If you follow me here or on Instagram you’ve probably know that I absolutely love Werenbach! They are in my top 10 of microbrand watch brands of all time. You can go to my review of the Leonov B.T.O. Blue to learn more about the company and the story behind the brand. But right now you can read an interview with the founder Patrick Hohmann!

• Introduce yourself!

I am a normal 47 year old family guy (who occasionally has crazy ideas). I have two daughters and a wife with whom I enjoy spending time. Besides that I am passionate about sailing and all kind of adventures – the more difficult and exotic the better. 

• 2. What started your watch passion?

It was the Omega Speedmaster. I always admired this watch in every watch window at every opportunity. I dreamed of it but I didn’t want to pay the price for the watch. Then I suddenly had the spontaneous idea to build a watch from a space rocket. This idea was really absurd, but at the same time it promised a crazy adventure. However, the idea of a watch from a rocket awakened my ambition and destroyed any sense of reason I had. That was the beginning of a long, adventurous journey.

• 3. What makes a good wristwatch to you?

A good wristwatch is a piece of jewelry to which one has a special relationship. Of course it should also display the time as precisely as possible. For me, however, this is a self-evident fact. But accurate watches are like sand at the sea. 

A good watch should underline the essence of a man’s character. Our watches stand for authenticity, the pursuit of far-off worlds, wanderlust, a thirst for adventure and a unique story. That is why we have made them from material that left our planet as a rocket. And then the watches should simply be beautiful too.

• 4. What watches do you have in your personal collection outside of the Werenbachs?

It is an Omega Speedmaster and a golden antique Longines from my grandfather (wich I can’t find anymore).

• 5. Who is your ideal customer?

Cool guys 😉 who wear my watches with pride.

• 6. Tell about what you like to do outside of watches. Where do you find inspiration for your work?

I spend most of my free time with my family. Then I leave the world of Werenbach behind me. Apart from sailing and wild adventures I also like to read good books or learn about the creation of the universe. 

There I get little useful inspiration for Werenbach. Inspiration comes to me during my work. It is always the challenges. When I am faced with them, I always find creative solutions. I think that is my strength.

• 7. How do you see your watch brand in the future?

Werenbach will change a lot in the coming period and get fit for the digital age. Since the innovations will be introduced step by step and are very complex, I cannot say much about them at the moment. But I advise those who are seriously interested in our brand to subscribe to our newsletter. The transformation phase will become visible for the first time in autumn. There will also be very attractive opportunities to purchase a real rocket watch.

• 8. Are there any other new watches coming out anytime soon?

Watches are the core of every watch brand. A transformation therefore requires new watches. Currently, a whole series of new watch models are in the prototype phase. It is planned to launch a completely new collection in autumn. I am already looking forward to presenting the first completely cast dial. Made of rocket aluminum, of course. The first prototypes look very promising – they will be truly iconic watches!

• 9. What was the hardest part of creating a watch company? I know that for your brand the materials were pretty hard to get at first.

Oh, my goodness. This company really took all the energy I had at my disposal. But the hardest part was building a real company out of a wild idea. During this process I was confronted with a lot of technical questions about production. Also how to sell such watches at affordable prices. Many people compare our watches with watches that have the same movement. Thereby they forget about the effort we have in the procurement of rocket material or its processing. It is gigantic.

• 10. Any suggestions to someone who wants to make their own watch company? 

Today I would no longer be pushed by a wild idea when founding a company. I would advise everyone to temper passion and find out the real market potential. The luxury watch market is getting rather smaller than bigger, and it is also dominated by a few top players. Of course you can develop an attractive business model for such markets. It is simply much more difficult than in new, growing markets. The advice I give is to be careful.