Okay, so the other day, I got this wild idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe watch. You know, those super fancy watches that cost more than my car? Yeah, one of those. Specifically, I went for the Gondolo 7042/100G-010. It’s a classic style, and I’ve always been kinda obsessed with how it looks.
First, I started by gathering all the materials I thought I’d need. I mean, I’m not using real gold or anything, but I found some decent white gold alternatives. And diamonds? Forget about it. I got some shiny crystals that look pretty close, at least to my untrained eye.
- Found some white gold alternatives
- Got some shiny crystals instead of diamonds
- Printed a bunch of reference pictures
Then came the hard part. I printed out a bunch of pictures of the watch from every angle I could find online. I basically plastered my workspace with them. I spent hours just staring at these pictures, trying to figure out how everything fits together.
Breaking It Down
Next, I started breaking down the watch into its basic components. The case, the dial, the hands, the movement. It’s a lot more complicated than you’d think. I tried to find a small 31mm 34.8mm case and put the crystal along the bezel and lugs. The dial itself was a whole other challenge. I ended up using a plain white background and then very carefully sticking on those fake diamonds. It took forever, and my fingers were cramping like crazy.
Putting It Together
After that, I moved on to the movement. Now, I’m no watchmaker, so I didn’t even attempt to make a real working movement. Instead, I found a cheap quartz movement online and figured out how to fit it inside the case. It’s not the same, but at least the hands move.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I put all the pieces together. And you know what? It didn’t look half bad! Sure, it’s not a real Patek Philippe, and it probably wouldn’t fool anyone who knows anything about watches. But I made it, and that’s what counts. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot. Plus, now I have a cool-looking watch that I can wear without having a heart attack every time I bump into something. I think this is a good result for me.
So, yeah, that’s my story about remaking a Patek Philippe Gondolo. It was a wild ride, but I’m glad I did it. I show this watch to everyone now! Maybe I’ll try another watch someday. Who knows?
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