Alright, let me tell you about this little project I got myself into. So, I decided to try and remake a Patek Philippe watch. Yeah, you heard that right.
It’s this Gondolo 7042/100R-010, a real fancy piece with a rose gold case and tons of diamonds. I’ve always been a fan of nice watches, and this one’s a stunner. I thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to get a good look at the original. I spent hours online, just staring at pictures, you know, trying to get every little detail in my head. This watch is covered in diamonds – 251 of them, to be exact, plus another 12 for the hour markers. And it’s all set in this beautiful rose gold case.
The Process
- Gathering Materials: Finding the right materials was a real pain. I mean, where do you even find 251 tiny diamonds? Let’s just say it took some time, and my wallet definitely felt it. And the rose gold? Don’t even get me started. I ended up using some similar-looking materials, cause the real deal was way out of my budget.
- The Movement: This watch has a mechanical, manually wound movement – Caliber 215, they call it. Replicating that was way beyond my skills, so I had to settle for a simpler, quartz movement. Not the same, I know, but it gets the job done.
- Setting the Diamonds: This was the trickiest part. Each of those 251 diamonds had to be set by hand, in this specific, circular pattern. Let me tell you, my eyes were crossing by the end of it. But I powered through, using tweezers and a whole lot of patience.
- Assembling the Watch: Putting it all together was like building a tiny, intricate puzzle. I had to be super careful not to mess up all that diamond work. But slowly, piece by piece, it started to look like a watch.
The Result
Okay, so it’s not a perfect replica. The materials aren’t exactly the same, and the movement is different, but you know what? It actually looks pretty good. I mean, I wouldn’t try to pass it off as the real deal, but as a handmade homage to the Gondolo 7042, I’m pretty proud of it.
It was a ton of work, and there were times I wanted to just give up. But I’m glad I stuck with it. I learned a lot about watchmaking, and I ended up with something unique that I made with my own two hands. And that’s pretty cool, right?
Would I do it again? Probably not. At least not with a watch this complicated. But it was definitely an experience. If you’re thinking of trying something like this, I’d say go for it – just be prepared for a challenge!
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