-wracking part, to be honest. I’ve never done anything like this before, so I was learning as I went. I messed up a few times, had to take things apart and put them back together again. It was a real pain, let me tell you.
The Result
But eventually, after a lot of sweat and maybe a few tears, I finally had something that resembled a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. It wasn’t perfect, of course. The case was a bit off, and the movement was definitely not a genuine Patek. But you know what? It looked pretty good! And it actually kept time pretty well, too.
I wore it around for a few days, just to see how it felt. And I have to say, I was pretty proud of myself. I mean, I basically made my own watch! It wasn’t a real Patek, but it was my Patek, you know? And the best part, it only cost me about 33 bucks. That’s way less than the real deal, I can tell you that much. I think it’s worth it. At least I don’t have to wait for a whole year on the waiting list!
So, yeah, that’s my story of how I remade a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also pretty rewarding. And hey, now I have a pretty cool watch to show for it. Not bad for 33 bucks, right?
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