Overview
There are certain effects every magician dreams of performing someday. Sometimes it is because of the impossibility of the effect itself. Other times it is because of the performer who made it famous. For me, Ring Watch Wonder was both.
The first time I saw Tommy Wonder perform his Ring, Watch, and Wallet routine, I remember thinking not only how impossible the effect was, but how elegant he made it look. Tommy always appeared completely comfortable on stage. He was calm, deliberate, and never seemed rushed or worried about anything. That confidence translated directly to the audience. You felt like you were in good hands, so you could simply sit back and enjoy the experience.
As much as I admired the routine, I also assumed it would always remain out of reach. It wasn’t because I couldn’t learn the effect, but because of everything happening behind the scenes that made Tommy’s version possible. It simply wasn’t practical for me. Then Ben Seidman released Ring Watch Wonder.
Rather than attempting to duplicate Tommy Wonder’s routine, Ben clearly set out to solve the same problem: how do you make this miracle practical for working performers? After performing it myself, I think he succeeded.
The effect is straightforward from the audience’s perspective. The performer openly places a watch, a ring, and some cash into an envelope. Moments later, the envelope is torn into pieces, and every item has impossibly returned to where it started. The watch is back on the wrist, the ring is back on the finger, and the money has returned to the wallet. It is direct, impossible, and leaves spectators with nowhere to go.
My Experience Performing It
I have a very simple way of judging whether a trick is worth keeping in my repertoire. If it makes my dad laugh, it’s probably a winner.
My dad has been kind enough to watch me perform a lot of magic over the years. When something genuinely surprises him, he doesn’t just react, he laughs. It’s that involuntary laugh that comes from your brain trying to process something that simply doesn’t make sense. Ring Watch Wonder did exactly that.
The moment the routine ended, he immediately started explaining why what had just happened was impossible. He had watched me put every item into the envelope. He had been watching the entire time. There was no opportunity for me to do anything suspicious, and yet somehow the watch was back on my wrist, the ring was back on my finger, and the money had returned to my wallet. Then he said something that, to me, is an even bigger compliment.
“You have to perform that for the rest of the family the next time everyone gets together.”
Since then, every spectator I’ve performed Ring Watch Wonder for has had a very similar reaction. The effect is clear, impossible, and leaves people wanting to immediately talk through what they just experienced.
Teaching and Instruction
Ben Seidman teaches the routine himself in a tutorial running about one hour and twenty minutes, including a complete live performance.
The instruction is excellent. He walks through every phase of the routine step by step, explains the reasoning behind each action, anticipates many of the questions performers are likely to have, then finishes by performing the entire routine again while explaining every move in sequence. That final walkthrough became the section I returned to most often once I understood the individual steps. It made putting everything together much easier.
While there are certainly a few moments that require careful handling and repetition, I found the learning curve very reasonable. Practicing a couple of hours a day over two or three days was enough for me to feel comfortable performing it for real spectators.
Interestingly, the most challenging part wasn’t the mechanics. It was the presentation. Tommy Wonder had his own story to justify placing these objects into an envelope before destroying it. Ben Seidman presents a different reason entirely. Both work beautifully, but because they belong so closely to those performers, I knew I needed to develop my own. I eventually found a presentation that feels natural for me, but it is still evolving. Like many strong routines, I think the script will continue to improve over time.
Practical Considerations
There are both Standard and Deluxe versions of Ring Watch Wonder, along with left-handed and right-handed options. I purchased the Standard version, which currently sells for $150, and after seeing what the Deluxe version includes, I honestly believe I would make the same choice again.
The Deluxe version features a different watch and includes access to a live masterclass. While I’m sure the additional instruction is valuable, I found the tutorial included with the Standard version to be more than enough.
One practical consideration is that the envelopes are consumable. Since the routine ends by tearing the envelope apart, each performance uses one. Consumable props always make me hesitant during practice because I don’t want to waste a limited supply while I’m still learning. Fortunately, I was able to rehearse nearly everything without actually tearing the envelope. Although my practice envelope eventually showed some wear, it held up surprisingly well through repeated rehearsals before I finally retired it. Ben also spends time explaining several inexpensive ways to replenish your supply once you’ve used the 25 envelopes included with the effect.
There are a couple of additional considerations worth mentioning. While Tommy Wonder’s original version essentially had to be performed as an opener because of the equipment involved, Ben’s version offers much more flexibility. That said, I personally found one part of the setup became a little irritating to my skin if I wore it continuously for several hours during practice. I don’t think this would be an issue during a normal performance. It was more a result of practicing the routine repeatedly over several days.
Wardrobe is another consideration. Ben discusses performing the routine in a long-sleeve dress shirt, but I personally would feel most comfortable performing it while wearing a jacket. If your performing style is more casual, that’s simply something to think about before purchasing.
Final Thoughts
Ring Watch Wonder allowed me to perform a routine I had admired for years but never thought I would realistically own or perform. More importantly, it has proven itself in front of real audiences.
The reactions have been consistently strong, the teaching is excellent, and the technical demands are very manageable with dedicated practice. The greatest challenge isn’t learning the mechanics, it’s developing a presentation that genuinely feels like your own.
At $150, Ring Watch Wonder certainly isn’t an impulse purchase. However, considering the quality of the instruction, the practicality of the routine, and the reactions it consistently receives, I believe it represents very good value. This has quickly become one of those rare effects that doesn’t just fool people, it creates the kind of impossible moment spectators continue talking about long after the performance is over.
Scorecard
Further study
Members are invited to continue to the extended review, where we open the box and take a closer look at the workings behind the effect. If you are not a member yet, you can still check out our other reviews, and watch some performances.
