Okay, so I got this wild idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe watch. Not just any Patek, but the Gondolo 7042/100R-010. Yeah, the one that’s dripping in diamonds and looks like it costs more than my house. I know, I know, it sounds nuts, but stay with me here.
First things first, I spent hours just staring at pictures of this thing online. I mean, it’s a serious piece of art. The case is all 18K rose gold, and the bracelet is gold too. The dial is just covered in these tiny diamonds. It took me a long time to learn the detail from photos on Google, even some videos.
I started by trying to draw out the design. Let me tell you, my sketches looked nothing like the real deal at first. But I kept at it, refining the shape of the case, the way the bracelet links together, and, of course, trying to figure out how all those diamonds are arranged.
- Case and Bracelet: The case is all about getting that perfect curve. I used some modeling clay to try and get a feel for it. The bracelet was a whole other challenge. Each link has to be just the right size and shape to fit together seamlessly. I probably made like a hundred little clay links before I was even close to happy with them.
- Diamond Layout: Man, this was tough. I printed out a big picture of the watch face and started trying to map out where each diamond goes. I used a magnifying glass to get a better look. They’re not just scattered around; there’s a real pattern to it. There is a big circle in the middle.
- Materials: Obviously, I’m not using real gold or diamonds here. I found some gold-colored polymer clay for the case and bracelet. And for the diamonds, I got a bunch of those tiny rhinestones from the craft store.
Putting it Together: This is where things got really tricky. I baked the clay pieces according to the instructions, but some of them warped a little. I had to do a lot of sanding and filing to get them to fit together. It’s also a hard work to put the small diamond on it. Gluing all those tiny rhinestones onto the dial was a nightmare. I used a pair of tweezers and a toothpick to apply the glue, but I still managed to get glue everywhere. I do it carefully for a week or two. And my eyes were tired after all this work.
The Final Result: Okay, it’s definitely not a perfect replica. Far from it. But you know what? I’m actually pretty proud of it. It captures the general vibe of the Gondolo, even if it’s a bit rough around the edges. It’s shiny, it’s got that distinctive shape, and it’s covered in sparkly things. I added some extra decorations to make it unique. I even made a little stand for it out of some leftover clay.
This whole project was way more challenging than I expected. There were moments when I wanted to just throw everything in the trash. But I’m glad I stuck with it. I learned a lot about watch design, about working with clay, and about my own patience. Would I do it again? Maybe. But I think I’ll stick to simpler designs for a while. Or maybe I will try a real one next time! Haha!
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