Zamani Bhengu sacrificed friendships, close acquaintances, a certain lifestyle and even basic needs because he firmly believed that a man is incomplete without a classic timepiece. His sacrifices to launch the AmaBhengu Fashion watch have proven to be a timeless masterpiece, which adds the finishing touches to a gentleman’s look and style. Bhengu, who is from Pietermaritzburg, came up with the idea of selling watches while he worked as a government intern at The Treasury in 2016.
This was after he had graduated from Umgungundlovu FET College with a financial management diploma specialising in entrepreneurship and business management. Bhengu told Vutivi News that he started out by selling other watches before creating his own brand. “When I was an intern, I noticed that a lot of the male employees liked owning timepieces,” he said.
“I did some research and discovered that although there is a market for watches, the watches run mostly using a battery. This tends to be inconvenient because batteries die.” Armed with the research, his first step was to introduce himself as a seller of classic watches. He started by importing six watches from different brands and selling them on the streets of Pietermaritzburg.
After they were purchased, he began importing more watches from different brands and establishing a network of connections. “I reinvested every cent I made from that venture into my business,” Bhengu said. He launched his company, AmaBhengu Fashion, and then teamed up with a company based in the United States, which manufactures his watch.
Bhengu said one of the perks of his Automatic Watch Z1 Gold watch, was that it did not need a battery, which people often did not have time to replace. “The watch uses gears and the main string which is winded periodically. Every day in the morning, the owner winds it and wears it,” he explained. Bhengu launched the watch in March this year, after having to delay the launch. “Because of COVID-19 I could not launch the watch (last year),” he told Vutivi News.
“However, when I launched it, the reaction was so unexpected that I received many orders at once.” He said he was planning on increasing production capacity as there was also a demand overseas for the watch, which costs R1299. It is delivered nationwide and can be purchased on his website www.amabhengu.co.za
“I believe that watches complete the look of a gentleman,” Bhengu said. “A gentleman needs to have some timepiece on his wrist that complements his style and sophistication.” He said was also currently considering making women’s watches as there had been a high demand for a timepiece with a feminine touch.
