Okay, let’s talk about my latest project, I tried to remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010. Man, what a journey this was.
First off, I started by gathering all the materials. I needed white gold, a bunch of diamonds, and all the tiny little pieces that make a watch tick. I didn’t use any fancy stuff, just regular 316L stainless steel for the body, ’cause that’s what I had around and it seemed good enough. I figured, why not? It’s tough and looks pretty decent.
The hardest part was definitely the case. The original has this 18k white gold case set with baguette diamonds all around. I spent days trying to get the shape right, a 31mm by 34.8mm rectangle. It’s not as easy as it looks, let me tell you. I messed up a few times, but hey, that’s part of the process, right? Eventually, I got it pretty close to the real deal, and I was pretty proud of that.
Then came the diamonds. Oh boy, the diamonds. The original watch has them on the bezel and lugs, and they are a major pain. I tried to set them in a way that looked similar, but it was tough. I tried to set those tiny diamonds on the bezel, it took forever. Each little stone had to be placed just right. I used tweezers and a magnifying glass. My eyes were strained, and I even glued my fingers together more than once. But after a lot of trial and error, I managed to get a decent sparkle going. It wasn’t perfect, but it shimmered nicely in the light, and that was good enough for me.
The dial was another beast. I aimed for that bright black look, but ended up with something a bit more intense. It is a whole process of trying to make it look legit, it’s not just slapping some paint on there. I did multiple layers, sanding in between, and finally got a smooth, glossy finish. It was a mess, but worth it. The hands and markers were tiny, and I had to be super careful not to break them while placing them on the dial. It felt like defusing a bomb, one wrong move and it’s all over.
Putting the movement together was a real test of patience. I used a basic mechanical movement that I took apart and put back together a million times. I watched some videos, read some guides, and still messed it up a bunch. Finally, I started to put the whole thing together. I carefully placed the movement inside the case, attached the dial, and secured the hands. The moment of truth came when I wound it up and… it ticked! Man, I was so relieved. It was such a good feeling to see all those tiny parts working together. There were so many times I thought I’d never get it right, but I just kept at it.
Putting it all together
- The case: I started with the 316L stainless steel, shaping it to match the original’s dimensions.
- The diamonds: I set the diamonds on the bezel, trying to mimic the original’s sparkle.
- The dial: I painted the dial, aiming for a bright black but ending up with an intense white.
- The movement: I assembled the mechanical movement, took me some time, but I pulled it off.
In the end, my remake of the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010 wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. It looked pretty good, kept time, and I learned a ton along the way. I had to get creative with materials and techniques, and there were plenty of frustrating moments. But seeing the finished watch on my wrist made it all worthwhile. It’s not about making it perfect, it’s about the process and what you learn along the way. And let me tell you, I learned a lot. Would I do it again? Maybe, but I’d need a break first. This project took a lot out of me, but it also gave me a lot of satisfaction. It’s cool to wear something you made yourself, even if it’s not as fancy as the real thing.
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