Introduction: Make Your Own Watch Movement Cufflinks

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In this Instructable, I’m going to be showing you how to make your own watch movement cufflinks using some old mechanical watches.

There are loads of watch movement lookalike cufflinks available online, but these ones are made using real watch movements taken out of an actual watch.

To start off, you’ll need to find two old mechanical watches with identical mechanisms. A good place to start is to go down to your local watch repair shop or jeweller and ask them if they have any old movements lying around. They don’t need to be working anymore, so jewellers will usually be happy to give you a few or sell them quite cheaply. You can also buy old damaged movements online.

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Supplies

You will need:

Step 1: Remove the Hands and Watch Face

If the movements haven’t already been removed, you’ll need to take the movement, along with the face out of the watch. Cut off any protruding pegs and the time adjustment screw using side cutters or clippers.

Next use a flat tipped screwdriver or tweezers to remove the hour and minute hands from the face of the watch.

Now insert your screwdriver between the mechanism and face and gently pry the face away from the mechanism. It doesn’t really matter if your damage the face or part of the mechanism as you won’t be using the face and this part of the mechanism is the back side of the cufflink.

Step 2: Remove the Shaft & Make the Back Surface Flat

Once the mechanism is free, you’ll need to make the back face flat by removing the hour hand cog and the shaft which drove the minute hand. Pry the cog off with your screwdriver or tweezers and then use side cutters or clippers to cut the shaft off flush with the back face. Feel the surface of the mechanism and make sure that it is completely flat so that the blank cufflink disc is able to be glued flat onto the mechanism.

Repeat this process for the second watch mechanism.

Step 3: Glue the Movements to the Blank Cufflinks

Next you’ll need to get some blank cufflinks. These are also widely available online. You’ll need a pair with at least a 6mm diameter blank plate although 10mm to 16mm ones work best to glue onto the mechanism.

Use superglue or epoxy to glue the blank cufflink onto the mechanism. Apply a generous amount of glue and make sure that you choose an unobstructed flat surface on the mechanism to glue it to in order to reduce the risk of it coming off.

Step 4: Your Cufflinks Are Now Complete

Allow the glue to dry or cure and your cufflinks are now ready to wear.

They also make a great gift, which you can complete by putting into a small cufflink jewellery box.

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