Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to remake a Patek Philippe watch for a while now, and I finally decided to go for it. I picked the Gondolo 7042/100R-010 because, well, it’s a classic, right? And who doesn’t love a bit of rose gold and diamonds?
First things first, I had to gather all the materials. Getting my hands on some decent rose gold wasn’t too tricky, but finding diamonds that were just the right size and quality? That took some doing. I spent hours, days even, browsing and comparing to make sure I got the look just right.
- Sourcing the Materials: I started with the rose gold. Hit up a few different suppliers until I found the perfect shade and quality.
- Diamonds, Diamonds, Diamonds: This was the tough part. I needed 251 of them, all small enough to fit the design, and they had to sparkle just right.
Next up was the movement. Now, I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve dabbled enough to know my way around a bit. I decided to use a manual winding mechanism, just like the original. It’s the Caliber 215, if you’re into that sort of thing. Getting all those tiny parts to work together was a real test of patience, let me tell you. Many times I wanted to just give up, and just toss it all in the trash, you know?
- Tackling the Movement: I opted for a manual winding movement, similar to the original. Assembling it was like putting together a really complicated puzzle.
Then came the fun part – setting the diamonds. I had to set them in a circular pattern on the case, which sounds easier than it is. One slip and you’ve got a wonky-looking watch. I had to redo a few sections because I messed up, but hey, that’s part of the process, I guess. After countless attempts, I finally managed to get all 251 diamonds in their place. It was a huge relief, I can tell you that.
- Setting the Diamonds: Carefully placed each diamond in a circular pattern on the case. It was nerve-wracking, but super satisfying once it was done.
The dial was another challenge. I wanted to keep it simple, no numerals, just a clean, elegant look. Getting the finish just right took a few tries, but I think it turned out pretty well. Each time I tried to make it work, I couldn’t believe how difficult it was! I thought I had made the wrong choice in choosing this watch to remake. It was frustrating! Eventually, I did figure it out and make it work.
- Crafting the Dial: Kept it simple and clean, no numerals. Took a few attempts to get the finish just right.
Putting it all together was the final step. Seeing all the separate parts come together to form a working watch was pretty awesome. I’m not gonna lie, I felt like a real master craftsman for a minute there. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine, and I’m damn proud of it.
- Final Assembly: Putting all the parts together and seeing the watch come to life was an amazing feeling.
The End Result
So, there you have it. My journey to remaking the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100R-010. It was a lot of work, a lot of frustration, but also a lot of fun. Would I do it again? Maybe. But for now, I’m just going to enjoy wearing my new watch. It looks pretty sweet, if I do say so myself. And whenever I check the time, I’ll be reminded of all the effort I put into making this beauty.
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