Okay, so I’ve been eyeing this Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100R-010 for a while now. It’s a beauty, no doubt, but the price tag? Ouch. So, I thought, why not try to remake it? It’s not like I’m selling these, just a fun project for myself, you know?
First things first, I needed to get a good look at the original. I spent hours online, scouring through every picture and video I could find. I zoomed in, took screenshots, and made notes on all the little details. The dial, the hands, the case, everything. I wanted to get it as close as possible.
Then came the fun part – finding the materials. Now, I’m not using real gold or diamonds, obviously. I went with some good quality alternatives. I found a decent stainless steel case that had a similar shape and ordered it online. The dial was a bit tricky, but I managed to find a white mother-of-pearl sheet that I could cut to size.
- Case: Stainless steel, rose gold-plated
- Dial: White mother-of-pearl
- Hands: Rose gold-plated
- Strap: Brown leather
- Movement: A cheap quartz movement from an old watch
Next up, I had to assemble it all. I carefully cut the dial, painted on the numerals, and attached the hands. It took a lot of patience and a steady hand, but it started to look like something! The case needed a bit of work too. I polished it up, did my best on the rose gold plating, and carefully set the “diamonds” (which are actually just shiny crystals). It is a good chance to practice and get the feel on how to plate gold and set the diamond.
Putting it all together
The last step was putting it all together. I fitted the dial into the case, secured the movement, and attached a nice brown leather strap I picked up. And there it was, my very own “Patek Philippe Gondolo”. It’s not perfect, of course, but I’m pretty darn proud of it.
It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot along the way. It’s not about having the real thing, but the process of making something yourself. And hey, now I have a pretty cool watch to wear, even if it’s not the real deal, it still looks good. Who knows, maybe I’ll try to remake another one someday. But for now, I’m just going to enjoy this one.
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