Turn Your Old Apple Watch Into A Classic Nokia Phone With This 3D Printer Project

Old, unused Apple Watches aren't as useless as some owners might think, regardless of whether you upgraded to a newer model or switched brands entirely. Knowing that some 3D printer owners have repurposed their old Apple Watches into devices like desk clocks, it isn't beyond reasoning that certain builds can transform them into, or at least make them resemble, other, more advanced pieces of technology. If you aren't totally sold on switching to a dumb phone, for example, but still enjoy the idea of using one, a 3D printer project could convert your smartwatch.

Maker World user Husband Math posted a brief clip demonstrating their makeshift Nokia 3310 dumb phone. "Have you ever wanted to live the good old days? Go back to the times of no social media and indestructible phones? Well, I can't take you back. But I can offer the next best thing," the user wrote in the print's description. The build's mostly 3D-printed structure includes a faux sparkly purple Nokia shell and white buttons, with an Apple Watch housed within to represent – you guessed it – the phone's screen. An opening in the back exposes the watch's magnetic charging surface. Builders will also need to install four M2 8mm bolts to hold the case in place, and another M2 5mm bolt for those who'd like to attach a lanyard. Husband Math also recommended attaching a piece of double-sided tape or Scotch tape to the watch's crown to make it more reactive.

Not every Apple Watch owner should bust out their printers after seeing this design, though. This specific print job is only compatible with 45mm Apple Watches from Series 7, 8, and 9. Those with the appropriate models and a hankering for retro-looking technology, however, might get their fix from this Nokia-like case.

People interested in replicating projects like Husband Math's Nokia-inspired Apple Watch case or similar dumb phone shells will find 3D printers still worth buying for that reason. 3D printer owners can download an array of comparable designs online, including a generic dumb phone print by Printables user Isaiah C. This design uses thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, to create dumb phone-shaped Apple Watch cases in any color the user chooses. If someone were willing to pull off such an obscure design, perhaps even failed or forgotten Nokia models, like the phone-handheld gaming console hybrid and attempted Game Boy Advance competitor, the Nokia N-Gage, could be reimagined as housing units for your Apple Watch.

Small business owners and private sellers on websites like Etsy also offer pre-printed Apple Watch dumb phone cases for those without 3D printers, or who don't want to take on the project themselves. Sellers like SCHELofficial offer shells shaped like basic phones sans buttons for $10, with seven color options. So whether you'd rather print or buy, your old Apple Watch can still be useful while giving you a blast from the past with a fresh, retro phone-shaped look.