Okay, so, I got this wild idea to remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010. You know, the one with the diamond-paved dial, 18K white gold, the whole shebang. It’s a real looker, 31 x 34.8 mm, and usually, it comes in a fancy box with all the original papers, but I’m not doing that, I wanted to remake one from scratch, so here’s how it went down.
The Idea
First off, I’m no watchmaker. But I’ve always been into taking things apart and, hopefully, putting them back together. I saw this Patek Philippe Gondolo, a ladies’ watch, all cushion-shaped and powered by some hand-wound caliber 215 PS thing, and thought, “I bet I could do something like that.” This model, the 7042/100G-010, it’s got a diamond-set case, which is just insane.
Gathering What I Needed
So, I started gathering materials. Now, I wasn’t about to use real gold or diamonds—way out of my budget. I went for 316L stainless steel instead. It’s tough, looks good, and won’t turn your wrist green. The bezel was a bit of a head-scratcher. I wanted that fluted look, so I got a bidirectional rotatable thing. I found some generic parts that fit the bill. Dial-wise, I went with a bright black, although the original had a white intense dial. Felt like it would give it a personal touch.
Putting It Together
The assembly was, let’s say, an adventure. I got a basic movement, nothing fancy, just something to make the hands tick. I’ve got a newfound respect for watchmakers, let me tell you. Those tiny screws and gears? Don’t even get me started. The dial was easier than I thought, though. I just had to make sure the hands didn’t scrape against it.
- Sourcing the Case: I found a place that sold watch cases, and they had a cushion-shaped one that looked similar to the Gondolo. Had to file it down a bit to get the right size, but it worked.
- The Dial and Hands: This was actually fun. Picked out some elegant-looking hands and a simple black dial. It is pretty good when the hands go around.
- Movement: I opted for a cheap quartz movement. I know, I know, it’s not a hand-wound mechanical movement, but it keeps time, and that’s what matters, right?
The Final Touches
After what felt like a million hours, I finally had something that resembled a watch. I even tried to mimic the diamond setting on the case. I used some tiny rhinestones and a lot of glue. From afar, it kind of works. Up close, well, let’s just say it has character. I also wanted a white one as the original, but finally, I did not get one, and the black one is also good looking.
Wearing It Out
I wore it out to a friend’s party, and someone actually asked if it was a real Patek Philippe. I laughed and told them the whole story. They were pretty impressed, not going to lie. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine, and I made it. It’s a good conversation starter, that’s for sure.
Would I do it again? Probably not. But it was a fun project, and I learned a lot. Maybe I’ll stick to simpler things next time. Like, I don’t know, maybe I will try some other brands next time.
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