Alright, so, I’ve always been into watches, not just any watches, but the really fancy ones. And there’s this one watch, the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010, that I’ve been drooling over for ages. It’s just so classy, you know? But, man, those things are expensive! We’re talking like, $26,000, even up to $37,000 for some models. Way out of my league.
But I got this crazy idea – what if I tried to remake one? Yeah, I know, it sounds nuts, but I was like, “Why not?” So I started looking into it. This wasn’t going to be easy.
First off, I needed to find a watch that could serve as a decent base. Something with a similar shape, maybe a similar kind of movement if I was lucky. I spent hours online, checking out forums, online stores, everything. I eventually found a few possible candidates, but they weren’t exactly cheap, either. Still a lot less than a real Patek, though. I ended up settling on this one watch I found. It wasn’t perfect, but it had the right vibe. I ordered it online from a seller, I guess it cost me about 200 bucks.
Then came the hard part – figuring out how to make it look like the Gondolo. I studied tons of pictures online, comparing every little detail. The real Gondolo is covered in diamonds, which was going to be a problem. I’m not exactly a jeweler. I started looking at cubic zirconia, you know, the fake diamonds, because those are way more affordable. I ordered a bunch of small ones in different sizes, hoping I could somehow set them into the watch case. I bought different tools online and got all set.
- Getting the Base Watch: This took some time, but it was pretty straightforward. Order online, wait for it to arrive, no big deal. I found one that looks similar to it and ordered, then waited for it to arrive.
- Sourcing the “Diamonds”: Also, not too bad. Just had to figure out what sizes I needed and order them. I bought some cubic zirconia online and tools I might need.
- Setting the Stones: This was a nightmare. I tried a few different methods, but it was super fiddly work. I messed up a lot. I spent many nights to figure out how to set stones on the base watch.
The movement was another challenge. I’m not a watchmaker, so I wasn’t about to mess around with the insides too much. I did manage to find a replacement dial that looked a bit closer to the Gondolo’s, but swapping it out was nerve-wracking. One slip, and I could ruin the whole thing. I tried and put the new dial on the base watch very carefully.
After many weeks, I finally had something that kinda resembled a Patek Philippe Gondolo. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. But from a distance, in the right light, you might think it was the real deal.
It’s been a fun project, though. I learned a lot about watches, and I got a new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into these things. Would I do it again? Maybe not. It was a lot of work, and honestly, I’m pretty sure I spent more money on tools and materials than I would have if I’d just saved up for a used, lower-end Patek. But hey, where’s the fun in that, right?
Anyway, that’s my story. I just wanted to share this crazy experience with you all. It’s definitely not something I’d recommend unless you’re really, really determined and have a lot of patience. And a lot of spare time.
The whole process is painful but fun.
I mean, seeing the final product, even though it’s not perfect, was pretty satisfying. I got a kick out of showing it to my friends and seeing their reactions. Most of them were impressed, even though they knew it wasn’t a real Patek. Of course, I always told them it was a replica, I’m not trying to fool anyone. But it was still fun to see their jaws drop when they first saw it.
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