Hey everyone, it’s your buddy here, back at it again! Today, I’m diving into something a little wild. I got it in my head to try and remake a Patek Philippe watch. Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy, but stick with me here. Not just any Patek Philippe, but the Gondolo 7042/100R-010. This thing is a real beauty, all covered in diamonds and whatnot.
First off, I started digging around to see what this watch is all about. It’s got this 18K gold dial plate, and get this – it’s paved with 251 diamonds set in a circle, plus 12 more diamonds for the hour markers. Seriously, who comes up with this stuff? I found out that it’s a mechanical, manually wound movement, which means no batteries, thank goodness. And it’s water-resistant up to 30 meters, not that I’d ever take this thing near water, diamonds or not.
So, I began to get the stuff I needed. Gold dial plate? Check. Diamonds? Double-check. It was like going on a scavenger hunt in a jewelry store, felt pretty strange, I gotta say. I even tried to figure out how to set diamonds in a circular pattern. Let me tell you, that’s way harder than it looks. Those tiny stones kept slipping, and let’s not talk about trying to use those small tools.
- Gathering Materials: I collected an 18K gold dial plate, 251 small diamonds, and 12 trapeze-cut diamonds.
- Setting Diamonds: I started with the circular pattern on the dial plate, which was like trying to glue sand grains in a perfect circle.
- Hour Markers: Then, I moved on to setting the 12 trapeze-cut diamonds as hour markers. This was no small feat, but I managed.
After what felt like forever, I managed to get those diamonds set. I assembled the watch, the gold plate, the diamonds, the whole nine yards. I tried to copy the original design, keeping in mind that whole “art deco” vibe it’s got going on. They say it’s a nod to one of Patek Philippe’s golden ages, named after some fancy retailer in Rio. Fancy, right?
The Moment of Truth
Winding it up was a trip. I carefully assembled the movement, making sure every gear was in place. After the last piece was in, I wound it up, and it started ticking! I couldn’t believe it; my hands were shaking, but I did it. I actually made a working watch. It’s not perfect, not by a long shot. But seeing it tick, with all those diamonds sparkling, it felt like I had really done something special. And I’ve got to say, even though my version might not be up to Patek Philippe’s standards, I’m pretty darn proud of it.
So, that’s my little adventure. It was tough, frustrating, and I probably lost a few years off my life from the stress, but it was also one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I hope you enjoyed this wild ride as much as I did. Catch you all in the next one!
Click to consult