Okay, here is my blog post about my experience replicating the Patek Philippe Grand Complications 5236P-010:
So, I got it into my head that I wanted to try and replicate a Patek Philippe. Not just any Patek, mind you, but the Grand Complications 5236P-010. Yeah, the one that costs more than my house. I know, I know, it’s a crazy idea, but I was bored and needed a project. Plus I always think, “How hard could it be?” (Spoiler alert: very hard.)
First, I spent hours just staring at pictures of the damn thing online. There aren’t that many good quality ones out there since it is a 2024 NEW model. I was trying to get a feel for the details, the way the light hits the platinum, the subtle gradient of that blue dial. It’s a beautiful watch, no doubt about it. They said it’s got this automatic day and month adjustment thing. And the case is made of platinum. Fancy, right? I read somewhere that this model has a self-winding thing and a power reserve of 48 hours. It’s a 41.3mm diameter and 11.07mm in height. Water resistant to 30 meters, it seems pretty durable, but I’m not planning on taking a bath with it anytime soon.
Next, I started looking into materials. Platinum? Yeah, right. I’m not made of money. I opted for stainless steel instead. It’s got a similar shine, and it’s way more affordable, if I can say. The dial was a whole other issue. I tried painting it, printing it, even using some weird holographic paper I found online. Nothing looked quite right. Also, I got some information about the original having an opaline rose-gilt dial and charcoal gray hands, but how could I achieve that look? Eventually, I settled on a deep blue paint and hoped for the best.
Breaking Down the Complications
Now, the movement. This is where things got really tricky. The 5236P has a perpetual calendar, which means it automatically adjusts for the different lengths of months and even leap years. This feature, I learned is called “in-line perpetual calendar” It displays the day, date, and month all in one line. Trying to replicate that? Forget about it. I ended up using a basic quartz movement I salvaged from an old watch. It tells the time, and that’s good enough for me.
- Attempted to mimic the perpetual calendar function – failed miserably.
- Used a simple quartz movement instead – much easier.
- Spent way too long trying to figure out how the original movement works – got a headache.
The Finishing Touches
I managed to find some decent-looking hands online, although they’re definitely not white gold like the original. I also crafted a makeshift strap out of some old leather I had lying around. It’s not perfect, but it does the job. I’m particularly focusing on those hands and applied hour-markers.
So, there you have it. My “replica” Patek Philippe 5236P-010. It doesn’t have a perpetual calendar, it’s not made of platinum, and it probably wouldn’t fool anyone who knows anything about watches. But you know what? I made it, and I’m pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way. Would I do it again? Probably not. But hey, at least I can say I tried. Now I understand why it costs $141,400! It’s not just a watch; it’s a piece of art. They said this one is a new model, so I was extra careful with the details. Mine doesn’t even come close to the real thing, but I still like it. It’s unique, just like my journey of making it.
It was a wild ride, but I did it!
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