About Us

Welcome to Rapha Watches, an inspiring journey of passion, determination and achievement in the world of watches. I am Raphael Xavier, founder of Rapha Watches and a watch enthusiast, born and raised in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. My journey with watches began at the age of 12, when my father shared with me his passion for these fascinating pieces of engineering and art.

In 2015, at the age of 12, I received my first wristwatch, a Citizen JP1060, as a gift from my father. This moment marked the beginning of a journey that would shape my future and my career. Fascinated by the complexity and beauty of watches, I dove headfirst into this world, absorbing knowledge and developing a passion that would become the core of my life.

At the age of 15, in 2018, I took my first steps into the professional world, working at a cell phone repair shop. With dedication and effort, I started saving money, and my first investment was in another watch, marking the beginning of my own collection. Over time, I realized the opportunity to share my passion with others and began reselling and giving away watches to friends and family.

However, it was in 2020, during the pandemic, that my entrepreneurial journey began to take shape. I found myself working as a delivery driver, cycling through the streets of Belo Horizonte during the day, at night, and even into the early hours of the morning. Each delivery was one step closer to realizing my dream of expanding my watch business.

That's when I had the idea to create Rapha Watches, an online store on Instagram. At first, sales were modest, with only 1 or 2 watches sold per month, and in some months, none at all. But my determination was unwavering. During this time, a supplier became more than a business partner; he became a friend who trusted me and helped me grow, offering me watches with payment terms.

In 2022, I made a life-changing decision: I decided to move to Europe with my partner. Despite the move, my passion for watches never diminished. On my second day on European soil, I sold two limited edition watches, marking the beginning of a new phase in my entrepreneurial journey.

In 2024, we took an important step in our journey: we opened our commercial space in Portugal and became an official authorized Citizen agent. This milestone consolidates our commitment to offering customers not only the best products, but also excellent service, directly from one of the most iconic brands in the watch world.

Today, at Rapha Watches, we are proud to have shipped over 3,500 watches to all over Brazil and several other countries. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction is what drives us. We are always looking for improvements and value our customers’ feedback to ensure that everyone has an exceptional experience with our products and services.

Join us at Rapha Watches and be part of this exciting journey, where each watch tells a unique story of style, passion and adventure.