So, I recently got this crazy idea to try and remake the Patek Philippe Gondolo 7041R-001. I’ve always been a fan of those fancy watches, you know? And this Gondolo, with its rose gold and classic style, it just really gets me. I figured, why not give it a shot? Might be fun, right?
First thing I did was just stare at pictures of the watch online. Lots and lots of pictures. I checked out this one site, Urmaker Bjerke or something, they had a ton of high-quality images. It gave me good views of the watch from all angles. I really needed to see every little detail, from the shape of the case to the way the numbers are laid out on the dial. Then I did some research on the watch’s movement and found some details. This watch is a rose gold manual wind wristwatch, circa 2016, mechanical manual wind movement, Caliber 215 PS, small seconds, 18 Jewels.
Next, I started sketching. Just rough drawings, trying to get the proportions right. It was a lot harder than I thought! Getting those curves just so, figuring out the size of the hands, the placement of the little seconds dial… yeah, it took a while. I made notes for myself, measurements and stuff.
Then came the fun part – or at least, what I thought would be the fun part. I started trying to build the thing. I used some materials I had lying around. It wasn’t pretty, I’ll tell you that much. Lots of trial and error. The first few attempts were, well, let’s just say they were learning experiences. I messed up a bunch of times, got frustrated, almost gave up a couple of times. But I kept at it.
Working on the Movement
- Started with the base: I used some old watch parts I had to create a basic frame. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a start.
- Figured out the gears: This was the hardest part. I had to make tiny gears that would actually work. I used thin metal sheets and some very small tools. It was fiddly work, and I messed up a lot.
- Assembled the movement: Slowly, I put the pieces together. Each gear had to fit just right. I spent hours on this, and my eyes were definitely tired.
- Tested it out: Once it was all together, I wound it up and watched. It actually ticked! I couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.
After a lot of work, I finally had something that kinda looked like the Gondolo. It wasn’t perfect, obviously. It was more of an “inspired by” piece than a real replica. It didn’t even tick, to be honest! But I was still pretty proud of it. I learned a ton about watchmaking. Plus, it gave me a whole new appreciation for those fancy watchmakers. They really know their stuff!
Anyway, that’s my story. It was a fun little project, even if it didn’t turn out exactly like I planned. Maybe I’ll try making another watch someday. But for now, I think I’ll just stick to wearing them!
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