Ghanaian horologist and founder of Hourhand Watch Co., Patrick Amofah, is currently one of few watchmakers in Africa capable of servicing US$600,000 Richard Mille McLaren timepieces.
The Richard Mille McLaren, with reference RM-011-03, is an exclusive timepiece made in honour of McLaren Automotive’s creations. The skeletonised automatic calibre RMAC3 winding movement is housed in a carbon TPT and orange quartz-TPT case. Made with titanium pushers fitted to the carbon TPT case band which echo the design of the headlights on the 720S limited edition of 500 timepieces.
A Richard Mille watch is a highly tuned machine, and as such, it needs the right maintenance and cares to ensure a long life of worry-free functioning. The Richard Mille watch is an intricate and complex mechanical device that was developed and built using the most cutting-edge watchmaking methods and resources available.
Master watchmakers put it together and optimised it. Given how few watchmakers worldwide are capable of servicing such a wristwatch, it is very astounding that Ghana has its watchmaker capable of servicing high-end timepieces.
Patrick Amofah set up the brand in memory of his late father who left behind lots of watches. He revealed that the name ‘HourHand’ was chosen to convey the concepts of time-keeping and craftsmanship. In a literal sense, ‘our hand’ emphasises ‘our handcrafts’.
Recounting the brand’s journey, Patrick said the idea of starting a watch company came after a watchmaker ruined one of his father’s favourite watches.
“My father was a lover of watches and left a significant number of them behind. There was one in particular that I wanted to wear, but it was broken and I had a hard time finding a good watchmaker to restore it in Ghana. When I finally got someone, they ruined the dial by trying to fix the fallen markers on it with super glue. I was disappointed because it was one of my father’s favourite watches. Due to the sentiments attached, I wanted to have his timepieces with me all the time,” he said.
Speaking about the brand’s growth, he continued: “That’s when I became interested in watches and took some time to understand the basic concepts of watch movements. Honestly, I didn’t take it seriously until somewhere in 2019, when I was moving out and came across some of my dad’s old watches. So, I decided to teach myself.”
After countless interactions with different people, he noticed that there are people with defective collectable watches and even normal ones who are looking for the right watchmakers to entrust them with. Unfortunately, such watchmakers are hard to come by; therefore, he decided to explore the business opportunity and the market demand.
In 2020, Patrick started Hourhand Watch, arguably the best Swiss standard watch repair company in Ghana, as a full-time business but because of COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions, he operated it as an e-commerce site, restoring watches and selling well-known branded watches until 2021, when he met clients face to face.
The company has been able to help more timepiece lovers keep most of their luxurious watches in pristine condition and has provided watch repair solutions to a substantial number of individuals, institutions, and organisations in other parts of Africa and some European countries.
“Over time, there was a need for quality straps to go along with clients’ restored watches. I wasn’t getting the kind of quality that was up to par, so I ventured into making handcrafted straps. We now have a team of 10, with everyone contributing diversely to the expansion of this business,” he said.
The brand is managed by a team of professionals who have been well-trained in watchmaking and provide a wide- range of activities, including parts and battery replacement, inspection and cleaning, movement servicing and overhauling, band and case refinishing, link additions and removals, vintage timepiece restoration, among others.
Hourhand is the go-to brand when searching for a credible watchmaker to take care of your luxury timepiece. The company sells custom-made straps in different sizes, colours and leather types.
