I’ve been wanting to make a watch band for a while now. I still haven’t settled on a decorative design, but I figured maybe I needed to do a simple one to begin with, to get my feet wet.
Since Apple watch parts are all the same width, there’s no need for tapering, so it turned out to be a pretty easy design. I used EVA foam for prototyping it (Prototyping for leather) and actually ended up wearing the EVA version for a day while I was getting the other one put together. It held up surprisingly well, which makes me wonder about dual layers glued together to make a stronger band that takes advantage of the fun colors of EVA foam, no stitching needed…but that can wait for another day!
Anyway, here’s my v1.0 leather watchband:
I used medium PG leather – a double layer would probably be a better thickness, but I decided to save that for when I’ve had more practice with stitching. When I decide on a fancier decorative design for my next try, I’ll likely go with the thick leather instead.
I wanted a dark rich color. I started off with a plum-colored acrylic paint, but it didn’t have the depth I wanted, so I scrubbed off as much of it as I could, and then impulsively painted it with my vinegar-steel wool mix, thinking I’d just turn it black instead. But it didn’t really turn black; it just sort of looked blotchy purple/gray. It looked pretty ragged for a while, and I started thinking the paint had done something to keep the reaction from happening that turns it black. I tried staining it from the back, and that made some darker blotchy areas around the edges, but it still looked like a mess, and I figured I was going to have to just cut another one.
After letting it sit overnight, though, it had taken on a deeper shade and looked a lot better, and another light coat of plum acrylic rubbed on with my finger and topped with clear shoe wax gave me just the look I had been going for.
Here’s the SVG. My wrist is just under 7", and the fifth hole from the end is about the right fit, to help with judging whether the size will need adjusting. (Or just cut one from EVA foam and try it on!)
EDIT: Links to the hardware I used:
Watch band connectors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742BDG5R
Buckle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GM1ASNY
