Alright, so, I’ve been messing around with watches for a bit, and I finally decided to try and remake one. Not just any watch, though. I went for the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, specifically the 5738R model they sell at those fancy stores.
First off, I had to figure out what makes this watch tick, you know? Turns out, the design is all about this “golden section” thing that some old Greek math guys came up with. It’s a ratio, 1 to 1.6181, and they say it’s in a bunch of famous art and buildings. Pretty cool, right?
Then I dug into Patek Philippe itself. It’s a family-owned gig, and they’ve been at it for over 180 years. Their whole thing is making the best watches in the world. Nowadays, they only crank out about 50,000 watches a year, spread across 200 different models. Even their simplest watches take like nine months to make, and the really complicated ones can take up to two years!
The Process
- Getting Started: I started by gathering a bunch of pictures and info about the 5738R. I mean, I really went deep, trying to understand every little detail.
- Designing: Next, I tried to sketch out the design, keeping that golden ratio in mind. It was tougher than I thought to get everything just right.
- Making the Parts: This was the hardest part. I don’t have all the fancy tools they have, so I had to get creative. I used what I had and even made some parts from scratch. Lots of trial and error here.
- Putting It Together: Once I had all the pieces, I started assembling the watch. It was like putting together a super complicated puzzle. I had to be really careful not to mess anything up.
- Testing: After I finally got it all together, I had to test it to make sure it actually worked. I spent days checking the timekeeping, making little adjustments here and there.
It was a long process, full of ups and downs. I definitely learned a lot along the way, especially about how much work goes into making these high-end watches. It’s not just about slapping some parts together; it’s a real art. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a cool challenge, but man, it was a lot of work!
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