Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to remake a Patek Philippe watch for a while now, and I finally decided to go for it. I picked the Gondolo 7042/100G-010 because, well, it’s a stunner. Seriously, have you seen this thing? It’s got this classic vibe with a modern twist, which is totally my style.
First things first, I started digging around for info. This watch isn’t exactly new, but it’s not ancient either. Turns out, it was produced in 2024. It’s got this 18K white gold case that’s about 31 x 34.8 mm. Not too big, not too small, just right. And the dial? Oh boy, the dial. It’s paved with 251 diamonds in this cool circular pattern, plus 12 trapeze-cut diamond hour markers. Bling city!
I got my hands on some white gold – gotta have that for the case and the bracelet. And let me tell you, working with white gold is no joke. It’s tough, but it’s got that luxurious feel that you just can’t fake. It took me a few tries to get the case shape right. The Gondolo has these unique curves, which are way harder to make than they look. But after messing up a couple of times, I finally got it down.
Next up, the movement. This baby’s got a manual movement, Caliber 215, to be exact. Making a watch movement from scratch is a whole other level of crazy, so I decided to use a pre-made movement. The trick was making sure it fit perfectly inside my custom case. A lot of careful measuring and a bit of luck later, it was in there, ticking away like a dream.
- Diamonds, Diamonds, Diamonds: Now for the fun part – the diamonds. I got myself 251 tiny diamonds, each one needs to be placed just right. And those 12 trapeze-cut ones for the hour markers? Even trickier. My hands were shaking, but I got them all in place.
- Pearl Power: The crown has this Akoya pearl cabochon on it. I found a beautiful pearl and carefully set it on the crown. It’s these little details that really make the watch pop.
- Putting It All Together: With the case, movement, and dial ready, it was time to assemble everything. This was the most nerve-wracking part. One wrong move and I could mess up the whole thing. But I took my time, double-checked every step, and finally, it was done.
It’s not an exact replica, obviously. I don’t have the same tools or materials that Patek Philippe has. But I think I captured the essence of the Gondolo 7042/100G-010. It’s got that same elegant look, that same sparkle, and that same satisfying weight on the wrist.
It’s definitely one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever taken on, but I’m so glad I did it. Now I’ve got a one-of-a-kind watch that I made with my own two hands, and that’s a pretty awesome feeling.
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