Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to remake this Patek Philippe Gondolo watch, specifically the 4962/200R-001 model, for a while now. It’s a real classic, and I just love the style. I finally decided to just go for it. I’m no watchmaker, but I figured, how hard could it be? Famous last words, right?
First, I gathered all the stuff I thought I’d need. I found a bunch of old watch parts from broken watches I had lying around. I ordered some specialized tools online, things like tiny screwdrivers, tweezers, and a loupe – you know, that magnifying glass thingy that watchmakers use. I watched a ton of YouTube videos to try and figure this whole thing out.
- Tiny screwdrivers
- Tweezers
- Loupe
- Old watch parts
Then I started taking apart an old watch to get a feel for the insides. It was way more complicated than I expected. All those tiny gears and springs…it was like a miniature city in there! I tried to keep track of where everything went, but honestly, I got lost pretty quickly. I labeled a couple things, but when I tried to label the smaller parts the label was too large! Also, I did my best not to lose these mini parts.
I spent hours just trying to understand how the movement worked. I read a bunch of articles online about watch movements, but a lot of it went over my head. It was like trying to learn a new language – a really, really tiny language made of gears and springs. I messed up a few times, dropping tiny screws and losing them in the carpet. My cat thought it was all very entertaining, batting at the parts I dropped. I spent many hours trying to find those parts again, it was a mess.
After a lot of trial and error, I finally started to get the hang of it. I managed to get a basic movement working, though it wasn’t pretty. It was ticking, which I counted as a major victory. But it was ticking irregularly and very quickly! It was not keeping the proper time. However, I was really proud of my work so far.
The Case and Dial
Next, I moved on to the case and dial. I found a simple, rose gold-colored case online that looked similar to the Gondolo. For the dial, I decided to print out a design I liked and stick it onto a thin piece of metal. I know, it’s not very professional, but it worked! I spent quite a while trying to make it look perfect, but I think it came out well. It was not quite like the original but I think it gave off a similar vibe.
Putting it all together was the hardest part. I struggled to get the movement to fit properly in the case. And those tiny hands? Don’t even get me started on those. I bent a few and had to order replacements. It took me a few tries, and a lot of deep breaths, but I finally got it all assembled.
It’s not perfect, not by a long shot. It doesn’t look exactly like the Patek Philippe Gondolo 4962/200R-001, and it probably doesn’t keep time as well either. But, it’s my own creation, and I’m pretty proud of it. I learned a lot about watches, and I definitely have a new appreciation for the skill and precision that goes into making them. It’s definitely a cool experience, and I think I’m going to try making another one, maybe a different model this time. It was really fun!
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