Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on one of those fancy Patek Philippe watches for a while now. I saw this one online, the Gondolo 4962/200R-001, and I thought, “That’s the one.” It’s got this classic, old-timey look that I really dig. But, you know, those things are crazy expensive. So, I decided to try remaking it myself.
First, I started digging around online to find out more about this watch. Turns out, it’s part of this Gondolo collection, named after some famous retailer in Rio de Janeiro. They made a bunch of these watches with this retailer between 1872 and 1927, which is pretty cool. I also found out that they don’t make this particular model anymore. It’s a rectangle shape, which I really liked.
Next, I tried to find as many pictures and videos of the watch as I could. I wanted to get a good look at all the details, like the shape of the case, the design of the dial, and the way the hands moved. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to find a few good close-ups.
Sourcing the Parts
- Case: I found a place that sold similar style cases. It’s the closest I could find.
- Dial: This was tough. I had to get one custom-made to match the original design as closely as possible.
- Movement: I got a decent quality movement. Not the same as the original, but it does the job.
- Hands: Found some hands that looked similar to the original. They’re not perfect, but they’re close enough.
- Strap: This was the easiest part. There’s a million different straps out there. Found a brown leather one that matched the original.
Then came the hard part – putting it all together. I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve always been pretty handy. I watched a bunch of videos online about how to assemble a watch, and I took my time. I must have taken it apart and put it back together a dozen times before I got it right. To be honest, I almost gave up a few times. It was way harder than I thought it would be.
But, finally, after a lot of trial and error, I got it working. And you know what? It actually looks pretty good. It’s not perfect, of course. It doesn’t have that same level of craftsmanship as a real Patek Philippe. But for something I made myself, I’m pretty darn proud of it. And it definitely captures the look of the original Gondolo 4962/200R-001 that I fell in love with.
So there you have it. That’s the story of how I remade a Patek Philippe Gondolo 4962/200R-001. It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot along the way. Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I might just save up and buy the real thing.
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