Okay, so, I got this wild idea to remake a Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, specifically the 5738R model. Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy, but hear me out. I’ve always been fascinated by this watch. It’s got this classic, timeless look that’s just so cool.
First, I started digging into what makes the Golden Ellipse so special. Turns out, its design is based on this “golden section” thing that old Greek mathematicians came up with. It’s some ratio, 1 to 1.6181 or something, that’s supposed to be, like, the most beautiful proportion ever. They used it in art and buildings and stuff. That’s pretty neat, right?
Then, I looked up the watch itself. The 5738R is made of rose gold, which is awesome. And it’s got this simple, two-hand design. No extra stuff, just pure elegance. They made this one to celebrate the model’s 50th anniversary, so it’s kind of a big deal in the watch world.
- Gathered tons of pictures and info online.
- Studied the watch’s shape, size, and how the gold looks under different lights.
- Tried to find blueprints or technical drawings, but that was tough.
Next, I had to figure out how to actually make this thing. I’m not a watchmaker, but I’m pretty handy. I decided to 3D print the case first. I found a 3D model of a similar watch and tweaked it to match the Golden Ellipse’s shape. It took a few tries to get the proportions right, but I finally got something that looked pretty good.
Making the Case
I printed the case in a few different materials, trying to find something that felt right. I even tried a resin that’s supposed to mimic gold. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for a first attempt. The cool thing about the Golden Ellipse is that it has these “ears” on the sides. I made sure to get those details right.
The Dial and Hands
For the dial, I went with a simple black background. I found some thin metal sheets and cut them to fit the case. Then I painted them black and added the hour markers. The hands were tricky. I ended up using some old watch hands I had lying around. They weren’t the exact same style, but they worked.
Putting it Together
Putting everything together was the hardest part. I used some tiny screws and a lot of glue. It was fiddly work, but I managed to get the case, dial, and hands all assembled. I even found a cheap quartz movement online and stuck that in there. It’s not as fancy as the real movement, but hey, it tells the time.
The Strap
The real 5738R has this awesome rose gold bracelet, but I couldn’t even think about making that. So, I just got a simple leather strap. It looks okay, but it’s definitely something I want to improve on later.
So, there you have it. My homemade Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse. It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches and design. Maybe one day I’ll try to make a better version, or maybe I’ll just save up and buy the real thing. Who knows?
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