Okay, so, I saw this watch online, the Patek Philippe Gondolo 4962/200R-001. It’s a remake, and I thought, “Why not try to remake it myself?” I’m not a pro or anything, just someone who likes a good challenge. This watch, it’s got this old-timey look, Art Deco, they call it. Really caught my eye.
First off, I started digging around for info on this Gondolo. Turns out, it’s a pretty big deal in the watch world. The original design, it’s inspired by this old retailer from Rio, Gondolo & Labouriau. Patek Philippe and these guys were like the dream team back in the day, from 1872 to 1927. And these watches, they’re rare. Like, owning one is like getting into the Met Gala, only about 600 people get that invite each year.
So, I got down to business. I needed to get the materials. The real deal is made with 18k rose gold. I obviously wasn’t going to use real gold, so I found a good substitute that looks pretty close. The strap, it’s this brown, shiny material. I managed to find something similar, not the real thing, but it does the job.
Next, the dial. This was the tricky part. It’s brown, with this floral design and Arabic numbers. I sketched it out a bunch of times, trying to get it right. Then I tried printing it on some special paper I found. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, it’s a remake, right?
Putting it all together was like assembling a puzzle. I had my watch case, my strap, and my printed dial. I also got a cheap watch movement from a local store. I’m not trying to fool anyone into thinking this is a real Patek Philippe, I just wanted to see if I could make something that looks like it.
I carefully attached the dial to the movement. Then I fitted the whole thing into the case and added the strap. It took a lot of patience, and my hands were all thumbs at times, but I managed to do it.
The end result? Well, it’s not going to win any awards, but it looks pretty decent. It’s got that classic Gondolo look, with the curved case and the floral dial. It’s not shiny and perfect like the real one, but I’m still proud of it.
- Started by researching the Patek Philippe Gondolo 4962/200R-001.
- Gathered materials, finding substitutes for the gold and strap.
- Sketched and printed the dial design.
- Assembled the watch with a basic movement.
- Finished the project with a satisfying, though imperfect, result.
This whole thing, it was a fun little project. It taught me a lot about watches and how they’re put together. Plus, I got to flex my creative muscles a bit. Would I do it again? Maybe. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also pretty rewarding to see the finished product, even if it’s just a homemade version of a fancy watch.
The project took me a few weeks, working on it here and there. It’s definitely not something you can rush. And yeah, it cost me a bit of money to get all the materials, but it was way cheaper than buying a real Patek Philippe, that’s for sure! It’s a nice little reminder that sometimes, it’s fun to just try things out, see what you can create with your own two hands.
If you are going to ask me is it worth buying a remake one? Maybe, maybe not. It is all about what you think. For me, I just wanted to have some fun and make something unique, and that’s exactly what I did. It is not about the price tag or showing off, but it is about expressing who you are.
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