Ghanaian watchmaker, Patrick Amofah, has shared his journey from repairing his father’s broken watch to establishing his own watchmaking business, Hourhand Watch Co. Amofah’s passion for watches began after his father passed away, leaving him a broken watch. Patrick Amofah struggled to find a reputable watchmaker to fix. This experience motivated him to learn about watchmaking and eventually led him to start his own business.
Training and Experience
Amofah started his watchmaking journey by learning from different watch repairers in Accra and watching YouTube videos. He also purchased old and damaged watches to practice on and develop his craft. Eventually, he was able to disassemble and reassemble one of his old Seiko watches. He has since undertaken a certificate program at a prestigious watchmaking institution to further hone his skills.
Identifying a Gap in the Market
While learning about watchmaking, Amofah realized that there was a gap in the market for a proper watch repair establishment in Ghana. He met other people who had similar experiences with finding reliable watchmakers, and he saw an opportunity to bridge that gap.
“I believe in entrepreneurship and have always seen art, creativity and innovation to be a part of our daily lives; even in the simplest things that we do.”
Successful Projects
Amofah’s dedication and hard work paid off when he was entrusted with repairing an expensive $600,000 Richard Mille McLaren watch in Ghana. This accomplishment gave him a competitive edge over other watchmaking brands in the country.
Amofah’s Philosophy
Patrick Amofah believes that time is non-refundable and should be used with intention.
“Time is not linear; it keeps to the true known laws of nature like most things. That which you practice, you get good at. If you practice the effective application of time, you compound that time. If you call a master craftsman to do a piece of work, he can do in a minute what a novice can’t do in a year. It’s because he’s collapsed time on itself. Time is non-refundable; use it with intention.”
