Okay, so, I got this wild idea the other day. I decided to try my hand at remaking a Patek Philippe Gondolo, specifically the 7042/100G-010 model. I know, I know, it’s a pretty ambitious project, but hey, why not? First off, I started digging around for info. These things are seriously pricey, like, we’re talking 217,400 USD! Yeah, you read that right.
So, after I recovered from the initial sticker shock, I started gathering materials. Now, I’m not using real gold or anything. I found some decent substitutes online that look pretty close to the real thing. I began with the watch body. This model is supposed to be 18k white gold, and it’s got this mechanical, manually wound movement. I managed to find a similar movement from an old watch I had lying around. I took it apart, cleaned it up, and started figuring out how to make it fit into the new body I was crafting.
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First big step: crafting the body. I used a mix of metals to get that white gold look. It took a lot of shaping and polishing to get it just right. This part was tough, I’m not gonna lie. Lots of trial and error.
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Next up, the dial. This model has a diamond-paved dial, which, let’s be honest, is a bit much for a DIY project. I went with some shiny, sparkly materials that give a similar effect. Cutting and setting each piece was a pain, but it started to look pretty good after a while.
Putting It All Together
Then came the fun part – putting it all together. I carefully placed the movement inside the body, making sure everything lined up. I had to make some adjustments here and there, but it eventually fit. Then, I added the dial and the hands. I found some watch hands that matched the style of the Gondolo and got those on.
Finally, I put on the strap. The original has a fancy leather strap, but I opted for a similar-looking one that I found online. It’s not the real deal, but it looks the part. This whole thing took me a couple of weeks, working on it on and off. There were definitely moments where I thought about giving up, but I pushed through.
In the end, I’ve got a watch that looks a lot like the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010. It’s not perfect, and it’s definitely not worth anywhere near 217,400 USD, but I’m pretty proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way. Plus, I’ve got a cool-looking watch to show for it! If you’re thinking about doing something like this, just be prepared for a lot of work and some frustration. But if you stick with it, you might surprise yourself with what you can create!
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