Okay, so, let’s talk about this little project I’ve been messing with. I decided to try and remake a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001, you know, the one you see in those specialty stores. This whole thing started because, well, who doesn’t love a good watch? But a real Patek Philippe? That’s way out of my league, price-wise. So, I thought, why not try to make one myself? This specific model, the 5227R-001, it’s a real classic, so I figured it was a good place to start.
First things first, I needed to gather some info. I found out that the original watch is 39mm in diameter. Not too big, not too small, just right. It’s got this brown alligator strap, which, honestly, sounds kind of fancy. I didn’t go for real alligator, though. I’m not made of money, plus, I wanted to keep it simple. For my version, I got a regular brown leather strap. It does the job and looks pretty decent.
Then came the tricky part – the movement. Now, the real 5227R-001 has this self-winding thing, which means you don’t need to wind it up all the time. It’s also got a shock absorber. Pretty neat, right? The actual movement has something like 212 parts, with a thickness of 3.3mm, and there’s another part with 164 parts and a thickness of 2.55mm. Yeah, it’s complicated stuff.
Movement
- Diameter: 27 mm (original), I tried to get close to this.
- Thickness: 3.3 mm (original), mine’s a bit thicker, but I’m no expert.
- Number of parts: 212 and 164 (original), I lost count on mine.
- Jewels: 30 (original), I skipped this part, way too complicated.
I tried to find something similar, but let me tell you, watch movements are no joke. I ended up using a simpler movement I found. It’s not self-winding, so I have to wind it myself, but hey, it works. I didn’t bother with the shock absorber either. My watch isn’t going mountain climbing or anything, so it should be fine.
Putting it all together was a real challenge. I used some basic tools, nothing fancy. It took a lot of patience, and there were definitely a few times I wanted to throw the whole thing across the room. But I kept at it, and after a lot of trial and error, I finally had something that looked like a watch.
Now, I’m not saying my remake is anywhere near as good as the real deal. It’s not. Those Patek Philippe guys are real craftsmen. But for a homemade job, I’m pretty proud of it. It tells the time, it looks somewhat like the 5227R-001, and it didn’t cost me a fortune. I saw online that the real ones can go for over $44,000. Mine? Let’s just say it was significantly less.
This whole experience taught me a lot. It gave me a new appreciation for watchmakers and the work they do. It also showed me that with a bit of patience and a lot of effort, you can make some pretty cool stuff yourself. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was fun, but also a lot of work. For now, I’m just happy to wear my homemade Calatrava and enjoy the fact that I made it with my own two hands.
So, that’s my story. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, go for it. Just be prepared for a challenge, and don’t expect to become a master watchmaker overnight. It’s a fun project, and you might just surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
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