Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get into watchmaking for a while, and I finally decided to take the plunge. I’ve always been a huge fan of Patek Philippe, especially the Gondolo line. They’re just so classy and elegant, you know? The 7042/100G-010 model, with all those diamonds, is particularly stunning. It’s way out of my price range, obviously, but I thought, “Why not try to remake it myself?”
First, I needed to find some good reference images. Luckily, there’s a ton of stuff online. I started by looking for models with the reference number 7042/100G-010, just to make sure I was getting the right one. The official Patek Philippe website was helpful, but I also found some great pictures from online stores. I wanted to see every angle of the watch, so I saved a bunch of images to my computer.
Next, I had to figure out the materials. The original watch is made of white gold and has a bunch of baguette diamonds on the bezel and lugs. I’m not exactly rolling in dough, so I opted for stainless steel instead of white gold. I also decided to use cubic zirconia instead of real diamonds. It’s not the same, but it’s much more affordable, and it still looks pretty good.
I also needed to get a movement. The original watch has a manually-winding mechanical movement, which is pretty complicated. I decided to use a simple quartz movement instead. This is way more simple than a manually-winding mechanical movement. I searched a quartz movement on a online store.
Once I had all the materials, I started working on the case. I’m not a professional watchmaker, so I don’t have all the fancy tools. I just used what I had at home, like a small hammer, some files, and a polishing cloth. It was tough work, but I managed to shape the stainless steel into something resembling the Gondolo case. It’s not perfect, but it’s close enough for me.
Then came the hardest part: setting the cubic zirconia. I used a small pair of tweezers and some strong glue. It was really fiddly work, and I messed up a few times, but eventually, I managed to get all the stones in place. The result was decent. The cubic zirconia sparkled nicely under the light, and it was not bad at all.
After that, I installed the quartz movement and attached the hands. I had to buy a set of hands separately, since they didn’t come with the movement. I chose a simple, elegant design that matched the overall look of the watch.
Finally, I added a white gold plated strap. The original watch has a white gold bracelet, but I went with a strap to save some money. I think it still looks pretty good, though. The original watch’s serial number is the most crucial identifier, so I engraved a random number on the back of my watch just for fun.
So, there you have it. My homemade Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010. It’s not a perfect replica, but I’m pretty proud of it. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real thing!
- Gathered reference images of the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010.
- Sourced more affordable materials: stainless steel instead of white gold, cubic zirconia instead of diamonds.
- Purchased a quartz movement online.
- Shaped the stainless steel case using basic tools.
- Set the cubic zirconia stones on the bezel and lugs.
- Installed the quartz movement and hands.
- Attached a white gold plated strap.
- Engraved a random serial number on the back.
Steps I took:
It was a challenging but rewarding project. I learned a lot about watchmaking, and I ended up with a unique timepiece that I’m proud to wear.
Click to consult