Alright, so I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I recently got this idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100R-010. Yeah, I know, it’s a pretty fancy watch, but I figured, why not give it a shot? Here’s how it all went down.
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to get my hands on some materials. I went with some stainless steel I found online – it was either 316 or 904L, can’t quite remember which, but it looked the part. I spent hours searching for the right one, you know, something that wouldn’t break the bank but still looked decent. I finally settled on one, and man, was I excited when that package arrived!
The Bezel
The bezel on this thing was a whole other challenge. It’s supposed to be fluted and bi-directional. I tried a few different techniques, but let me tell you, getting that fluted look was a pain. After a couple of failed attempts and a lot of frustration, I managed to get something that kinda resembled the original. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, it rotated both ways, so I called it a win.
The Dial
Next up was the dial. The real one is bright black, but I decided to switch things up a bit. I went with an intense white because, well, I thought it would look cool. And it did! Finding the right material for the dial was tricky, but I eventually found a piece that had the right shine and texture. It’s the small victories, you know?
Putting it Together
Now for the fun part – putting it all together. This was where things got really interesting. I borrowed a friend’s tools, watched a bunch of YouTube videos, and just went for it. There were definitely some moments where I thought I’d messed up completely, but I kept at it. Slowly but surely, it started to look like an actual watch.
The Final Touches
The real Gondolo has a bunch of diamonds on the bezel and lugs. I obviously wasn’t going to use real diamonds, so I found some pretty convincing fakes online. They were a bit of a hassle to set, but after a few tries, I got them in place. They added a nice touch of bling, if I do say so myself.
The original has these baguette diamonds on the bezel and lugs which looks super cool. I thought about trying to replicate that look but at the end I figured it was way too much work. Maybe next time!
The End Result
So, after all that work, how did it turn out? Well, it’s definitely not a real Patek Philippe, but it’s a pretty decent homemade version. It’s got its flaws, sure, but it’s unique, and I made it myself, which is pretty cool.
- Material: Stainless steel (either 316 or 904L)
- Bezel: Fluted and bi-directional (sort of)
- Dial: Intense white (instead of black)
- Extras: Some fake diamonds for a bit of sparkle
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. Plus, I learned a ton about watches and how they’re made. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, I say go for it. Just be prepared to put in some serious time and effort. And don’t expect to end up with a perfect replica – embrace the imperfections, that’s what makes it yours!
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