Okay, so, I got into this whole watch thing a while back, and let me tell you, it’s a rabbit hole. Started small, you know, with a couple of basic pieces. But then, I started looking at the fancier stuff. That’s when I stumbled upon Patek Philippe. I mean, who hasn’t heard of them? They’re like the kings of the watch world.
Anyway, I got it in my head that I wanted a Calatrava, specifically the 5227R-001. It’s just so classic, so clean. But, man, those things are expensive! So, I started looking into alternatives, and that’s where this whole remake thing came in. I found this place that does these, uh, “homages,” I guess you could call them. They take the design of the 5227R-001 and, well, remake it.
First, I reached out to them. Lots of back and forth, asking about the details, the materials, you name it. They were pretty responsive, which was a good sign. They said it has the look, you know the gold and that nice strap. They even said it’s self-winding, which is a plus. I hate winding watches. And they mentioned something about a shock absorber, which is probably good since I’m not exactly known for being gentle with my things.
After a few weeks I decided to go for it. Pulled the trigger, paid the money, and then the waiting game began. It took a bit longer than I expected, which was a little frustrating, but hey, what can you do? When the package finally arrived, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. Tore that thing open so fast!
The Unveiling
And there it was. Shiny, gold-looking, just like the pictures. I strapped it on, and it felt pretty good. Not too heavy, not too light. The strap was a little stiff at first, but it started to loosen up after a few days. The size was good, I’d say the same as the original 5227R. Looked good on my wrist, if I do say so myself.
I wore it around for a while, showing it off to anyone who would look. Got a few compliments, which was nice. People were asking if it was the real deal, and I had to explain the whole remake thing. Most people were cool with it. Some were a bit, shall we say, “judgmental” about it not being a real Patek, but who cares?
I kept wearing it daily, and it held up pretty well. No major scratches or anything, even after a few accidental bumps. The self-winding thing worked like a charm, never had to worry about it stopping. It does get a little dusty though, especially in the summer. I guess that’s just something you have to deal with. That Clous de Paris bezel, you know, with all those little details, it’s a dust magnet!
Living With It
I used a soft cloth to clean it every now and then, which seemed to do the trick. Just a quick wipe down, and it was back to its shiny self. I even took it to a watch guy I know, just to get his opinion. He was impressed, said it was a pretty good remake. He pointed out a few minor differences from the original, things only a real expert would notice, but overall, he gave it a thumbs up.
- First step: Found a place that does remakes.
- Second step: Asked a ton of questions about the watch.
- Third step: Paid the money and waited.
- Fourth step: Got the watch and started wearing it.
- Fifth step: Showed it off and got some compliments.
- Sixth step: Kept wearing it and cleaned it regularly.
- Seventh step: Got a watch expert to check it out.
So, yeah, that’s my story of remaking a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001. It’s not the real thing, but it’s close enough for me. And it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg. If you’re thinking about getting a fancy watch but don’t want to break the bank, maybe consider a remake. It’s not for everyone, but it worked for me.
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