When I began my journey into leathercraft, I often found myself fascinated by certain items, wondering how they were made. Luxury products, in particular, caught my eye. I constantly questioned how I could make my own creations look as refined and elegant. The first time I saw a luxury travel watch roll, my mind was buzzing with questions: How is it secured shut? How does the watch pillow stay in place? What materials are used for the watch pillow? Are the side walls purely leather, or are they reinforced with something sturdier?
With the rising popularity of leathercraft, you can easily find patterns for most leather products, either for free or for a small fee. But watch rolls? Those remain a closely guarded secret. Spoiler alert: after making a few myself, I understand why that information isn’t freely shared. Despite hours of studying pictures on Instagram, Pinterest, and Etsy, I still had all these unanswered questions.
I needed to solve this puzzle. My engineering mindset couldn’t rest until I figured it out, and the only way to do that was to examine one up close. Buying one of the luxury watch rolls I admired and tearing it apart wasn’t an option. Instead, I purchased a cheaper version from Amazon and began the process of reverse engineering. Although it was made from subpar materials and was slightly too small, it provided the insights I needed.
Armed with this knowledge, I started designing my own pattern. I meticulously selected materials, hardware, and the perfect leather, and then I began to build.
