Alright, let’s talk about this little project I took on – trying to remake the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7041R-001. I’ve always been a bit of a watch nut, and the Gondolo, man, that’s a classy piece. Rose gold, that vintage vibe, it’s just beautiful. So, I thought, “Why not try to make something similar?” I mean, I’m not a watchmaker or anything, but I’m pretty handy and figured it’d be a fun challenge.
First, I spent days just staring at pictures online. I found this one site that had a used 7041R-001 from 2020, complete with the original box and papers, another that had a brand new one from 2024. Then looked at the details – 18k rose gold, about 30 by 33.8 mm, manual wind, small seconds dial, the whole nine yards. This wasn’t going to be a simple “glue some gears together” kind of job.
Getting the Materials
- Case: Rose gold was out of the question, way too pricey. I settled on a rose gold-colored alloy I found. It looked pretty decent, and it wouldn’t break the bank.
- Strap: The original has an alligator leather strap, I found a good quality brown leather that looked similar enough.
- Movement: This was the tricky part. I managed to find some old watch movements online, took them apart, and tried to Frankenstein something together that resembled the 215 PS movement of the Gondolo. It wasn’t pretty, but I got something that ticked.
I started by shaping the case. That took forever, let me tell you. Sanding, polishing, trying to get those curves just right. Then I worked on the dial. I printed out a picture of the Gondolo’s dial and tried to replicate the look with paint and some tiny brushes. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for my liking.
Next, I tried to fit the movement into the case. That was a whole other headache. Lots of trial and error, a few choice words, and a couple of broken parts later, I finally got it in there.
Finally, I attached the strap. That was probably the easiest part, thank goodness. I stood back, looked at my creation, and you know what? It wasn’t half bad. Sure, it wasn’t a real Patek Philippe, and any watch expert would probably laugh at it, but I made it. It looked like the Gondolo, it ticked, and I learned a ton in the process.
This whole thing taught me a lot about watches, about patience, and about my own limits. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a fun ride, even with all the frustration. Maybe next time I’ll try something a little less ambitious. Or maybe not. We’ll see.
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