Our Workshop
Patience Is Part of the Process
Wela Mongkol was built around the idea that good repair work takes time, and that the person leaving their watch deserves to know exactly what is happening with it.
Back to HomeHow We Began
A Workshop Founded on Respect for the Craft
Wela Mongkol opened on Sukhumvit Soi 24 in 2008. The name — a combination of the Thai words for time and prosperity — was chosen deliberately: it points toward the relationship between patience and quality that drives everything we do here.
The workshop was started by Khun Anan Charoenphan, a watchmaker who had spent twelve years working with Swiss and Japanese movements at a repair centre in Chiang Mai before moving to Bangkok. He wanted a place where the work was done properly — not quickly — and where customers could talk directly with the person handling their watch.
Over the years the team has grown, but the approach has stayed the same. Every piece that comes in is treated as something worth caring for. That means thorough assessment, clear communication about what we find, and honest timelines.
Founded 2008
Seventeen years of consistent workshop practice on the same street, serving Bangkok residents and international visitors alike.
Direct Communication
The watchmaker you meet is the person who carries out the work. There is no intermediary between you and the bench.
Mechanical Focus
We work exclusively with mechanical and automatic movements — both vintage and modern — so our attention stays where our knowledge is deepest.
What We Stand By
Our Working Values
These are not slogans. They are the actual principles that shape how work is planned, carried out, and communicated at Wela Mongkol.
Transparency
We explain what we find, what the work involves, and what it costs — before we begin.
Careful Handling
Every watch is handled as though it has sentimental or financial significance — because it usually does.
Honest Timelines
We give realistic estimates and let you know promptly if anything changes. No unexplained delays.
Documentation
Written condition reports accompany completed work — a record of what was done and the state of the movement.
The People at the Bench
Our Team
Three watchmakers, each with their own area of depth. All focused on the same careful approach.
Anan Charoenphan
Founder & Master Watchmaker
Twenty-nine years working with mechanical movements, including twelve years with Swiss calibres in Chiang Mai. Leads complex heritage restoration work and oversees all technical assessments.
Pim Siriporn
Watchmaker — Servicing & Regulation
Specialises in movement servicing and regulation for automatic and hand-wound calibres. Trained in Thailand and Japan, with a particular interest in Japanese lever movements from the 1960s–1980s.
Nattawut Kasem
Watchmaker — Case & Crystal Work
Focuses on case refinishing, crystal work, and gasket services. Trained as a jeweller before transitioning to watchmaking, bringing careful finishing skills that preserve the original character of each piece.
How We Work
Standards & Protocols
The practices we follow on every job, regardless of size or complexity.
Intake Assessment
Every watch receives a documented intake check covering case condition, crystal, crown function, and a preliminary movement assessment before work begins.
Multi-Stage Ultrasonic Cleaning
Movement components pass through a four-stage ultrasonic cleaning process before reassembly, removing old lubricants fully without risk of residue contamination.
Timegrapher Regulation
All serviced movements are tested on a timegrapher across multiple positions. We aim for regulation within ±10 seconds per day for standard movements.
Secure Watch Storage
Watches in our care are kept in a locked, climate-aware storage area. Each piece is tagged individually and tracked from intake to collection.
Water-Resistance Testing
Where applicable, water resistance is checked after gasket renewal using a pressure gauge — not just visually assessed.
Written Condition Report
Every completed service is accompanied by a written record of findings and work carried out — a document worth keeping alongside the watch itself.
Watch Repair in Bangkok — What Careful Work Actually Means
Mechanical watches have hundreds of components, many of them smaller than a grain of rice. Keeping them running accurately over time requires periodic servicing — not because something has broken, but because lubricants dry out and gradually lose their properties. A movement that has gone ten or fifteen years without attention will typically run erratically and may develop wear in the escapement or keyless works.
At Wela Mongkol, servicing starts with disassembly and visual inspection under magnification. Each component is examined for wear, corrosion, or damage before cleaning begins. The mainspring is checked for fatigue. The escapement — the part of the movement that controls timekeeping — is assessed for end-shake and freedom of motion. If anything looks worn, we discuss it with you before sourcing parts.
Crystal and case work follows a similar discipline. A scratched mineral crystal is typically replaced rather than polished, since polishing changes the optical character of the glass and rarely removes deeper marks fully. Sapphire crystals can be polished in some cases, but the fit and seal integrity matters more than cosmetics. Case refinishing is done by hand where possible, to preserve chamfers and original surface textures that machine polishing would round off.
Heritage restoration is the most individual kind of work we do. An inherited Omega from the 1950s, a Seiko from the 1970s, or a Thai-market domestic movement from a Bangkok department store each presents its own parts situation and its own aesthetic decisions. We approach these projects in close consultation with the owner — because the watch belongs to you, and you should understand what is being done to it.
We Would Be Happy to Help
Come and See the Workshop
Walk-ins are welcome during opening hours, or send us a message and we will get back to you within one business day.
Get in Touch