I saw this Patek Philippe watch, the Gondolo 7042/100R-010, and it was love at first sight! The rose gold, the diamonds, the classic style – it’s just so beautiful. I’m a sucker for classic styles. But the price tag? It’s way out of my league. So, I thought, why not try to remake it myself? A little ambitious, maybe, but I was determined!
First things first, I started researching. I looked up everything I could find about this watch. All the specs, the materials, the dimensions, everything. I found out it’s a manually wound watch, 31mm by 34.8mm, with an 18k rose gold case. And of course, those diamonds on the bezel and lugs are not just regular diamonds, they are baguette diamonds, which is pretty fancy, I think.
Getting all the right materials was a real challenge. Real 18k rose gold and baguette diamonds? Yeah, not happening on my budget. I decided to go with rose gold-plated stainless steel for the case and some cubic zirconia for the bling. It wouldn’t be the real deal, but I figured I could get a similar look.
I found a cheap, plain watch with a similar shape and size to use as the base. Took it apart carefully, which was nerve-wracking, I tell ya! I didn’t want to break anything. Then, I started working on the case. I had to file and shape the stainless steel to match the Gondolo’s elegant curves. It took a lot of time and patience, lots of trial and error. My hands were sore, but I kept going.
The diamonds were the trickiest part. I bought a bunch of those cubic zirconia stones and tried to set them into the bezel and lugs, just like the original. Let me tell you, setting stones is a real art! It took me ages to get them to stay in place and look somewhat decent. I used a tiny tweezer and a magnifier, and my eyes were crossing by the end of it.
For the dial, I found a simple, elegant design online that I liked and printed it out on high-quality paper. I carefully cut it out and glued it onto the original watch face. It wasn’t a perfect match to the Patek Philippe dial, but it had that classic vibe I was going for.
The strap was easier. I just bought a rose gold-plated bracelet online that matched the case. Attached it to the watch, and boom! Almost there.
Finally, after weeks of work, my “Patek Philippe Gondolo” was finished! It’s not perfect, not by a long shot. But I’m pretty proud of it. It looks similar to the real thing, at least from afar. And it’s got that classic style that I love. Plus, I made it myself, which is pretty cool, right?
My takeaways from this whole project?
- Making watches is hard! Seriously, I have a newfound respect for watchmakers.
- Patience is key. This kind of project takes time and dedication.
- Don’t be afraid to try new things. Even if it seems crazy, you might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a fun challenge, and I learned a lot. But it was also a lot of work! For now, I’m happy to wear my homemade “Gondolo” and enjoy the fruits of my labor.
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