Man, I’ve been itching to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Calatrava for ages. That 5226G-001 model? A real beauty. But the price tag, holy smokes, it’s up there! Around $41,000 retail, and even on the used market, you’re still looking at over $35,000. So, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? Sounds crazy, right? But hey, I was up for the challenge.
First things first, I needed to find the parts. I started scouring online forums, those places where watch nerds like me hang out. I dug through countless posts, asked around, trying to find any leads on where to get similar-looking parts. After days of searching and comparing, I finally settled on a few decent options.
- Case: I found a pretty good-looking white gold-plated case from a supplier. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it had that classic Calatrava round shape.
- Dial: This was tricky. The 5226G has this textured charcoal gray dial, and that’s hard to replicate. I managed to find a similar-colored dial, but the texture wasn’t quite there. I had to do some DIY magic to give it a bit of that textured look.
- Hands and Markers: I snagged some decent-looking syringe-style hands and applied numerals from an online seller. They weren’t perfect, but they were close enough for this project.
- Movement: Now, I’m not a watchmaker, so I wasn’t about to build a whole movement from scratch. I opted for a reliable automatic movement I got online. Not a Patek movement, obviously, but it gets the job done.
With all the parts in hand, it was time to get to work. I carefully disassembled the case, prepped the dial, and mounted the hands and markers. I’m not going to lie, it took some steady hands and a lot of patience, but I got there.
Next up, the movement. I carefully placed it into the case, secured it, and then attached the dial. This was the most nerve-wracking part. One wrong move and I could damage the whole thing. I carefully placed it into the case and then attached the dial. This was the most nerve-wracking part. I took my time, double-checked everything, and finally, it was in place.
Last but not least, the strap. I found a nice calfskin leather strap online, one that matched the look of the original. I attached it to the case, and boom, my homemade Calatrava was complete!
The Result
Okay, so it’s not a real Patek Philippe. It doesn’t have that insane 8-year waiting list or that crazy price tag, and it sure doesn’t have that “26- 330 S C” movement everyone talks about. But you know what? It looks pretty darn good, at least to me. And the best part? I made it myself. It’s a reminder that you don’t always need to spend a fortune to enjoy something beautiful. Sometimes, a little DIY spirit and a lot of elbow grease can get you pretty close to the real thing. I wear it all the time, and it always sparks up a conversation. Plus, it’s a great story to tell, much more fun than just buying it off the shelf, even if I could!
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