Okay, so, about this hermes gold watch thing… It’s been a ride, let me tell you.
First off, I got this idea stuck in my head. A gold Hermes watch? Classy, right? But also, kinda pricey. So, step one: figure out how to make something that LOOKS the part without actually, you know, bankrupting myself.
I started by hitting up some thrift stores. I was hoping to find a vintage watch with a cool face that I could then somehow… gold-ify. Found a couple of okay ones, nothing screamed “Hermes” though. Mostly just old Timex watches, haha. But, hey, only a couple of bucks each, so no biggie.
Next up, I thought about the gold part. Real gold plating? Forget about it. Too expensive, too complicated. I watched a bunch of Youtube videos about spray painting stuff gold. Turns out, there’s a HUGE difference in the quality of gold spray paints. Some look super cheap and fake, others can actually pass for something decent. I ended up ordering a can of this “Rust-Oleum Specialty Metallic Gold” spray paint after seeing a few positive reviews. Fingers crossed.
The watch band was the next challenge. An Hermes watch has a very specific style, very distinctive. Leather, usually. I knew I couldn’t replicate it perfectly, but I figured I could get close. I looked online at some tutorials for making your own leather watch straps. Turns out, you need a bunch of tools and leather working experience… which I have none of. So, plan B. I went back to the thrift store and looked for old leather belts. Found a brown one that was the right thickness and had a nice texture. Scored!
Alright, time to get my hands dirty. I took one of the thrift store watches apart. Carefully popped out the face, set aside the movement (didn’t want to mess that up), and then sanded down the case. Cleaned it up, then gave it a few light coats of the gold spray paint. Let it dry completely between coats. Gotta say, it looked surprisingly good! Way better than I expected.
Then, I cut a strip from the leather belt. Measured it against my wrist to get the right length, then punched some holes for the buckle. Found an old buckle from another broken watch I had lying around. Attached it to the leather strap using some rivets I bought at the hardware store.
Finally, I attached the “gold” watch face to the leather strap. I used some super glue to hold it in place. Not the most elegant solution, but it worked. And… ta-da! A “Hermes” gold watch. Okay, maybe not a real Hermes watch, but it definitely LOOKED the part. At least from a distance, haha.
Lessons learned:
- Spray paint can be your best friend.
- Don’t be afraid to get creative with materials.
- Youtube is an amazing resource.
Would I wear this to a fancy gala? Probably not. But for everyday wear? Heck yeah! It’s a fun little project, and it looks way more expensive than it actually is. Plus, I can say I made it myself. Boom!
