Okay, so, I’ve been eyeing this Patek Philippe Gondolo 4962/200R-001 for a while now. It’s a beautiful watch, right? But the price tag? Ouch. So, I thought, why not try to remake it? A little project for myself.
First thing I did was to gather all the info I could find about this watch. I looked up pictures, specs, everything. I spent hours just staring at the details, the shape of the case, the design of the dial, the way the diamonds are set. It was like getting to know a new friend, in a way.
Then, I started looking for materials. This was tricky. I obviously couldn’t get the exact same materials as the original, but I wanted something close. I spent days in local workshops, searching online, and finally, found some decent stainless steel for the case and a nice piece of sapphire crystal for the glass. I even managed to find some cubic zirconia that looked pretty good for the diamonds.
- Spent hours researching the watch’s design and specifications.
- Sourced materials like stainless steel, sapphire crystal, and cubic zirconia.
- This phase involved visiting various workshops and extensive online searching.
The next step was the movement. Now, I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve dabbled in a bit of DIY before. I decided to use a simple quartz movement for this project. It’s not as fancy as the mechanical movement in the original, but it gets the job done. I took a course online that helps a lot. It’s a long process but I still make it.
Then came the hard part: putting it all together. I borrowed some tools from a friend who’s into jewelry making. I spent nights, weekends, just working on this watch. There were times when I wanted to give up, like when I messed up the dial for the third time. But I kept going. I kept my mind clear and put in full focus on every details.
And you know what? After weeks of work, I finally finished it. It’s not perfect, of course. It’s not a real Patek Philippe. But it’s mine. I made it. And it looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I even wear it out sometimes, and people always ask me about it. It feels great to tell them the story.
Reflecting
Honestly, this whole experience taught me a lot. Not just about watches, but about patience, perseverance, and the joy of creating something with your own hands. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to afford the real deal. But until then, I’m happy with my little homemade Gondolo.
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