Remake Patek Philippe 6119R-001: Get the Calatrava Look (Original Order, Best Quality!)

So, I saw this Patek Philippe watch, the Calatrava 6119R-001, in a shop the other day. Shiny, fancy, and way out of my price range, you know? But it got me thinking, could I try to make something similar? Not a perfect copy, mind you, just something that captures a bit of that feel.

I started by looking at a bunch of pictures online. I stared at that watch face for hours, trying to figure out how it was all put together. I grabbed some basic watch parts I had lying around. I’ve messed with watches before, nothing too serious, just taking them apart and (sometimes) putting them back together.

First, I tried to find a case that was kind of similar in shape. No luck there, so I settled for a round one I already had. Then came the dial. I attempted to draw out the design I saw on the 6119R-001, those little tick marks and the hands, onto a piece of paper. Cut it out, glued it onto a blank dial I had.

• Finding a similar case.
• Drawing the design onto a dial.
• Cutting and gluing the dial design.

Then the hands.

Oh boy, the hands were tough. The ones on the real Patek Philippe are so sleek and thin. I bent and shaped some old watch hands, trying to get them close, but they ended up looking pretty rough. I even painted it with this metallic paint I found, but it still looked nothing like the real deal.

Next, I tackled the movement. Now, I’m no watchmaker, so I just used a basic quartz movement I had. Definitely not the fancy manual winding one like in the 6119R-001, but hey, it ticks. I managed to fit it all inside the case, though it was a tight squeeze.

The last part was the strap. I just used a plain leather one I had. Nothing fancy, but it does the job. Put it all together, and there it was, my “inspired by” Patek Philippe 6119R-001. It’s not perfect, not even close. It doesn’t tell time perfectly, and it’s definitely not as fancy as the real thing.

But you know what? I made it. It was a fun little project, and I learned a bit more about how watches are put together. Maybe one day I’ll actually get my hands on a real Patek Philippe, but for now, I’m pretty happy with my little homemade version. And you know, it’s a good reminder that sometimes, it’s the process of making something, not just the final product, that’s really rewarding.