Okay, so, I got this wild idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo, specifically the 7042/100G-010 model. You know, the one you drool over in the official store window? Yeah, that one. It’s a real beauty, all fancy and sparkly. I figured, why not? I’ve always been a hands-on kind of guy, love tinkering and building things.
First, I did a ton of research. I mean, I dove deep into the internet, looking up everything about this watch. It’s not like they publish the blueprints online, so I was basically piecing together info from pictures, articles, and some forums where watch nerds hang out. I needed to figure out the size, the materials, the movement, everything.
Then came the fun part – gathering the materials. I started with the basics. I got myself some 18K white gold, because, well, that’s what the real deal uses. Found a place online that sells it, but man, it wasn’t cheap. I also needed a ton of tiny diamonds, which turned out to be a real headache to source. I spent hours on the phone and emailing different suppliers to find the right size and quality. It was a real test of patience, I tell ya.
Next up, the movement. Now, I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve dabbled in fixing old clocks and stuff. This was a whole other level, though. I found a hand-wound caliber 215 PS movement that seemed like a good fit, even though it is not the original one. It wasn’t easy to get my hands on, let me tell you. It’s not like they sell these things at your local hardware store. This is a cushion-shaped watch. I tried to make it as close as possible to the original.
Once I had all the parts, the real work began. I set up a little workshop in my garage, with all my tools and magnifying glasses. I started with shaping the gold case. I used some basic metalworking tools and a whole lot of elbow grease. It took forever to get the shape just right, and I messed up a few times along the way. But, hey, that’s part of the process, right?
Then, the most tedious part of all, setting the diamonds. Each tiny diamond had to be carefully placed and secured. This took days, and I nearly went cross-eyed staring at those tiny stones. But, slowly but surely, the watch started to take shape. The final size was about 31 x 34.8 mm.
After that, I had to assemble the whole thing, which was like putting together a really complicated puzzle. I was sweating bullets, worried I’d break something or mess up the alignment. But, eventually, I got it all together.
Finally, after weeks of work, my Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010 remake was finished! It looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Of course, it’s not a perfect replica. There are some minor differences, and a real watch expert could probably spot them a mile away. But, for a homemade project, I was pretty proud of it.
- Look: It really does look amazing.
- Feel: It feels great on the wrist, has a nice weight to it.
- Result: I learned a ton about watchmaking and gained a new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into these luxury timepieces.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a fun challenge, but also a ton of work. Plus, it wasn’t exactly cheap, even though I saved a bunch by doing it myself. But, hey, now I have a pretty cool watch and a great story to tell.
One more thing I need to say: my remake watch is not for sale! LOL.
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