Okay, so I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I got this itch to try and remake something fancy. I decided to go for the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010, the one they only sell in special stores. Yeah, that one. It’s a pretty sweet watch, and I thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
First off, I started digging around for info on this thing. You know, just browsing the web, looking at pictures, reading whatever I could find about it. The real one is made of 18k white gold, which is way out of my league, so I knew I’d have to use something else. I found out it’s got this manual wind movement, which is pretty cool, and the dial is paved with diamonds. Fancy, right?
I started with the case. I couldn’t get my hands on white gold, obviously, so I went with 316L stainless steel. I’m pretty sure 904L would have been a better choice, but it’s so much harder to find and work with. I shaped it to that Gondolo style, about 31 x 34.8 mm. It took some time, and a lot of careful filing. I wanted that fluted bezel, the one that’s all ridged, and that was a real pain to get right. My first few tries were… not great. Let’s just say there was a lot of swearing involved.
Movement
Now, the movement. I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve tinkered with a few automatic movements before. This one’s a manual wind, so that was a bit new for me. I sourced some parts online. I spent hours, literally hours, just trying to get all those tiny gears and springs in the right place. I don’t have one of those fancy watchmaker’s benches with all the tools, so I was mostly using tweezers and a magnifying glass. It was tedious as hell, but I was determined.
Dial
The dial was another challenge. The original has this mother-of-pearl thing going on, and it’s covered in diamonds. I opted for a bright black dial. I thought it would make the “diamonds” pop. And about those diamonds… let’s just say they’re not real. I found some pretty convincing fakes online, tiny little rhinestones that looked just like the real deal. Gluing each one of those onto the dial was a test of patience. I think I went through like three tubes of glue before I got the hang of it.
Assembling and Finishing
Once I had all the parts done, it was time to put it all together. This is where things got really tricky. Getting the movement to sit right in the case, attaching the dial, setting the hands… it all had to be perfect. I had to take it apart and put it back together so many times. And then there was the finishing. Polishing the case, making sure the crystal was clean, and getting that leather strap attached. I used a dark leather strap, to really make the whole thing look sharp.
- First, I started with gathering info and materials.
- Then, I crafted the case from stainless steel, focusing on the fluted bezel.
- Next, I tackled the manual wind movement, which was a new challenge for me.
- After that, I created the dial, opting for a bright black background and faux diamonds.
- Finally, I assembled all the parts and gave the watch its finishing touches.
It’s not a perfect replica, not by a long shot. But it’s my take on it, and I’m pretty proud of how it turned out. It’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s got that Gondolo vibe. It’s definitely a conversation starter, at least with my buddies who are into watches. They all get a kick out of it. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a ton of work, but it was also a pretty cool learning experience. Who knows, maybe I’ll try remaking another fancy watch someday. But for now, I’m just enjoying wearing this one and showing it off a little.
If you’re thinking of trying something like this, just be prepared for a lot of trial and error. And have plenty of patience. You’ll need it.
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