Okay, so I’ve been tinkering around with watches for a while now, and let me tell you, this latest project was a doozy. I decided to try my hand at remaking the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5226G-001. Yeah, that’s right, the fancy one. My grandson’s always going on about these Patek Philippe watches, says they’re the bee’s knees. And you know what? This one caught my eye.
First off, getting the parts was a real scavenger hunt. I went online, ordered some parts, searched around. Finally, I had everything spread out on my workbench. It looked like a beautiful mess, if I do say so myself.
The Nitty-Gritty Details
Now, this Patek Philippe, it’s not just any watch. It’s got this self-winding Caliber 26-330 S C thingamajig. Sounds complicated, right? It kinda is. It’s the heart of the watch, keeps the hours, minutes, and that little second hand ticking away. The thing is supposed to hold power for 45 hours. I had to make sure I got all the tiny little gears and springs in the right place. One wrong move, and you’re back to square one. I had to put those little hands on the face just right. One slip, and you scratch that pretty face, and then you’re in a world of hurt. I spent hours with my magnifying glass, carefully putting this thing together.
- Starting the Build: I started by laying out all the parts, making sure I had everything I needed. The mainplate, the bridges, the wheels – it was like a jigsaw puzzle, but way more intricate.
- Assembling the Movement: This was the trickiest part. I carefully put the Caliber 26-330 S C together, piece by piece. Those little screws are a pain, let me tell you!
- Casing It Up: Once the movement was running smoothly, I had to get it into the case. This one’s white gold, so you gotta be extra careful not to scratch it.
- Putting on the Strap: I chose a nice, simple strap for this one. Nothing too flashy, just something that lets the watch speak for itself.
- The Final Test: After I had it all together, I wound it up and let it run. I watched it for a couple of days, making sure it kept time right. I have to say, it’s pretty satisfying to see something you built from scratch ticking away on your wrist.
All in all, it took me about a few weeks to finish this project. And I’m pretty darn proud of it. It’s not perfect, mind you, but it’s my own little version of that fancy Patek Philippe. I even managed to keep it ticking for about 40 hours. Not quite the 45 it’s supposed to do, but hey, I’m no watchmaker. Would I do it again? Probably not, this thing gave me more gray hairs than my kids did! But it was a fun challenge. I learned a lot, and now I have a pretty neat watch to show for it. Now, I’m not saying this is an “investment” like those fancy watch collectors talk about. But for me, it’s a pretty cool accomplishment. It’s something I made with my own two hands, and that’s worth more than any price tag.
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