Okay, so the other day I saw this picture online, this watch, a Patek Philippe Calatrava 5088/100P-001. Man, it looked slick. I got it in my head that I wanted to try and remake it. Not the whole watch, mind you, just the face. Seemed like a fun little project.
First thing I did was track down more info about this bad boy. Turns out, this isn’t some cheap knock-off. We’re talking big bucks. The official site has it listed for over 100 grand! Even on the second-hand market, it’s still up there in price. But hey, it’s a Patek Philippe, right? Supposedly, it’s a good investment ’cause they hold their value. They started making the Calatrava line way back in 1932, so it’s got some history to it.
So, I dove into this remake. I found a bunch of pictures online, close-ups, different angles, you name it. I even found some forum posts and articles talking about the design, the materials, all that good stuff.
I started sketching out the design, trying to get all the details right. It’s not as easy as it looks! Those little patterns, the way the light hits the hands, it’s all super intricate. I probably spent a good few hours just staring at pictures, trying to figure out how they did it.
Then came the fun part – actually making the thing. I decided to use some design software I had kicking around. I started with the basic shapes, the circle for the face, the hands, all that. Then I got to work on those fancy patterns. It was a lot of trial and error, let me tell you. Zooming in, tweaking lines, trying different effects. It was a real learning experience.
Recreated Dial
- The dial is the centerpiece, featuring a black enamel background.
- I painstakingly recreated the volute patterns using vector graphics, ensuring each curve and spiral was faithful to the original.
- The hands and hour markers were particularly challenging. I opted for a polished metal effect to simulate the platinum used in the actual watch.
The Finishing Touches
- After getting the design down, I played around with lighting effects to give it that realistic look.
- I added some subtle shadows and highlights to make it pop.
- Finally, I rendered the whole thing in high resolution, so you can really see all the details.
I’m pretty happy with how it turned out, considering I’m just some guy messing around on his computer. It’s not perfect, of course, but it was a fun challenge. And hey, now I’ve got a cool Patek Philippe watch face, even if it’s just a digital one. Maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real thing, who knows? But for now, this little project will do just fine.
It took a whole afternoon. If there’s a chance to buy it from official store, I would definitely go for it.
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