3 Ways to Perform the Card into Watch Magic Trick

Most magic tricks aren't powered by some mystical force, but by real-life sleight-of-hand, where you manipulate objects and distract your audience to create the illusion that something is disappearing or transforming. One illusion you can do at home is make it look like you're turning a card into a watch, and we talked to mentalist, magician, author, and actor Randy Charach to find out how to do it. Keep reading to learn 3 variations of the card-to-watch magic trick: one where you snap it back behind your fingers, one where you fold the playing card into your hand, and one where you use magnets.

Card to Watch Magic Trick, Revealed

An illustration showing the 4 steps to a simple variation of the card-to-watch magic trick.

Mentalist, magician, author, and actor Randy Charach shares this method for the card to watch magic trick:

Place the watch in a pocket or pouch hidden inside your sleeve.
Hold up the card and show it to the audience.
Drop the card into the pouch at the same moment you pull out the watch.

Section 1 of 8:

Snapping the Playing Card

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Hold the two ends of the watch band between your thumb and forefinger. Before you gather your audience, set up the trick. Simply fold the watch in half and hold the ends of the watch band together with your fingers.^{[1]
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- You can also hide the watch in your sleeve before you start. Charach recommends using a topit or servante—a hidden pocket or pouch inside your sleeve where you can hide the watch.^{[2]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Randy Charach is a performer who has over 30 years of experience blending magic, mentalism, and comedy. He’s also produced more than 50 feature films and shares his experience and insights as a speaker and author.
Using the same hand holding the watch, slip a playing card between your middle finger and your index finger. The back of the card should be facing the audience, and the card should conceal the watch you're holding.^{[3]
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Dip your hand down slightly and snap your fingers simultaneously. While snapping, tuck the card behind your thumb and index finger and release one end of the watch.^{[4]
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- Charach says to keep the playing card and watch vertical, not horizontal.^{[5]
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- Keep your wrist loose as you make the switch, says Charach, and pay attention to the timing—“the reveal should be right after the ditch.”^{[6]
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Remove the card from your hand while the audience is distracted. As the watch dangles from your hand in front of the audience, tell a joke or say something random, like a magic word (i.e., "Abracadabra!") to distract them. Next, surreptitiously pick up a deck of cards with your other hand. Move it toward the card hidden behind the watch and slip that card back into the deck.^{[7]
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- If you’re using a pouch, Charach says to drop the card in just as you pull out the card.^{[8]
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- You may need to practice this trick a lot to make it look as if you're truly transforming a card into a watch. And that's okay! Sleight of hand is tricky, but you can become great at it with time and effort.

Section 2 of 8:

Folding the Playing Card

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Fold a playing card in half with the face on the inside. Make the fold from top to bottom. Then, unfold the card again and flatten it so it looks straight from a distance, like a regular playing card.^{[9]
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- Use any number or face card (e.g., Jack, Queen, King, or Joker) you want. This is your magic trick!
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Fold the two ends of the watch band inward over the back of the watch. When you fold the right side, leave a little bit of slack. When you fold the left side, stretch it taut so the end lies over the fold of the right side. Then, pinch the two sides between your thumb and forefinger and turn the watch so the face is towards you.^{[10]
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- When you let go of the right side of the band, the watch should unfold and dangle downward, so that the watch face is directed toward your audience.
Pinch the watch and the flattened playing card together. Place your thumb on the back side of the card facing you, and position your other fingers on the front side facing your audience.^{[11]
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Position your right hand just below the card that you’re holding in your left hand. Ensure your palm is facing you, and the back of your hand is facing your audience. Press your fingers together so you don't leave any gaps between them.^{[12]
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As you lower the card and watch with your left hand, snag the bottom edge of the card on the fingers of your right hand to make it bend in on itself. ^{[13]
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Grip the folded card in your right hand with slightly bent fingers. Gently press the card in toward your fingers on your right hand. Then, bend the tips of your fingers just slightly so you can grip the edges of the folded card.^{[14]
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- Move your fingers as little as possible during this step, so your audience won't realize what you're doing with the card!
This step will cause the watch face to fall and dangle underneath your right hand. To the audience, it looks like you transformed the playing card into a watch!^{[15]
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As you pull your hand away, keep your palm facing toward you so the enthralled onlookers can't see the card. Hold up the watch for them to see, and as you're doing so, use that as a distraction to tuck the card into the back pocket of your pants.

Section 3 of 8:

Using a Watch Shell

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Use a fake watch to hide the card. Charach says one way to do this trick is to “prep a watch shell that fits over a folded card.” He says to show the card, then fold it. Then, “give [the card] a small shake, and the shell drops into position where it hides the card.”^{[16]
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Randy Charach
Mentalist, Magician, Author, and Actor

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- Charach recommends using “a shell with a low profile” so the audience can’t tell what it is. “Check the lighting,” he adds. “Poor lighting shows depth.”^{[17]
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- Charach also recommends keeping the shake as subtle as possible.^{[18]
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Section 4 of 8:

Using a Pull

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Hide a card pull under your jacket. Charach says, “Anchor a pull to your jacket which connects to a duplicate card. Hold the card in your other hand and trigger the pull. The card shoots away, and you reveal the watch in your other hand.”^{[19]
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Randy Charach
Mentalist, Magician, Author, and Actor

Expert Interview}
- To make this trick work, Charach says to fit the pull’s length to your body, practice the speed of release, and use misdirection to draw the audience’s attention.^{[20]
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Section 5 of 8:

Hiding the Watch on a Magnet Clip

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Pull the watch off a magnet to make it seem like it appeared from nowhere. “Clip the watch inside your jacket or behind your belt,” says Charach. Then, “display the card as you turn your body slightly to get your hand on the clip.” He says to hold the card in your finger, palm, or pocket, then pull out the watch.^{[21]
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Randy Charach
Mentalist, Magician, Author, and Actor

Expert Interview}
- To make this trick work, try to “make it look natural, without fishing,” says Charach, and “angle yourself toward the audience to get at the clip.^{[22]
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Section 6 of 8:

Using a Flap Card

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Show a picture of a watch to create an instant impression. “Show a card with a flap,” says Charach. “As the flap flips up, it shows a printed watch face.” The audience will think the card changed into a watch. “Take that beat to switch it for one that’s real,” he adds.^{[23]
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Randy Charach
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- Charach recommends making sure the card snaps cleanly, and “do the physical switch immediately after the visual moment.” Also, quickly hide the flap card from the audience’s view.^{[24]
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Section 7 of 8:

Gluing Magnets on the Playing Card

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Mark out the width of the watch band in the center of a playing card. Measure the watch band's width with a ruler and note the measurement on a piece of paper. Subtract that number from the card's width, then divide the answer in half. Measure the half length starting from each of the card's long edges and moving toward the center. Make a vertical mark at each point you measure to, then draw a vertical line from each of those marks up and down the length of the card.^{[25]
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- Example: Let's say your watch band is 1.8 cm (0.71 in) wide. A typical playing card is 6.3 cm (2.5 in) wide. Subtract 1.8 from 6.3 to get 4.5, then divide 4.5 by 2 to get 2.25. Now, draw 2 vertical lines across the length of the face of the card with a pen. Start each line at 2.25 cm (0.89 in) inward from either edge.
  - Now the center section between the two lines will be 1.8 cm (0.71 in), the same width as the watch.
Drag the blade of the X-ACTO knife lightly across the card. Avoid cutting through the card—the goal is to score it so you can bend it into thirds.^{[26]
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Fill in the entire face of the card with black ink. Leave the back of the card unmarked and the way it came out of the deck.^{[27]
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Glue a 3 mm neodymium magnet to each corner of the card and place the 2 remaining magnets in the center of each long edge, between the corners. Just make sure to use the magnet’s north pole on one side of the card and the south pole on the other so they stick together. Then, use super glue or another strong adhesive to get the most secure hold. Then, color the tops of each magnet black with your marker.^{[28]
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Glue 2 magnets along the top and bottom of the back of the watch face. Then place 2 more magnets on top of the first ones, so they're attracted to one another.^{[29]
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This glue will adhere the magnets to the playing card, ensuring that the magnets on the back of the watch and on the card line up.^{[30]
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Fold the card up and center the base over the magnets on the watch. Fold the sides of the card up where you scored them, so the magnets click together into a triangle shape. The black side of the card should be facing out. Next, center the base of the card over the magnets on the back of the watch, parallel with the watch band. Press down and hold the card and the watch together firmly so the magnets adhere to the card.^{[31]
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- Wait for the glue to dry completely before performing the trick.
Flatten the card so it looks like a normal playing card when viewed from the back. Next, roll up the end of the watch band with the buckle and hold it to the back of the watch with your fingers. Fold the other end of the watch band across the top of the rolled-up end, so the tip of it sticks out about 2 cm (0.79 in) over the end of the card.^{[32]
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Your fingers should conceal the watch band.^{[33]
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The band should unravel and expose the watch face, while the card folds into a triangle along the back of the watch face. This makes it look like your card turned into a watch! To help the trick look even more seamless, wear a black shirt so the black side of the card blends into it.^{[34]
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Section 8 of 8:

Mastering Sleight-of-Hand Tricks

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Practice the moves with intention. Sleight-of-hand tricks can be tough to master, but you can do it. Here are Charach’s top suggestions for getting the hang of a new trick:
- Purposeful practice: Charach suggests doing “ten-minute runs of focused repetition” where you work on “one move at a time.” He adds, “Ten minutes of clean practice beats an hour of sloppy run.”^{[35]
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- Slow it down: “Train the move at 50% of the speed,” says Charach. “Accuracy comes first. Speed is an afterthought that comes naturally once the move is tight.”^{[36]
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- Avoid tension with soft hands: Charach says that your hands “should look relaxed,” adding that tension will expose the trick.^{[37]
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- Include natural movements: “Associate the move with a legitimate gesture. Scratch your nose, adjust a ring, turn your body, etc.,” Charach advises. “This gives your hand reasoning to move.”^{[38]
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- Command when you want them to look away: Charach says that people “naturally focus on your face and voice.” He recommends using that to distract the audience by asking a brief question, maintaining eye contact, and shifting your body.^{[39]
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- Angles matter: “Know exactly where spectators can and cannot be positioned,” Charach says. “Test every move in front of a mirror and on video.”^{[40]
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- Run the whole script: The whole trick should be aligned verbally and physically, says Charach. “The setup for the move should occur on a beat where movement is already expected.”^{[41]
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- Use everyday objects: Charach recommends using things like cards, coins, pens, or bills for your trick. “Things people are familiar with help them too much.”^{[42]
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- Record everything: “Video reveals surprises and tension that you never realize happen in the moment,” advises Charach.^{[43]
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- End cleanly: “Where does the dirty hand go? How do you reset? A clean end makes everything before seem impossible,” Charach says.^{[44]
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- Ready to hone your sleight-of-hand skills? Check these articles out: