So, I’ve been wanting to remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G-001, the original order, you know? This watch, with its clean lines, it’s just the essence of a round wristwatch, a real symbol of the Patek Philippe style. It’s super elegant, and I wanted to see if I could recreate that elegance.
I started by getting a good look at the real deal. I mean, the Calatrava is known for its pure lines, right? It’s recognized as one of the finest symbols of the Patek Philippe style. I focused on the Reference 6119G-001 in white gold. That ivory lacquered dial, those gold-applied hour markers, and that classic brown alligator strap – it all comes together so well. It’s a 39 mm case, mechanical self-winding movement, the whole nine yards.
I began the recreation with the case. It had to be white gold, just like the original. I got the dimensions spot on, 40 mm, but making the wedged sides was a pain. It took some serious tinkering to get that right. Honestly, I almost threw in the towel on that part a couple of times!
Next up, the dial. An ivory lacquered dial was the goal. I experimented with different lacquers and application techniques, trying to mimic that subtle shine. The hour markers, man, that was another challenge. I wanted to make them gold-applied, but getting them to sit perfectly on the dial took forever. I even tried making them myself, but the result was, uh, less than stellar.
- Case: Made of white gold, 40 mm, with those tricky wedged sides.
- Dial: Ivory lacquered, which was a real struggle to get right.
- Hour markers: Gold-applied, and let me tell you, applying them was a nightmare.
- Strap: I wanted a brown alligator strap, but finding one that looked just right wasn’t easy.
After messing around with the dial and hour markers, I moved on to the strap. I went for a brown alligator strap, just like the original. Finding one that matched the quality and look of the original was tough. I went through a few different ones before I found one that I was kind of happy with.
The Movement
Now, the movement. I’m not a watchmaker, so recreating the self-winding movement was out of the question. I ended up using a decent automatic movement I had lying around. It’s not the same, but it gets the job done, I guess. It’s hidden inside the case anyway, right?
Putting it all together was like assembling a jigsaw puzzle where the pieces kept changing shape. But finally, after many late nights and a lot of cursing, I had something that resembled the Calatrava 6119G-001. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. It was a great experience. Learned a lot, even if it was frustrating at times. I’d do it again, I think, but maybe next time I’ll pick a watch that’s a little less complicated!
Click to consult