Both of Irish origin, Gráinne and Cormac Hanley live in Annecy and have been in France for 15 years. They have dual Franco-Irish nationality. They created their watch brand 47ZERO in 2023. Cormac designs and assembles the watches himself. The name was chosen following an event that changed Cormac’s life in 2017. He had a stroke and had to learn to walk and talk again. At 47, he was ‘reset to zero’, and that’s how 47ZERO was born. The spirit of this wonderful project is to turn the negative into the positive!

The watches are produced in small series – a rarity compared to established brands. They are not intended for a mass market. Generally, most of the competitors are either watch designers or watchmakers. With a background in design and photography, but also having trained as a watchmaker in Annecy-le-Vieux, at La Passerelle,  Cormac is also now familiar with the workings and mechanics of the back end of the watches. He combines the two skills (designer AND watchmaker), enabling him to offer customers a one-of-a-kind product.

In addition to designing and assembling the watches, (which are made using Swiss movements) the dials are handcrafted using the latest technologies and innovative materials and finished by hand. Cormac employs a unique process for engraving, resulting in slight imperfections that enhance the individuality and value of each piece.