Our Workshop
Rooted in craft,
guided by patience.
Mongkol has been a part of Chiang Mai's watchmaking community for nearly two decades — a small workshop that values the conversation before the service.
Our Story
How Mongkol began
Mongkol opened its doors on Ratchadamnoen Road in 2006, occupying a quiet corner of Si Phum that felt fitting for the kind of work we intended to do. The name — a word carrying a sense of auspiciousness in Thai — reflected an honest aspiration: that every watch which passed through the workshop would leave in a better condition than it arrived.
The workshop was established by a watchmaker who had spent years learning his craft under the guidance of an older Swiss-trained technician in Bangkok. When he returned to his home city of Chiang Mai, he brought with him a methodology shaped by two principles: assess honestly, and do only what is necessary.
Over the years, Mongkol developed a particular familiarity with vintage dress watches — the slim, hand-wound movements of the 1950s and 1960s that require patience and sourced parts rather than speed and catalogue orders. That reputation drew clients from across northern Thailand and, gradually, from further afield.
Today the workshop continues with the same measured approach. We are a small team; we take on a considered number of pieces at a time; and we believe that the relationship with a client — the conversation about the watch's history and what they hope to preserve — is as important as the technical work itself.
What Guides Us
Our values in practice
Honesty First
If a watch does not need a full overhaul, we say so. Our assessment process exists to give you an accurate picture — not to suggest more work than is warranted.
Unhurried Work
We give each watch the time it deserves. Our turnaround windows are realistic — set to allow proper work, not to meet artificial speed targets that compromise quality.
Your Involvement
We discuss discoveries with you mid-service. The decision to proceed always rests with you. We see our clients as partners in the care of their timepieces, not as passive recipients.
The Team
Who works on your watch
Somchai Pratheep
Master Watchmaker
Trained in Bangkok under a Swiss-certified technician, Somchai founded Mongkol in 2006. He specialises in vintage hand-wound calibres and leads all Fine Restoration work.
Nattaporn Kaewtip
Movement Technician
Nattaporn has worked at Mongkol since 2014, focusing on Complete Overhaul services for automatic movements. She handles timing regulation and gasket renewal with particular care.
Wichai Panyarat
Case & Dial Finisher
Wichai's background in traditional metalwork gives him a steady hand for case refinishing — preserving original brushed and polished surfaces while attending to surface wear with discretion.
How We Work
Standards we hold to
Dedicated Cleaning Equipment
Movement parts are cleaned using ultrasonic and rinse equipment maintained for watchwork specifically — no shared use with other workshop tools.
Climate-Conscious Storage
Watches awaiting or completing service are stored in a controlled-humidity environment — important in Chiang Mai's seasonal climate shifts.
Service Documentation
All work is recorded in writing — parts replaced, timing achieved, observations noted. A summary is provided to each client on collection.
No Sub-Contracting
Work is carried out entirely within our workshop. Your watch is not forwarded to a third party at any stage. This is a firm policy, not an aspiration.
Client Communication Protocol
We contact you if anything unexpected is found. No additional work is undertaken without your knowledge and agreement — ever.
Timing Tested Across Positions
For overhaul and restoration services, timing performance is checked in multiple positions — dial up, dial down, crown up — before the watch is considered complete.
Our Expertise
Mechanical watchwork in northern Thailand
Chiang Mai has long been a city where traditional crafts are taken seriously — and Mongkol sits within that tradition. Our focus is entirely on mechanical and automatic watches: movements with springs, levers, wheels, and escapements that require physical disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication to function as intended. We do not service quartz movements or digital timepieces.
The mechanical watch community in Thailand has grown considerably over the past decade, with more collectors and daily wearers seeking workshops that can work on older European and Japanese calibres alongside contemporary pieces. Mongkol has responded to this by building a parts network across the region and maintaining a library of technical documentation for calibres spanning several decades.
Our Fine Restoration service draws particular interest from clients who have inherited watches — pieces with family significance that have sat unworn for years. We are experienced in assessing the condition of movements that have been stored in variable conditions, identifying what has dried or corroded, and determining whether full restoration is warranted or whether a simpler refresh is appropriate.
We work with both local clients who visit in person and with clients from Bangkok, Phuket, and abroad who ship their watches to us. All transit arrangements and insurance questions are discussed before any watch leaves or arrives — we try to make the process as straightforward as possible from the first contact.
Ready to Begin
Bring your watch to us
A conversation costs nothing and we are always willing to take a look before committing to any path. Visit us on Ratchadamnoen Road, Monday to Saturday.
Contact the Workshop