When Sakhile Maseko sold his beloved guitar for R3,000, all he knew was that he wanted to start something of his own.
He didn’t know that sacrifice would be the start of a journey into the world of watchmaking and jewellery making, but the spirit of invention bit him.
Now 28, the Mpumalanga-born entrepreneur is the founder of Nelson R, a home-grown watch brand that’s quietly making waves for its unique designs that reflect African identity.
He launched the business two years ago by importing and reselling personalised watches. But in recent weeks, he’s leapt into full production, which is designing and manufacturing the watches from scratch.
“I’ve always been a fan of timepieces. At first, I was just buying and customising them. But I wanted to do more, I wanted to create something that represented who we are.
“I include the Sotho, Swati and Zulu cultures, all of which are reflected in the details of my watches, from the engraved designs to the choice of names and materials. My goal is to tell African stories through accessories that are often overlooked in cultural fashion conversations.
“I don’t think our culture is represented enough in watches. You see it in fashion or beadwork, but not much in timepieces. I wanted to change that,” said Maseko.
The name Nelson R was inspired by Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. For Maseko, Mandela was someone he always looked up to, not just as a leader but as someone who stood for identity, pride and perseverance. “That’s the spirit I want my brand to carry,” he explained.
Each piece starts with a concept. Maseko sketches the design, considers its cultural symbolism and then moves to prototyping. He is hands-on with every part of the process ... from assembly to photography and social media marketing.
Long before he was designing African-inspired watches, Maseko was a curious boy in primary school who made a car out of scrap material and dreamt it would fly.
“I’ve always loved science and physics. I built a small car in primary school. I thought it would take off and fly, but it just kept moving forward. That’s when I realised maybe my gift is in making things that move people, not fly,” he said.
Today, he works with two people on a part-time basis, handling most of the operations solo.
Despite studying computer engineering and learning coding languages such as Python, Maseko said watchmaking gives him a different type of fulfilment. “Not everyone wants to be behind a desk. I enjoy creating with my hands, seeing the final product come to life,” he said.
His business journey hasn’t been easy, especially when it comes to access to funding and support. But he remains optimistic, building his brand one design at a time.
Maseko’s ultimate goal is to grow Nelson R into a brand that stands out for its storytelling and craftsmanship. For him, it is not about luxury. It is about identity and wants people to wear a piece of who they are on their wrist.
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