Alright, guys, so I’ve been messing around with watches again, and this time I tried to remake a classic – the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R. You know, the one that’s all about that “golden ratio” thing. Let me tell you, it wasn’t a walk in the park, but it was a ton of fun.
First off, I started by digging up everything I could find about this watch. Old articles, forum posts, you name it. I learned that the whole design is based on some ancient Greek math stuff, the golden ratio, which is supposed to be, like, the most pleasing proportion to the human eye. The ratio is 1 to 1.6181, or something like that. I’m no mathematician, but it sounded cool.
Then, I got to work. I found a decent rose gold case that kinda had the right vibe. The original is all fancy with its rose gold, so I figured that was important. The case shape was the trickiest part. It’s not just an oval; it’s a specific kind of oval based on that golden ratio. I spent hours tweaking and measuring, trying to get it just right.
- Gathering the Parts: I started by finding a rose gold case. It wasn’t easy to find one that had the right feel.
- Shaping the Case: This was the hardest part. Getting that perfect elliptical shape was a real challenge. I used some basic tools and a lot of patience.
- Finding the Right Dial: I managed to find a simple black sunburst dial. It’s not the same as the original, but it gives a similar effect.
- Choosing the Hands: I went with simple, elegant hands that matched the style of the watch.
The dial was another challenge. The real 5738R has this beautiful ebony black sunburst dial. I couldn’t find an exact match, but I found a pretty simple black one that had a similar vibe. I mean the main point was I just wanted to have a try. Close enough, right? For the hands, I just picked some simple, classic-looking ones that I thought looked good with the overall design.
Putting it all together was actually pretty satisfying. I carefully assembled the movement, the dial, and the hands. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking, hoping everything will fit and work properly. But when I finally got it all together and saw the watch ticking away, it was a great feeling.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, my remake isn’t a perfect replica, obviously. It’s more like an “inspired by” kind of thing. But I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It captures the basic essence of the Golden Ellipse, and it was a really fun project. Plus, I learned a lot about watchmaking and that whole golden ratio concept.
This whole thing just goes to show that you don’t need a ton of fancy tools or a huge budget to try something new and learn a thing or two. Just a bit of patience, some research, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. So, if you’re thinking about trying to remake a watch or any other project, just go for it! You might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
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