Alright, let’s talk about my latest project. I decided to remake the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R, original order style. It’s a classic, and I thought, why not give it a shot?
First, I spent a lot of time looking at the original. I mean, I scoured the internet for every picture and detail I could find. This watch is inspired by the “golden ratio”, which is like, 1 to 1.6181 or something. Fancy, right? It’s supposed to be this perfect proportion that’s in art and stuff. The real 5738R is made of 18k rose gold and has a black sunburst dial. It’s pretty slick.
I started by gathering materials. Since I’m not exactly swimming in 18k rose gold, I opted for a more budget-friendly material that still looked the part. I also got my hands on a movement that was similar to the original, and I figured I’d need to make a custom dial. So I got to work, measuring and cutting and shaping and let me tell you, it was quite the process!
The Case
The case was the first big challenge.
- The original is 39.5mm x 34.5mm, and it’s this elliptical shape that’s kind of their thing.
- I spent hours trying to get the shape right, drawing and redrawing, and cutting out templates.
- Then I carefully shaped the material, using my trusty tools, bending, filing, and smoothing until I had something that looked like the real deal, at least to my eye.
The Dial
Next up, the dial.
- The original has this deep black sunburst finish, which is way beyond my skill level.
- But I found a nice black material and figured out how to give it a bit of a sheen.
- I cut it to the right shape, added the hour markers, and the Patek Philippe logo which was a real pain to get right, but I think it turned out pretty good.
The Movement
Now, the movement.
- I’m no watchmaker, so getting the movement to fit perfectly was a bit of a nightmare.
- I had to make some adjustments to the case and the dial, but eventually, I got it all snug in there.
- It’s not an ultra-precise quartz movement like some of the Golden Ellipses, but it does the job.
After what felt like forever, I finally put it all together. I attached the strap, which I also made myself, and stepped back to admire my work. It’s not perfect, but it’s my version of the Golden Ellipse 5738R, and I’m pretty proud of it. It’s got that “golden section” vibe, even if it’s not made of gold. And let me tell you, wearing it feels pretty darn good.
So, that’s the story of my little project. It was a lot of work, but I learned a ton, and now I have a cool watch to show for it. Maybe I’ll tackle another classic next. Who knows?
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