A workshop built around the work, not the volume.
Mainspring opened on Silom Road as a single-bench operation. That hasn't changed — and it isn't meant to.
Back to HomeHow Mainspring came to be.
Mainspring was started by Khun Ariya Suwan, a Bangkok-born watchmaker who trained in Switzerland and spent a decade working across service centres in Geneva and Zurich. When he returned to Thailand in 2016, he found that owners of mechanical watches had few options between sending a watch abroad — at significant cost and time — and leaving it with a general repair shop that might do more harm than good.
The workshop opened at 89/3 Silom Road with a straightforward idea: carry out the same quality of bench work that was standard in Europe, but for owners in Bangkok. The name comes from the mainspring — the coiled steel ribbon inside a mechanical movement that stores and releases energy. It felt right for a workshop whose work is quiet, tensioned, and unhurried.
We keep the appointment list manageable. Each watch receives time on the bench rather than being processed in batches. When Khun Ariya takes in a watch for overhaul, it stays with him through every stage: disassembly, cleaning, inspection, re-lubrication, reassembly, and the final timing checks that confirm it's running as it should.
The workshop serves owners throughout Bangkok — Thai nationals, long-term expats, and visitors who have been recommended to us. Our language at the bench is English and Thai. The record-keeping is precise, and the conversations about what a watch needs are as plain as we can make them.
What We Are
- A single-bench mechanical watch workshop in Bang Rak, Bangkok
- Appointments only — we don't accept walk-in drop-offs without prior arrangement
- Focused on mechanical and automatic movements; no quartz, no smartwatches
- Three core services: strap work, regulation, and full overhaul
- Written records provided at every service stage
What We Value
- Honesty about what a watch needs — even when that means recommending against expensive work
- Precision that comes from taking time rather than cutting it
- Keeping a watch's original character intact wherever possible
- Pricing that reflects the actual work rather than the brand on the dial
The bench team.
Ariya Suwan
Principal Watchmaker
Swiss-trained, Bangkok-based. Over fifteen years at the bench, with experience on Swiss and German calibres including chronographs and annual calendars.
Nattaya Prasert
Workshop Assistant & Client Liaison
Handles scheduling, communications, and strap inventory. Nattaya keeps the appointment book running and ensures nothing falls through between drop-off and collection.
Wanchai Klinsong
Technician — Straps & Bracelets
Specialises in strap fitting, bracelet adjustment, and clasp work. Wanchai trained in precision metalwork and handles all bracelet link and pin replacement.
How we approach each piece.
Pre-Work Examination
Every watch is examined and discussed before any work is agreed. We note the watch's condition on intake and document what we find.
Timing Machine Verification
All regulation work is measured on a dedicated timing machine across multiple positions. Results are documented and provided in writing.
Correct Lubrication Practice
We use specific lubricants matched to each component — escapement oils, gear train greases, and mainspring lubricants — not a single multipurpose fluid.
Written Handover Records
At collection, every overhaul comes with a written record of parts replaced and a final timing report. Regulation appointments include a timing printout.
Secure Custody
Watches in our care are stored securely. Each piece is tagged and logged at intake. Access to the workshop is limited to staff only.
Follow-Up Protocol
Regulation appointments include a seven-day follow-up check at no additional charge. If further adjustment is needed after settling, we carry it out.
Mechanical watchmaking in Bangkok.
Bangkok has a long tradition of precision craft — jewellery making, goldsmithing, and fine metalwork have been practised here across generations. Mechanical watchmaking sits within that tradition. The work requires steady hands, well-maintained tools, and an understanding of how each calibre behaves at different stages of wear and lubrication.
A mechanical movement is a small ecosystem of components — balance wheel, hairspring, escapement, gear train, and mainspring working together within tolerances measured in microns. When one part is worn, dirty, or incorrectly lubricated, the effects show up in the timing. A watch that runs twelve seconds fast per day might only need regulation; one that runs erratically across positions often signals something more specific — a worn pivot, deteriorated oil, or a mainspring that has fatigued over years of winding cycles.
At Mainspring, we deal with these questions by looking carefully before acting. The strap service is the most straightforward appointment — an hour or two of bench work that refreshes how a watch sits on the wrist. Regulation and timing sits in the middle: diagnostic, measured, and precise. The full overhaul is the most involved — a process of weeks rather than days, covering every component in the movement.
We work on watches brought to us from across Bangkok and from clients who contact us before visiting Thailand. If you have a mechanical watch that hasn't been serviced for several years, or one that you've noticed running differently from how it used to, a bench appointment at Mainspring is the appropriate next step.
Come and see the workshop.
Appointments are by arrangement. Call us or use the contact form to describe your watch and we'll suggest the right service for it.
Book an Appointment