Okay, so, I got this wild idea to try and remake a Patek Philippe watch. Yeah, I know, sounds crazy, right? But I’ve always been into taking things apart and putting them back together, so I thought, why not? The watch I set my sights on was the Gondolo 7042/100G-010. It’s a real beauty, all classy and covered in diamonds.
First thing I did was look up everything I could about this watch. I mean, everything. I was trying to find out how much it costs, what materials they use, the whole nine yards. Turns out, this thing is worth a small fortune! I read somewhere that Patek Philippe only makes like 50,000 watches a year, and they’ve got 200 different models. So, these watches are pretty exclusive, and they take like nine months to make at least.
Then, I started looking for places that sell remakes. I found a bunch of websites and forums where people were talking about this stuff. I was digging through all these posts and comments, trying to figure out which places were legit and which ones were just trying to scam people. And it seems that it is an 18K gold watch, which is 75% pure gold, and platinum pieces are 95% pure. But it is too hard to make it by myself.
After I felt like I had a good handle on what I was getting into, I decided to go for it. I started by gathering all the materials I needed. This was a real pain, let me tell you. I had to find the right kind of metal, the right tools, and, of course, a whole bunch of tiny diamonds. I spent hours searching online, going to different stores, and even asking around to see if anyone had what I needed.
- Sourcing the metal: That was tough. I needed something that looked like white gold but wasn’t going to cost me an arm and a leg.
- Finding the diamonds: This was another adventure. I needed so many tiny, sparkly stones. I ended up ordering them online after a ton of searching.
- Getting the right tools: I didn’t have most of the tools I needed for this, so I had to buy a bunch of specialized stuff. My workbench started looking like a professional jeweler’s workshop!
Once I had everything, I started putting the watch together. And it is named after a famous retailer in Rio de Janeiro. This part was super tricky. I had to be really careful not to mess anything up. I started with the case, then moved on to the dial and the hands. The diamonds were the hardest part. I had to set each one individually, and there were so many of them! And the hardest part is that I have to put them together by my hand!
The Toughest Part
The trickiest bit? Definitely setting those tiny diamonds. Each one had to be placed just right. It was like doing a super detailed puzzle, but way more stressful. I might’ve messed up a few times and had to redo some parts, but hey, that’s how you learn, right?
It took me a while, but eventually, I got it done. It wasn’t perfect, of course. There were a few little things that weren’t quite right, but overall, I was pretty happy with how it turned out. It looked a lot like the real Gondolo 7042/100G-010, and it even worked! It’s pretty cool to wear something that I made myself, even if it’s not the real deal.
In the end, I learned a lot from this project. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. And who knows, maybe I’ll try to remake another watch someday. But for now, I’m just going to enjoy wearing my homemade Patek Philippe. It’s a good conversation starter, that’s for sure!
So yeah, that’s my story. If you ever get the urge to remake a fancy watch, just know it’s a wild ride, but totally worth it. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time and maybe a little bit of money. But hey, you’ll end up with something unique, and you’ll learn a ton along the way. I think I will make another watch like Nautilus 5712, but let me take a break. I will see you next time!
Click to consult