Alright, so I got this wild idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe watch. Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy. I picked the Gondolo 7042/100R-010 model ’cause why not? It’s got this fancy name and it looked like a real challenge. Plus, who doesn’t love a bit of sparkle with all those diamonds, right?
First things first, I hit up the internet to see what this watch was all about. I found out it’s a pretty big deal in the watch world. Rose gold, a ton of baguette diamonds on the bezel and lugs, and the dial’s got even more diamonds. It’s like they just threw diamonds everywhere on this thing. I mean, there are like 251 diamonds on it, crazy! The size is about 31mm by 34.8mm, so it’s not too big, not too small, just right I guess.
So, I started gathering stuff. Now, I don’t have rose gold just lying around, and real diamonds? In this economy? No way. I had to get creative. I found some materials that looked kinda like rose gold, and for the diamonds, let’s just say I went with something a bit more… budget-friendly. It’s all about the look, right?
The first thing I tackled was the watch case. I used this metallic clay stuff and shaped it to match the Gondolo’s case. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, I’m no pro. Then came the tricky part – the diamonds. I used these tiny rhinestones and glued them where the diamonds should be. Let me tell you, my fingers were not happy with me by the end of it. Gluing those tiny things was a real pain.
- Shaping the Case: I spent a good few hours trying to get the shape right. My kitchen table was a mess, but it kinda looked like a watch case in the end.
- Setting the “Diamonds”: This was the hardest part. I used tweezers and a magnifying glass to place those rhinestones. My back was killing me, but it started to look pretty blingy.
- Making the Dial: I printed out a picture of the Gondolo’s dial and stuck it on a piece of cardboard cut to size. Then, I covered it with a clear plastic sheet to make it look a bit more legit.
For the watch hands, I used some thin metal wire and painted them. They were super fiddly, but I managed to make them look decent. The strap was a whole other story. I ended up using a faux leather strap I had from an old watch. It didn’t match perfectly, but it did the job.
Putting It All Together
Once I had all the parts, it was time to assemble everything. I carefully put the dial into the case, added the hands, and then the “diamond”-covered bezel. It was nerve-wracking, but I got it all together. The last step was attaching the strap. It was a bit of a struggle, but I finally got it on there.
And there it was, my homemade Patek Philippe Gondolo. It definitely wasn’t perfect, and it sure didn’t look exactly like the real thing. But you know what? I made it. It felt pretty awesome to see it all come together. It’s not something I’d wear out, but it’s a fun little project that I’m proud of. Plus, I learned a lot about watches and how much work goes into making them. Would I do it again? Maybe not anytime soon, but it was definitely an experience.
This whole thing, from start to finish, took me a couple of weeks, working on it on and off. It was a fun ride, and hey, now I’ve got a one-of-a-kind piece that’s kinda sorta like a Patek Philippe. And that’s a story I can tell, right?
Click to consult