Okay, let’s talk about this crazy project I got myself into – remaking the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7042/100G-010. Yeah, that super classy, expensive watch. I’m not a watchmaker, just a guy who likes to tinker and see if I can pull off the impossible.
First, I spent hours just staring at pictures of this thing online. I mean, really studying it. The details on the original are insane. I needed to really see what I was dealing with. It’s not my first time trying to remake something, but Patek Philippe, they are another level. It is a famous luxury watch manufacturer from Geneva, and their watches are crazy expensive! This Gondolo 7042, in particular, is a piece of art.
Then came the fun part – the teardown. But I didn’t have a real one! I found an old, kind of similar-looking watch at a flea market. I figured, the basic mechanics are probably somewhat alike, right? So, I carefully took it apart, piece by piece, laying everything out on my workbench. Snapped a bunch of photos along the way so I wouldn’t forget how it all went back together.
Now, the original Gondolo has this beautiful, intricate design, all those fancy decorations. I knew I couldn’t replicate that exactly. I don’t have the same tools or skills. Instead, I started experimenting with different materials I could find. I wanted it to have that same classic vibe, but with my own spin on it.
After taking apart the old watch, I started gathering my materials. I hit up some craft stores, found some interesting metal bits and pieces, and even used some parts from other broken watches I had lying around. It was like putting together a puzzle, but I was making the pieces myself!
- Finding the Right Parts: This was a headache. I needed tiny screws, gears, and springs. I ended up scavenging parts from other old watches and even some electronic gadgets.
- Making it Shine: I wanted that polished, expensive look. I spent days just polishing the metal case I made, trying to get it to gleam like the real deal.
- The Face: This was the hardest part. The original Gondolo has such a detailed face. I ended up hand-painting a tiny piece of metal, trying to mimic the look. It’s not perfect, but it’s got its own charm.
The movement was a whole other beast. I tried to simplify it, using parts I could actually understand and work with. It’s not as smooth as the original, but hey, it ticks! The original mechanics are super complicated, and I wanted to do it my way. I changed a lot of things in the original code, making it a new watch. Remake is not just changing the texture, it is a new creation.
Putting it all back together was nerve-wracking. I was constantly worried I’d break something or that it wouldn’t work. But slowly, piece by piece, it started to come together. And then, finally, it was done. I actually put the whole thing back together!
The Result
My version of the Gondolo 7042? It’s not a Patek Philippe, that’s for sure. But it’s got its own unique character. It’s rough around the edges, a bit clunky, but it’s mine. I learned a ton about how watches work, and I proved to myself that I could actually pull this off. I did it! I finished this crazy remake. It’s not the same, but it tells time, and I made it with my own two hands. It’s a new watch! A brand new watch! And I’m pretty darn proud of it. You know, this whole thing was way more than just changing textures. It was a full rebuild. It felt like creating something totally new, and I learned so much along the way.
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