Watches Returned
in Good Order

The Situation

The owner, a retired railway engineer from Lampang, brought in a manual winder issued to his father during service on the Northern Line. It had not run since the early 1990s. The mainspring was fatigued, the balance wheel jewels were dry, and there was light surface corrosion on the movement plate. The dial, however, was in good condition.

What We Did

After assessment and a written plan, we cleaned and rebuilt the movement, replacing the mainspring and worn jewels. The corrosion was treated carefully to avoid further spread. No attempt was made to retouch or refinish the dial — the owner specifically wanted the age to show. A replacement crystal was sourced to match the original style.

The Outcome

The watch was returned running within ±15 seconds per day — acceptable for a piece of this age and construction. The owner wore it to his granddaughter's graduation the following month. Timeline: six weeks from receipt to return.

"I didn't think it could be made to run again. I'm glad to have been wrong."

The Situation

A local pharmacist brought in a Japanese automatic that had been on her wrist almost every day for three decades. The case and bracelet were heavily scratched — particularly on the polished centre links — but the movement was still running, if slowly.

What We Did

We carried out both services. The movement was cleaned and lubricated, rate regulated. The case and bracelet were refinished — brushed surfaces restored as brushed, polished bevels re-polished — with her agreement on each surface before starting. Three bracelet links had deep scratches that couldn't be entirely removed; we discussed this before proceeding.

The Outcome

Returned looking substantially tidier and keeping time within ±8 seconds per day. The three links were noted on the return paperwork. Total timeline: three weeks. The client returned the following year for a routine maintenance check.

The Situation

An expat architect living in Chiang Mai brought in a Swiss automatic he'd purchased in 2019 and worn daily since. He'd noticed it running about 45 seconds fast each day. No other issues — the case was in good condition.

What We Did

Standard maintenance: movement removed, cleaned, re-lubricated, balance regulation adjusted. We noted that one of the dial feet showed a hairline crack that wasn't affecting anything — flagged in the condition notes in case it progresses in future.

The Outcome

Running at ±3 seconds per day after service. Returned in under two weeks. The dial foot note was appreciated — he said other shops had never mentioned anything about condition beyond the immediate job.