Remake Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042: Your Guide to Specialty Stores

Time:2025-1-21 Author:ldsf125303

Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to try my hand at remaking a really fancy watch for a while now. You know, one of those super complicated, high-end pieces that are just beautiful to look at. I finally decided to go for it, and I picked the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100R-010 – the one they made for specialty stores. It’s a stunner, right?

First things first, I gathered a ton of pictures. I mean, every angle I could find. I studied those images like crazy, trying to get a feel for the size, the shape, every little detail. Then, I started sketching. It wasn’t pretty, but it helped me get my head around the design.

Next, I jumped into the 3D modeling software. This was a beast. It took me forever to model that case. Getting those curves just right was a real pain. And the dial! Oh man, the dial. All those tiny details, the little numbers, the hands… It was rough. I spent days just tweaking and refining, trying to get it to look somewhat like the real deal. I had to redo a bunch of parts multiple times until I was kind of happy with them.

  • Modeled the case.
  • Struggled with the curves.
  • Designed the dial with all the tiny details.
  • Redid parts multiple times.

Once I had the 3D model more or less sorted, I started thinking about how to actually make this thing. I decided to 3D print the case. I don’t have a fancy metal printer, so I went with a high-resolution resin printer. It took a few tries to get the print settings right, but I finally got a decent-looking case.

Then came the finishing. I sanded that thing for hours, trying to smooth out the print lines. I applied a few coats of primer, and then it was time for the paint. I wanted that rose gold look, so I mixed up some paints until I got a color I liked. It was a lot of trial and error, let me tell you. Multiple layers of paint, then a clear coat to protect it all.

For the dial, I tried printing it on some special paper, but that didn’t work so well. Eventually, I managed to carefully hand-paint it. It’s not perfect, but it’s not bad either, considering. The hands were super tricky. I ended up using some very thin metal and cutting them out by hand. Then I painted them to match.

Putting it all together was another challenge. I used some tiny screws and some glue to assemble the whole thing. I even found a cheap quartz movement to put inside, just to give it that ticking feel.

The Result

Honestly, it’s not perfect. Far from it. There are definitely flaws. But you know what? I made it. I took an idea, a picture of a beautiful watch, and I turned it into something tangible. Something I can hold in my hand. And that’s pretty cool, if I do say so myself. It’s not a Patek Philippe, but it’s my own little version of it, and I’m proud of that. This whole thing was a huge learning experience. I learned a lot about 3D modeling, 3D printing, and just making stuff in general. I messed up a lot, but I also figured a lot of stuff out along the way.