Okay, let’s talk about this little project I took on – trying to remake a Patek Philippe Gondolo 7041R-001. Yeah, the classic style one. Now, I’m no master watchmaker, but I’ve always been fascinated by these things, and I figured, why not give it a shot? It’s not like I was going to sell it or anything, just a personal challenge, you know?
First thing I did was dive deep into research. I mean, really deep. I spent hours looking at pictures, reading descriptions, anything I could find about the Gondolo 7041R-001. I even tried to understand a little bit about how these watches work. It’s all about the Caliber 215 PS, manual winding, with a small seconds dial. And of course, it’s rose gold. Classy, right?
I started gathering materials. The movement was the toughest part. I ended up getting some parts here and there, nothing fancy, just trying to get something that would give the same feel. The case, I tried to find something similar in shape and size. I learned that the real deal is made from 18k gold, or “750” as they call it. I definitely wasn’t using real gold, just some gold-colored metal I found. I did stumble upon some information about how Patek Philippe uses “950” to mark their platinum watches, but that was way out of my league.
The real fun began when I started putting it all together. Let me tell you, it’s not as easy as those watchmakers make it look! I had to get some tiny screwdrivers and a magnifying glass just to see what I was doing. The serial number on these watches is usually on the back, but I wasn’t too worried about that. I just wanted it to look somewhat similar to the Gondolo.
- Step 1: The Case – I carefully shaped and polished the case. It took forever, but I was pretty happy with how it turned out. It wasn’t perfect, but it had that Gondolo vibe.
- Step 2: The Dial – This was tricky. I tried to recreate the look of the original dial, the hands, and the small seconds dial. I used some old watch parts and a lot of patience.
- Step 3: The Movement – Assembling the movement was a nightmare, to be honest. It’s like a tiny, intricate puzzle. I did my best, but I’m sure a real watchmaker would laugh at my attempt.
- Step 4: Putting it all together– I finally got to see the finished product. I carefully put the movement inside the case and attached the dial. It wasn’t a Patek Philippe, but it was my Patek Philippe, in a way.
So, there you have it. My little adventure in watchmaking. Did it turn out like a real Patek Philippe Gondolo 7041R-001? Absolutely not. But did I learn a lot? You bet. Did I have fun? Most of the time, except when I was about to throw the whole thing out the window. Would I do it again? Maybe, but next time I might pick a simpler model. I heard about this Grandmaster Chime they made, with twenty complications. Sounds easy enough, right? Just kidding. I know that would be impossible for me.
Anyway, that’s my story. Hope you enjoyed it. It’s not every day you try to remake a masterpiece, even if it ends up looking like a…well, you know.
Click to consult