By NIKKI COLLISTER
A good watch can last a lifetime, and beyond.
That’s the philosophy behind WatchCenter, the boutique watch and repair shop located at 2030 Union Street, near Fillmore. Business partners Filippo Meduri and Benjamin Chapman should know, since they’ve been working with watches for most of their lives.
“If you have a $2,000 watch, you want to take care of it,” says Meduri. “You don’t just buy another one — that’d be a waste.” That sentiment extends beyond luxury brands like Patek Philippe or Rolex. Most well-crafted timepieces can last decades if properly maintained.
A preference for longevity — and a family history of watchmaking — has made this Meduri’s life’s work.
He grew up immersed in the world of watchmaking. As a child in Sicily, he learned the craft by watching his grandfather repair watches. He later honed his skills at a private school in Switzerland. Eventually he made his way to America, seeking out his watchmaker uncle in the Bay Area. While his studies in Switzerland gave him important knowledge about the industry’s top brands, he credits his grandfather and uncle for teaching him almost everything he knows.
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Chapman picked up most of his skills on the job. His passion for classic watches began with the Swiss brand Omega, whose sophisticated watches have been making history for well over a century. NASA astronauts wore Omega watches when they first stepped foot on the moon, and Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932. Over the years he built up his collection, selling some watches and repairing others. “I’ve been learning by asking questions to watchmakers for at least 15 years,” he says.
The two met through a mutual friend.
“Benjamin likes to buy and sell watches, so we started to work together,” Meduri recalls. “He started selling watches for me, and then we decided to try a partnership.”
Their shop on Union Street has long been a destination for watch enthusiasts. Previously home to Marcello Watches & Repair for 20 years, Filippo bought the business in 2021 to continue the craft and dedication of its previous owner, who has since returned to Italy.
WatchCenter offers a wide range of services, from routine polishing and battery changes to water resistance testing and full-scale servicing, which involves carefully disassembling and cleaning each component, down to the smallest wheels and springs. If your grandfather’s vintage A. Lange & Söhne needs a new crystal or a fresh leather strap, they’ve got that, too.
The more craftsmanship that went into making the watch, the better they can service it. Unfortunately, not all watches are built with care in mind. Much like fast fashion, many watches are designed for obsolescence, with manufacturers banking on customers upgrading to the latest model when their old one fails.
Chapman enjoys working with all kinds of watches, so he finds it disappointing to be unable to replace the battery on a Swatch, which was designed to be unserviceable. “You can’t even get into those watches,” he says. “You’d have to break the case to get into it to put in a battery. Then you put a battery in, close it, and it doesn’t work any more.”
Inside the shop, the duo maintain an impressive inventory of spare parts for modern, vintage and specialty watches, built up through their years in the industry and their connections around the world. Equipped with precision tools and ultra-strong magnification devices, they perform almost all jobs in-house.
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WatchCenter’s success has inspired Meduri and Chapman to look into expanding their operations, if they are able to recruit the right talent. “It can be a challenge to find skilled watch repairers these days,” says Meduri. ”There is a very small quantity of people that do this job.”
Meanwhile, it’s the personal touch that keeps this small shop ticking. “There are so many unique and lovely people,” Meduri says, referring to both his customers and a wide network of watch enthusiasts. Compared to Italy, where jobs like his are much more transactional, he sees a unique sense of gratitude among his American customers. “Here, people enjoy paying you to repair things,” he says. “They say thank you like 200 times. You feel like you’re doing something nice.”
This article is part of a series produced by reThinkRepair, a grassroots group that has interviewed and photographed more than 40 local repair businesses since 2018.
Filed under: reThinkRepair
