DIY Watch Leather Cuff (watch/bracelet Can Be Removed and Replaced)

Do you have a favorite bracelet or watch that you really want to wear BUT....

You have some kind of chemical reaction with the metals?

I had this issue and I looked all over for some kind of slip cuff.

After not finding what I was looking for, I decided to make a cuff to separate my skin from the watch but have it be interchangable between many watches/bracelets.

What you will need:

- Vegtan leather approx 8" x 4" piece

- Scissors/ Exacto Knife

- Rivets and Setter (Rivet depth should be just a bit more than the width of 2 pieces of the leather you are using. Use the smaller diameter rivets for this as well.)

- Leather Punch

- Leather Dye

- Cotton Daubers or Cloth Rag

- Tan Kote or other leather protective coat

- Burning Tool

- Poly or Raw Hide Mallet

- Poundo Board

- Stone or hard surface

I made this particular cuff to contain my MMPR communicator.

Step 1: Design the Cuff

Start off with the design,

This is a very simple design, you need the cuff wide enough to have room to Rivet the cross pieces, I'd suggest about 2.5" for a normal size mens watch or bracelet.

The length will depend on your wrist, don't make it longer than the circuference of your wrist, in fact, make it a bit smaller.

The straps are to hold the watch/bracelet in place, so space the center ones equally from the center enough so they don't cover the watch face or an important design on the bracelet.

Please use the attached image and PDF as a guide to make your pattern, hidden lines are just for reference.

Step 2: Cut Out and Prep the Pieces

- Cut out your main cuff piece and the 4 straps from the pattern developed in the last step using either sharp scissors or an exacto knife.

- Cut the straps a bit longer than the width of the cuff, place the watch/bracelet on the cuff and using the straps, mark off the length you will need to keep them taut when the watch/bracelet is in place.

- Using a punch for the size of your rivets (Usually a bit smaller or the same size as your rivet small diameter), a poly or raw hide mallet and a poundo board, punch a hole in each end of the straps

- Using the straps as a guide butted up against the edge of the cuff, punch 4 more holes in the cuff where the straps are going to be permanently.

Step 3: Dye and Finsh Up the Cuff

Time for dying, finishing and rivets

- I used Febing's Light Brown dye. Apply the dye to the leather evenly with a cotton dauber or a cloth rag, and rub the dye into the leather. Wipe off excess with a clean rag. Apply the dye to both sides of the leather.

- Apply some tan kote evenly to the smooth side of the leather evenly with a cotton dauber or cloth rag. Let dry.

- Don't forget to burnish all the edges with water applied with a sponge to the edge then rubbing the burnishing tool across the edge vigorously.

- Install the 8 rivets through the straps into the cuff body using the setter on a hard/stone surface.

All finished:

Slip the watch bands into the cuff starting at the centre of the cuff for both sides, then try out your new accessory.

No more green wrist :)