So, I got this idea the other day, I wanted to remake a Patek Philippe watch. Not just any Patek Philippe, but the Gondolo 7041R-001. Yeah, that one, with the rectangular case.
I started by looking up a bunch of stuff about this watch. I found some listings for it, going for like $26,000 to almost $30,000. It is a pretty penny, that is for sure. I saw pictures of the new 2024 model, with its silver dial and rose gold case. It’s a beauty, no doubt about it.
First, I looked for the serial number. From what I gathered, it is usually on the back. But you probably need a pro to open it up without messing things up. I didn’t want to risk damaging anything, so I just made a note of where it should be.
I spent hours trying to find the right materials. I wanted it to look as close to the real thing as possible. This meant finding a rose gold-like material for the case and a silver-like one for the dial. It was tough, but I managed to find some decent stuff after digging around. The case shape was another challenge. The Gondolo has this unique rectangular, kind of cushion-shaped case. I had to carefully studied the shape and dimensions.
Putting it all together was the hardest part. I used some basic tools I had at home. The goal was to make a watch that at least looked like the Gondolo 7041R-001 from a distance. I tried to copy the way the numbers and hands looked on the real watch. It wasn’t easy, and it took a lot of patience.
In the end, I had something that resembled the Gondolo 7041R-001. It is not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. This Patek Philippe Gondolo, it is not just a watch. People who like it really value the craftsmanship and history behind it. It is not as complicated as some of their other watches, like the Grandmaster Chime, which has 20 complications. But it is still special in its own way.
This whole thing made me appreciate these luxury watches even more. It is not just about telling time, it is about the art and skill that goes into making them.
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