DIY Watch Brooch: Make, Don’t Buy

Old watches as brooches—kind of a cool, crafty idea, right? Well, it’s being done by a company called Novelax based out of Japan. They’ve turned a variety of watch faces into minimalist brooches. Check ‘em out, above. They’re the sort of thing that, well, I feel like we all can do at home, no? Get your DIY pants on, people. A little super-glue, a pin bar and some careful painting ... and who doesn’t have a few old, dead watches kicking around? Our easy how-to, after the jump.

OK, first up, gather your supplies:

• Old watch face
• Pin bar (get ‘em cheap, here)
• Enamel Paint (it’ll stay put on glass; these work well)
• Rubbing alcohol
• Craft glue (make sure it’s the stuff for metal, glass, etc.)
• Small chiseled tip paint brush

Let’s get the brooch party started:

First, wipe both sides of the brooch with rubbing alcohol on a paper towel. (You gotta do it—it removes dirt and fingerprints and gives you a clean surface to paint on.) Next, carefully paint surface of the glass face of the watch, being sure to immediately wipe away any paint that escapes outside the lines. Allow to dry. (Personally, I’d let it dry overnight, so the paint’s good and cured.) Attach the pin bar with your metal glue and let dry, again, according to the package instructions. See? Easy.