Hey everyone, it’s your boy back again with another crazy project. This time, I went all out and tried to remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo, specifically the 7042/100R-010 model. Yeah, you heard that right, the one that costs an arm, a leg, and maybe your firstborn child. I mean, I saw listings online for like $266,151, 233,719 CHF, and even 9,189,496 TL! Who has that kind of money lying around? Not me! So, I thought, “Why not try to make my own?”
Getting Started
First, I started digging for information about this beauty. Found out it’s a manual winding watch, which is pretty cool. The reference number is 7042/100R-010, and it comes in rose gold. The dial? Oh boy, the dial is paved with 251 diamonds, totaling about 0.73 carats. And it’s not just any diamond setting, they’re set in a circular pattern. It’s a 31mm by 34.8mm case, which isn’t too big or too small. This thing is pure luxury, the bezel and lugs are also set with baguette diamonds.
The Process
Alright, so I got my hands on some basic watchmaking tools and started looking for materials. I couldn’t use the real diamonds, obviously. I used some shiny stones that look pretty close to the real thing. For the case, I found a rose gold-colored material. It’s not the real deal, but it gives off the right vibe.
- Finding the parts: I spent days, maybe weeks, looking for parts that could work. It was like a treasure hunt, but way more frustrating. I even used some random parts from old broken watches.
- Putting it together: This was the hardest part. It’s not like assembling furniture, let me tell you. Those tiny screws and gears? I have a new level of respect for watchmakers now. My hands were shaking, I was sweating, and I’m pretty sure I invented some new swear words during this process.
- The dial: Okay, mimicking that diamond-paved dial was a challenge. I arranged those stones in a circular pattern, just like the original. It took forever, but I think it looks pretty decent. I even used some small stones for the watch hands to make it look more like the original.
- The movement: I knew I couldn’t recreate Patek Philippe’s Caliber 215 movement. So I used a basic, functioning movement I found. It’s not fancy, but it tells the time.
The Final Touches
After what felt like an eternity, I finally had something that resembled the Gondolo 7042/100R-010. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. I even got a nice strap for it, although it’s not pearl and rose gold like the original. It’s more like a regular leather strap, but hey, it works.
The Result
So, there you have it. My very own “Patek Philippe Gondolo” is now sitting on my wrist. Does it look exactly like the $266,151 original? Of course not. But it’s a reminder that sometimes, you can create something special with a little bit of effort, a lot of patience, and a whole lot of creativity. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real thing. Until then, I’ll be rocking my homemade version with pride.
It’s rough around the edges, and it definitely won’t fool any watch experts, but I’m proud of it. It was a fun project, and I learned a ton about watches in the process. Maybe next time I will try to remake the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5811/1G, that should be fun!
Stay tuned for more crazy projects, and let me know what you think of my Gondolo remake in the comments!
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