Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Gondolo 7041R-001 for the longest time. It’s a beautiful watch, but the price tag is way out of my league. So, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? I mean, how hard could it be, right? Famous last words, haha.
I started by looking up everything I could find about this watch. Pictures, specs, you name it. I needed to know this thing inside and out. This took forever. I thought about giving up, but I didn’t.
Finding the Parts
- Case: I wanted a rose gold case like the original. Found some decent-looking ones online, but the sizes were not correct. I had to settle for something that was close enough in size.
- Dial: This was tricky. The Gondolo has a pretty unique dial. I tried finding a similar one, but no luck. I ended up buying a plain white dial and figured I’d just paint it. I also found some numbers, it is hard to find the numbers with the same size!
- Hands: Again, I tried to find hands that matched the original, but it was a struggle. I ended up buying some generic ones and hoped for the best.
- Movement: Now, this was the most challenging part. I’m no watchmaker, so I couldn’t just build one from scratch. I found a cheap quartz movement online and decided to use that. It’s not automatic like the real one, but hey, it’s something.
Putting It Together
Once I had all the parts, it was time to assemble. Let me tell you, it was a pain. I started with the case. I put the dial on it first and then the movement. I used my tools to put it all together. Then, I painted the dial. Took forever to dry, and it definitely didn’t look as good as the original, but it is acceptable. Next, I attached the hands. They were a bit loose, so I had to use some glue to keep them in place. Finally, I put the strap on. It wasn’t the highest quality, but it did the job.
The Final Result
After hours of work, my “Patek Philippe Gondolo” was finally done. Did it look like the real thing? Not exactly. But was it a watch that told time? Yes, it was! I was pretty proud of myself for actually managing to put it all together. It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And hey, it cost me a lot less than the real deal! Now I can wear it around and pretend I’m fancy. Just kidding… unless?
Would I recommend this to others? Maybe, if you’re really into DIY projects and have a lot of patience. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. But if you’re up for a challenge, go for it! You might surprise yourself. I know I did. But, I still want to buy the real one day, someday.
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