Hey everyone, so I decided to do something crazy and try to remake a Patek Philippe watch. And not just any watch, but the Gondolo 7042/100G-010. Yeah, it’s a beauty, you know, all white gold and diamonds. It’s a classic style, so I thought, why not give it a shot?
First off, I started gathering all the materials I could find. I needed to get my hands on some white gold, or at least something that looked like it. That was not easy, let me tell you. I searched everywhere, online, offline, you name it. Finally, I found a supplier who had some decent-looking material. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough. And the diamonds, oh boy, finding real diamonds was out of the question, way too expensive. So I went with some high-quality cubic zirconia. They sparkle just the same, right?
Then came the real work. I had to shape the body of the watch. I used the white gold substitute I found and started molding it. I used some pictures of the original Gondolo 7042/100G-010 as a reference. It took days of work, shaping, polishing, and more shaping. I even made a little cast to help with the more detailed parts. This watch from Patek Philippe, you see, is designed to offer both function and fashion, and I tried my best to capture that.
- First, I worked on the case. I shaped it and made sure it was the right size, about 31 x 34.8 mm.
- Next, I focused on the dial. I found a nice piece of metal and started working on the details, using the cubic zirconia to mimic the diamonds on the original.
- Then, I tackled the mechanism. This was the hardest part. I’m no watchmaker, but I got a simple quartz movement and tried to fit it in.
I spent hours and hours on this thing. I tried to copy the original design as closely as possible. The diamond-paved dial was the most challenging part. I had to set each “diamond” by hand. My fingers were sore, and my eyes were tired, but I kept going. I was determined to get it right. It was like putting together a very complicated puzzle.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, I finished it. I put the whole thing together, and guess what? It actually worked! I couldn’t believe it. I set the time, and it started ticking. I was so proud of myself, I felt like a real watchmaker, ha!
My Final Thoughts
In the end, my remake of the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010 wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. It looked pretty good and kept time. I wore it around, and people actually complimented me on it. They thought it was a real Patek Philippe! I didn’t tell them it was a remake, though. I just smiled and said thank you. It was my little secret.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. I learned so much about watches and how they’re made. Plus, I got a nice-looking watch out of it. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, I say go for it. Just be prepared to put in a lot of time and effort. But trust me, it’s worth it in the end.
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