Man, I’ve been wanting to remake that Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R for a while now. You know, the one with the rose gold case? It’s a real beauty. I finally decided to give it a shot.
First off, I did some digging around to get a good feel for the watch. It’s not just any watch; it’s got this “golden ratio” thing going on, which I guess is a big deal in art and stuff. They introduced it way back in 1968, so it’s got some history. I looked up a bunch of pictures and read about its features. The 5738R-001 model, that’s the one I’m after. It’s got an 18k rose gold case, and it’s pretty simple – just two hands. Classy, you know?
I started by sketching out the design. I’m no artist, but I got the basic shape down. The elliptical case is the main thing. It’s not a circle, not a square, it’s somewhere in between. I made sure to get the proportions right, using that 1 / 1.6181 ratio I found online. I guess that’s what makes it so visually appealing.
Next, I had to figure out the materials. I don’t have 18k rose gold lying around, unfortunately. I opted for some polymer clay that I could bake in my oven. I mixed a few colors to get that rose gold look. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for this project.
Shaping the clay was a bit tricky. I used a small rolling pin to flatten it out and a knife to cut out the elliptical shape. I made a few tries before I was happy with it. Then, I carefully shaped it to give it that slightly domed look of the real watch case.
For the watch face, I used a piece of cardstock. I painted it a dark color, similar to the real 5738R. Then, I used a gold paint pen to add the hour markers and the Patek Philippe logo. It was painstaking work, but I think it turned out pretty good.
The hands were the hardest part. I ended up using some thin wire that I shaped and painted gold. They’re not perfect, but they give the right impression. I found a small watch part in my box and made them move with my hand.
Once all the pieces were ready, I baked the clay parts according to the instructions. After they cooled, I glued everything together. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but it all came together nicely.
- Design: Based on the golden ratio (1 / 1.6181).
- Case: Elliptical shape, made from polymer clay (rose gold color).
- Face: Cardstock, painted dark, with gold markers and logo.
- Hands: Thin wire, shaped and painted gold.
- Assembly: Baked clay parts, then glued everything together.
The final result? It’s not a Patek Philippe, that’s for sure. But it’s a decent replica, and I’m pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about the Golden Ellipse and watch design in general. Maybe one day I’ll get my hands on the real thing, but for now, this little homemade version will do just fine.
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