Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Calatrava for a while now. The 5227G-010 model, to be exact. It’s just such a classic, you know? I mean, the Calatrava line has been around since 1932 and these watches are inspired by the Bauhaus design. So you can imagine there are tons of Calatrava watches out there and they are pretty collectible, especially the vintage ones.
I did some digging and found out that the Calatrava cross, which is like the symbol of Patek Philippe, has been around since the end of the 19th century. It stands for perfection and mastery. This emblem actually goes way back to the Middle Ages, which is pretty cool.
Anyway, back to the 5227G-010. This one is something special, let me tell you. I finally decided to go for it and remake one by myself. There is a similar watch named ref.5196 launched in 2004, it has four versions, 18K yellow, white, rose gold and platinum, powered by caliber 215PS. They have very similar appearance, so I decided to remake a ref.5196 first. But 5227G-010 is the final goal.
First I needed to get the materials. I started hunting for parts online and in local watch shops. For the case, I found a decent white gold-like material. It wasn’t cheap, but hey, we’re talking about a Patek Philippe here. The movement was trickier. I couldn’t get an original 215PS, obviously, so I found a similar-looking movement that works like a charm.
Once I had all the parts, the real work began. I set up my workbench with all my tools – screwdrivers, tweezers, loupe, the whole shebang. The case assembly was pretty straightforward. I cleaned everything, made sure there was no dust, and carefully put the pieces together. The dial was a bit more delicate. I had to make sure the hands were aligned perfectly, and the hour markers were in the right spots.
- Sourcing the parts: This took the longest. I spent hours online and visited a bunch of watch shops.
- Case assembly: This was relatively easy. Just had to be careful not to scratch anything.
- Dial and hands: This was the most challenging part. Getting the hands to align just right was a real pain.
- Movement installation: Once the movement was in, it was smooth sailing. Just had to make sure everything was secure.
- Testing: I wound it up, set the time, and watched it tick. It was such a satisfying moment.
The movement installation was where things got really interesting. I disassembled the donor movement, cleaned every single part, and then reassembled it. I had to be extra careful with the tiny screws and springs. One wrong move and they could go flying off, never to be found again. I actually lost a screw at one point and had to spend an hour searching for it. Found it in the end, though!
After getting the movement working, I installed it into the case. This part was pretty smooth. I secured the movement, attached the dial and hands, and closed up the case back. Then came the moment of truth – I wound it up, set the time, and watched it tick. Man, that was a satisfying moment. All that hard work paid off!
What a Beauty!
The final product looks amazing, if I do say so myself. It’s not an original Patek Philippe, of course, but it’s close enough for me. And the best part is, I made it with my own two hands. This whole process taught me so much about watchmaking. It’s not just about putting parts together, it’s about precision, patience, and a whole lot of problem-solving. I’m definitely going to keep doing this. Maybe I’ll even try to make a 5227G-010 from scratch next time, who knows? For now, I’m just going to enjoy wearing my homemade Calatrava.
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