I made my 89 yr old mom a watch with a popular elastic. The watch was a special occasion 'one time' wear with a fancy dress. In anticipation of 'once only' wearing, I boldly used a metal crimp bead and cover. 2 years later, she's still wearing the little stretch watch every day and even sleeps in it!!

I have had better luck with heavy elastic cord. I do have to occ. restring when the elastic gets old but I break fewer watch faces because I can get the watch to sit closer on my wrist. When it is looser, on wire with a clasp,
it is so much easier to hit the watch face on something and crack the crystal.
RNmartamai

We would recommend using jewelry wire instead of elastic stretch cord to make a watch. Elastic cord will lose its stretchy quality over time, and this process may be sped up by having a relatively heavy watch face weighing the cord down. Jewelry wire, on the other hand, will not stretch over time and will provide you with a strong, stable foundation for your watch.

To view our free watch designs in our Learning Center, click here:
http://www.artbeads.com/jewelry-design-types-watches.html