Okay, so I decided to try my hand at remaking a Patek Philippe watch, specifically the Gondolo 4962/200R-001. I saw this classic style online and thought, “Why not give it a shot?” I’ve always been into watches, you know, the craftsmanship, the details, all that stuff.
First, I started by gathering all the materials I could find. This was a bit of a pain, to be honest. Finding the right kind of metal, the tiny screws, the perfect crystal – it took a while. I spent hours, I kid you not, going through online stores and local shops. You wouldn’t believe how many types of watch parts there are!
The actual work started with the watch case. I had to mold the metal, which, let me tell you, is not as easy as it looks in those fancy videos. Took me a few tries to get it right. Then I polished it. I made sure every curve was smooth and shiny. That took longer than expected, but the final result was pretty good, if I do say so myself.
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Molding the metal:
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Tried different types of metals.
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Failed a few times, messed up the shape.
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Got it right eventually, a decent-looking case.
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Polishing:
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Used different tools.
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Spent hours on it.
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Made it shine, pretty proud of that.
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Then came the movement. Oh boy, the movement. I remember reading that Patek Philippe watches have great movements. So I tried to make mine good. I assembled all those tiny gears and springs, it was like putting together a really complicated puzzle. My hands were not steady at times! There were moments I nearly gave up, seriously. But, I pushed through, watched some tutorials, and somehow, it started ticking! That was a huge relief, let me tell you.
Setting the Jewels
The Gondolo has these beautiful jewels, right? I tried to mimic that look. I found some nice-looking stones, nothing too expensive, but they had the right sparkle. Setting them was tricky. I had to be extra careful not to scratch the case or the stones themselves. I used some tools, and a lot of patience. The process was time-consuming, but seeing those jewels sparkle on the watch face made it all worth it.
Finally, I put everything together. Attaching the dial, the hands, and then carefully placing the movement inside the case. It was nerve-wracking, I was afraid to break something after all that work. When I finally closed the back, I wound it up, and… it worked! It was keeping time, not perfectly, but hey, it was working!
I’ve been wearing it for a few days now. It’s not a real Patek Philippe, of course, but it’s something I made with my own hands. It feels pretty special, to be honest. And you know what? I might try to make another one, maybe a different model next time. This whole process was quite an adventure, and I actually enjoyed it, despite all the frustrations.