Ross Chapman learnt his craft in London, surrounded by the history and tradition of British watchmaking, but these days his work takes place thousands of miles away in a city better known for movie premieres, NBA games and Hollywood glamour.
The journey from London to Los Angeles has seen Chapman become an internationally acclaimed watchmaker and an increasingly familiar name among high profile clients across America.
He is now working on watches belonging to people at the very top of their respective industries, including Grey’s Anatomy actor James Pickens Jr. and NBA stars.
For Ross, however, the story starts long before Hollywood.
Learning the craft in London
London is where Chapman learnt the fundamentals of watchmaking and developed the technical skills that have become the foundation of his career.
It is an industry where patience matters. There are no shortcuts when you are dealing with tiny components, complicated movements and watches that can be worth enormous sums of money.
Over the years, Ross built his reputation by doing what good watchmakers do best: understanding the mechanics, paying attention to the smallest details and taking pride in getting things right.
That reputation eventually travelled far beyond London.
A new life in LA
Moving to Los Angeles opened another chapter.
The city has brought Ross into contact with an entirely different clientele, including actors, athletes and collectors who have some very serious watches in their collections.
Having someone they trust to look after those watches is important, and Chapman has become increasingly sought after for exactly that reason.
There is also something quite striking about the journey itself.
A British watchmaker who learnt his trade in London is now working in Los Angeles, surrounded by the very people whose names regularly appear on cinema screens, television sets and sports broadcasts.
It is a long way from where it all began.
More than fixing watches
Perhaps one of the clearest signs of Ross’s standing in the industry came recently when he travelled to Texas to teach students training to become watchmakers.
It is one thing to be good at your profession. It is another to be trusted to teach the people who will eventually become the next generation of professionals.
Ross has become a leader in his field while still being young enough to remember what it was like starting out himself.
That has made passing on his knowledge particularly important to him.
Flying the flag for British watchmaking
There are watchmakers all over the world, but Ross Chapman represents something increasingly rare: a young British craftsman taking a traditional profession and building an international career around it.
From repairing watches in London to working on timepieces belonging to Hollywood stars and NBA players, his career has already taken him a long way.
And perhaps the most interesting part is that the story is still being written.
Ross Chapman came to Los Angeles with the skills he developed in London.
Now, he is building a name of his own in a city where there is certainly no shortage of stars.
