Today, I wanna talk about my little project remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. I started by digging around to see what this watch is all about, you know, just getting a feel for it. I found some info about it being an “ultra-thin self-winding mechanical watch” with a “Caliber 240 movement”. Sounds fancy, right?
I saw pictures of the watch online, and man, it’s a beauty. That engraved black dial with the volutes and arabesques is so beautiful. I learned from my digging that it’s a bit of a departure from the usual conservative look of the Calatrava collection.
So, I got myself a basic watch to start with. I also found out that the original uses a “Caliber 240 automatic movement” with a “48-hour power reserve”. It seemed like it was going to be a real challenge to get this working right.
Getting the look of the dial right was a big thing for me. I tried a few different ways to engrave the dial to match the original. It’s hand-engraved on the real deal, so I had to try to get that same look.
After a bunch of tries, I started to get the hang of it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was starting to look like something. I spent hours just on the dial, but hey, it’s the little things, right?
- First, I messed with the movement. I tried to get it to work like the original’s Caliber 240.
- Then, I worked on the dial. I practiced engraving to get those patterns right. It’s tough, but I didn’t give up.
- I also added the Calatrava Cross on the strap. Just like the real one.
The strap was another thing. I wanted to get that Calatrava Cross on there, just like the original. I also added the “Patek Philippe” logo on the inside of the strap. I also made sure I used a “scratch resistant sapphire crystal” and a “screw down crown” like the original watch.
Putting It All Together
Putting it all together was a real test. I had to be super careful not to mess anything up. It felt like putting together a puzzle, but way more stressful.
Finally, I got it all assembled. I had to make some adjustments here and there, but eventually, it all came together. It wasn’t a perfect replica, but it looked pretty good if I do say so myself.
I learned a lot from this project. It’s not just about making something that looks good. It’s about understanding how it all works together. Now I heard some people say, these watches are hard to come by and some sellers are very bad. I’m just doing this for fun, though, not to sell or anything.
The original is way out of my league, price-wise, but I heard it’s a good investment. I just wanted to see if I could make something that looked like it, and I think I did okay. And hey, maybe one day I’ll get my hands on the real deal, but for now, I’m pretty happy with my little project.
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