Alright, guys, let’s talk about this watch project I’ve been working on. I wanted to remake the Patek Philippe Gondolo 4962/200R-001, and let me tell you, it’s been a ride.
I started by digging around for info. I saw a bunch of prices for the real deal online, some hitting over 25 million Chilean pesos. That’s way out of my league, obviously, but it gave me a good idea of what I was up against. I found that this Gondolo Serata is a real looker, super elegant, and it’s back in the Patek Philippe lineup. It’s got this cool “form” shape, not your typical round watch, you know? More like a rectangle or tonneau. This was gonna be interesting.
First things first, I needed to get a good look at the watch. I looked at all the pictures I could find, zooming in on every detail. The dial, the hands, the case, the strap – I wanted to know it all. There are also some articles talking about its unique design and elegance. I have to say, it is a really nice watch.
Then, I had to figure out how to make this thing. I’m not a watchmaker, but I’m pretty handy. I started gathering materials. I found some similar-looking watch cases online, some with that rectangular shape. I picked one that was close enough to the Gondolo, but definitely not a real Patek Philippe case, mind you. I found similar-looking hands and a dial that I thought I could modify. I figured I could make a strap. Let’s see.
Next up was the movement. I’m not gonna lie, finding a movement that would fit and work well was tough. I ended up getting a decent-looking quartz movement. It’s not a fancy mechanical movement, I’m not trying to fool anyone here, but it gets the job done and keeps time.
The real work began when I started putting it all together. I had to carefully remove the hands and dial from the donor watch. Then came the tricky part: modifying the new dial to look more like the Gondolo’s. This involved some careful painting and a lot of patience. It wasn’t perfect, but it was starting to resemble the real thing. Just don’t look too closely, alright? I also got inspired by the Nautilus 5811/1G, the original Patek Philippe 5711 was a phenomenal success. I wonder what makes it so successful.
Putting the hands on the new movement was another challenge. They’re tiny, and getting them aligned just right took some doing. But I managed it, and man, seeing those hands move was satisfying.
Finally, I made a strap out of some leather I had lying around. I tried to mimic the look of the original strap, but again, it’s not a perfect copy. It’s functional, though, and it looks okay with the watch. I should have ordered a better strap in the first place.
So, there you have it. My homemade Patek Philippe Gondolo. It’s not a real one, and it’s far from perfect, but it was a fun project. It’s got that Gondolo vibe, and it tells the time, which is all that really matters, right?
- Got Inspired: Looked at tons of pictures and info about the real Gondolo 4962/200R-001.
- Found Parts: Bought a donor watch, a quartz movement, and some other bits and pieces.
- Made it Look Right: Painted and tweaked the dial to resemble the Gondolo’s.
- Put it Together: Carefully assembled everything, which was like doing surgery on a tiny machine.
- Strapped it Up: Made a leather strap that’s good enough for now.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I did:
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but I learned a ton. Plus, now I have a unique watch that’s kind of like a Patek Philippe, but totally my own creation. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments!
Click to consult