Alright, so the other day, I got this wild idea. I decided to try and remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo, specifically the 7042/100R-010 model. Yeah, I know, it sounds a bit nuts, but hey, why not? I’ve always been fascinated by these fancy watches, especially this one with its rose gold case and that beautiful pearl strap. It just screams luxury, you know?
So, I started by looking at a ton of pictures. I wanted to get a really good feel for the watch, every little detail. I studied the shape of the case, the way the diamonds are set, everything. It’s a 31 x 34.8 mm watch, which is not too big, not too small – just right, in my opinion. I spent hours just staring at photos of this thing, seriously.
Next, I started gathering materials. Now, I didn’t exactly use rose gold and real diamonds. That would’ve cost me a fortune, and honestly, I’m not made of money. Instead, I went for some more budget-friendly alternatives. I got some gold-colored metal for the case and some shiny crystals that looked pretty close to the real deal. For the strap, I found some pearly-looking beads that seemed to match the original pretty well.
Then came the hard part – putting it all together. I started by shaping the case. I used some basic tools I had lying around, like pliers and a small hammer. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you. Getting that perfect rectangular shape with the rounded edges was a real challenge. I messed up a few times, but eventually, I got something that looked decent.
After that, I started working on the dial. This was probably the most time-consuming part. I used a white base and carefully placed the crystals where the diamonds would be on the real watch. It was like putting together a tiny, sparkly puzzle. I had to use tweezers and a magnifying glass to get those little crystals in just the right spots. My eyes were definitely strained after that!
Once the dial was done, I attached the strap. This part was a bit easier, since it was just a matter of stringing the beads together. I made sure to use a strong thread so it wouldn’t break easily. I even managed to find a clasp that looked kind of similar to the original.
Finally, I put the whole thing together. I carefully inserted the dial into the case and secured it. And there it was – my homemade Patek Philippe Gondolo. It wasn’t perfect, of course. There were some imperfections here and there, and it obviously wasn’t as high-quality as the real thing. But you know what? I was pretty proud of it. I managed to recreate something that looked pretty similar to a super expensive luxury watch, using just some basic materials and tools.
- Materials I gathered:
- Gold-colored metal for the case
- Shiny crystals for the diamonds
- Pearly-looking beads for the strap
- White base for the dial
- Strong thread for the strap
- Clasp for the strap
- Tools I used:
- Pliers
- Small hammer
- Tweezers
- Magnifying glass
It was a fun project, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into making these high-end watches. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was definitely a learning experience. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real deal. But for now, I’m happy with my little homemade version.
The whole thing took me a few days to complete, working on it on and off.
It was a fun way to spend some time and challenge myself. Plus, now I have a unique piece to show off, even if it’s not a genuine Patek Philippe.