What time is it? Time for a new watch!

What time is it? — Why, time for a new watch of course.

An elegant designer gemstone watch is just the ticket to make you feel like time isn't passing you by!

And who is that talented designer? Why - you, of course! All you need are a few well-chosen components to make this as upscale or earthy as you please and as suits your wardrobe. Make one for each day of the week!

You will need:

• Watch face component
• 20 x 2 mm round metal beads, sterling silver or silvertone
• 6 x 4 mm bicone Swarovski crystal beads or similar
• 16 x daisy spacers, sterling or silvertone
• flat faceted gemstone beads, approx 12 mm x 8 - 10 mm x 6 mm. (or glass tablet beads in a similar size)
• Toggle clasp, sterling or silvertone
• PowerPro beading line or similar, strong, lightweight beading line.
• Crimps, sterling 2 x 2 mm tubes, or similar silvertone
• French wire or gimp, optional
• Headpin, sterling or silvertone

Tools

• Twisted Wire needles
• Scissors
• Crimp pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Wire cutters

First, examine your watch face component and see how it attaches to the rest of the bracelet. If the one you have purchased is different from the one pictured, you may have to vary this a little.

This particular watch face has a rounded projection at each end, with two holes, at 90 degrees to each other.

Other watch movements, as they are also called, have other kinds of attachments. If you can't find  someone who sells watch faces by themselves for jewelry making — try your local flea market. Often, inexpensive watches can be had for under $10, which you can take apart and use the parts.

In order to attach the lines for the bracelet, take a length of line, about 18 inches. You will be working with the line doubled. Thread on a 2 mm ball, move it to the center of the line, and thread both ends up from the bottom hole and out through the side.

Note, if you have trouble getting the doubled thread around the bend, undouble the thread, thread one end through the side hole, add the 2mm bead for the anchor, and thread it back up through the hole and back out the side.

Thread on your wire needle.

Now add

• a 2 mm ball
• a daisy spacer
• a gem bead
• a daisy spacer
• a 4mm bicone

and repeat 3 x. Stop, without tying off.

Do the same on the other side of the watch face.

Now is the time to check the length so that it fits your wrist. With beads this size, I find that I have to put another pattern repetition on one side. Because I like my bracelets a little loose, and because I wear my watches with the face inward, I add the fourth element (pattern unit) to the top (at the 12 end of the watch face).

Add a crimp bead.

Cut 3/8 to 1/4 inch of French wire. French wire, or gimp, is a very fine coil of wire, that slides over your line and both protects it from wear, and disguises it. Slide it onto the thread.

Slide one half of your clasp over the French wire and thread the line back down through the crimp tube and a few more beads. Crimp the tube.

Use a pair of crimp pliers (or chainnose pliers) to securely crush the crimp bead and fasten the end. It is important to crimp the bead so that there is an indent between the two pieces of cable.

To use crimp pliers, use the second hole (use it first) to crush the crimp bead and put in the indent. The first hole (using this is optional) folds the bead around itself for a neat finish.

To use the chainnose pliers, start by threading the cable in the same way. Use the chainnose pliers to firmly squash the crimp bead. Then, using roundnose pliers, turn the pliers to lengthwise (with the cable,) and squash an indent between the two pieces of cable. Squash hard.

Knot the line around itself. If you have any slack in the line, slide the needle down through few more beads, and knot the line around itself. Repeat until you have taken the slack out of the line. (But try and get it tight the first time!)

Repeat for the other side.

Add a dangle at the toggle. The dangle adds weight to the clasp, and stops it from constantly rotating to the top of your wrist, or slows it down, anyway. ;-)

To add the dangle, thread onto the headpin:

• 1 2mm ball
• 1 spacer
• 1 gem bead
• 1 spacer
• 1 2mm ball
• 1 4mm crystal
• 1 2mm ball
• 1 spacer
• 1 2mm ball

Hook the loop into the toggle loop or onto the watch bracelet. Then wrap the wire back around the headpin and tuck in close. Trim off any extra wire and ensure the end is smooth and flat.