Okay, so I’ve been tinkering with watches for a while now, and I’ve always had a soft spot for those classy Patek Philippes. There’s just something about them, you know? Recently, I decided to roll up my sleeves and try my hand at remaking the Golden Ellipse 5738R. It’s a beauty, no doubt, but those price tags? Let’s just say they’re not exactly wallet-friendly.
First things first, I needed to really get a feel for this watch. I spent hours looking at pictures online, reading every review I could find, and basically just obsessing over it. The 5738R is one of their slimmer models, 34.5mm by 39.5 mm, and only 5.9 mm thick. And it’s made of rose gold – fancy, right?
I found out that the real deal goes for around $38,000, sometimes even up to $60,000! Yeah, I nearly choked on my coffee when I saw that. But hey, that’s the price of luxury, I guess. On the used market, they’re a bit cheaper, like around $27,000 to $32,000, but still way out of my league.
So, I started gathering my materials. Getting that rose gold look was crucial. I managed to find some good quality rose gold plating, which saved me a ton of money compared to solid gold. The dimensions were also key. I used some calipers and got to work, shaping the case to match those elegant proportions. It was tricky, lots of trial and error, but I eventually got it pretty darn close.
The trickiest part?
- The bracelet. Apparently, the original has over 300 tiny links, all hand-polished. I didn’t even attempt that! I found a nice chain-style bracelet that looked similar and called it a day.
- The movement. I’m not a watchmaker, so I used a decent quartz movement I had lying around. Not the same as the fancy automatic movement in the real Patek, but it keeps time, and that’s what matters, right?
The dial was another challenge. I wanted that clean, minimalist look. I experimented with different materials and finishes until I found something that looked just right. I printed out the Patek Philippe logo and carefully applied it to the dial. Not perfect, but hey, it’s a homage, not a counterfeit!
After a lot of fiddling, a few mishaps, and a whole lot of patience, I finally had my own version of the Golden Ellipse. It’s not the real thing, obviously, but it captures the spirit of the watch, and I’m pretty proud of it. Plus, I made it for a fraction of the price! It’s got that “golden section” vibe that the original is known for, that 1 / 1.6181 ratio thing. Feels good on the wrist, looks classy, and it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg. What more could you ask for?
So, there you have it. My little adventure in watchmaking. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way. Maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real Golden Ellipse, but for now, my homemade version will do just fine. Who knows, maybe I’ll tackle another classic next, we will see how it goes then!
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