Advantages You Can Point to Before You Leave
Most workshops are competent. Fewer are consistent. Here is what pendulaf does differently, plainly described.
Back to HomeSix Reasons This Workshop Works Differently
Single Watchmaker
One person handles your watch from intake through to collection — no hand-offs between technicians, no re-briefing between stages.
Fixed Pricing
Service rates are stated before work begins. They do not change based on how difficult the job turns out to be, unless the scope has changed and you have agreed to it.
Documented Process
Mechanical service and restoration customers receive a written condition report. Restoration work also includes a photographic record of the movement at key stages.
Real Turnaround Times
Timing observations are not compressed to reduce turnaround. If a movement needs four days across positions to confirm regulation, it gets four days.
Minimum Intervention
Case work on vintage pieces is kept to what is mechanically necessary. Cosmetic changes, including polishing, are carried out only on explicit request.
Parts Sourcing Network
For vintage restoration, components are sourced from suppliers in Thailand, Japan, and Europe. We do not substitute modern parts where period-correct equivalents are obtainable.
Bench Experience Across a Range of Calibres
The watchmaker at pendulaf has worked on movements across Swiss and Japanese manufacture, from the Eta and Miyota families to less-common calibres found in mid-century European pieces. The work has been carried out across workshops in Thailand and abroad over more than a decade of full-time practice.
- Swiss and Japanese calibres serviced regularly
- Complications including date, day-date, and small seconds
- Vintage movements from the 1940s through the 1980s
- Honest assessment given when a piece is outside scope
Proper Equipment, Used Correctly
pendulaf uses purpose-made watchmaking tools — ultrasonic cleaning equipment, optical timing machines, and a range of manufacturer-recommended lubricants. Equipment is maintained and calibrated. Timing measurements are recorded, not estimated.
- Ultrasonic cleaning for movement components
- Optical timing machine — rate recorded in writing
- Manufacturer-specified lubricants by application point
- Water-resistance tester used on every resealed case
Kept Informed, Not Kept Waiting
Progress updates are sent at each significant stage without needing to be requested. If something unexpected is found during disassembly, the owner is contacted before any additional work proceeds. Collection is arranged at a mutually convenient time.
Rates That Reflect the Work, Not the Brand Name
Battery replacement is priced at ฿4,400, mechanical full service at ฿17,500, and vintage restoration at ฿34,500. These are complete rates for the named service. Parts required beyond standard consumables are discussed separately before sourcing.
What the Watch Looks Like When It Comes Back
A serviced mechanical piece should leave the workshop running within acceptable variance across positions, with fresh lubrication on all friction surfaces, a clean movement, and a sealed case. A restored vintage piece should be mechanically sound, with its patina and original finishing intact unless otherwise agreed.
Typical Workshop vs pendulaf
| Feature | Typical Service Centre | pendulaf |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed, upfront pricing | ||
| Same person handles intake to collection | ||
| Written condition report included | ||
| Full timing observation before sign-off | ||
| Patina preserved by default | ||
| Period-correct parts sourced for vintage work | ||
| Owner contacted before additional scope added |
What You Will Not Find Elsewhere
Photographic Movement Record
For restoration work, each stage of disassembly and reassembly is photographed. The complete set is provided at collection — a record of what was done, in the order it was done.
Pre-work Condition Assessment
Before any disassembly, the movement is examined and its condition recorded. This assessment is shared with the owner — useful for insurance purposes, estate administration, or simply knowing what condition the piece was in before it was opened.
Original Parts Retained
Removed parts — worn gaskets, old cells, replaced components — are kept until collection. Owners may inspect them, or simply take them away. Nothing is discarded without the owner having had the opportunity to see it.
Direct Communication
All correspondence is with the person doing the work. There is no reception desk, no relay through a customer service function, and no waiting for a technician's notes to be relayed by someone who did not read the movement themselves.
Workshop Milestones
12+
Years of bench practice
840+
Pieces serviced
60+
Calibres worked on
3
Countries of workshop experience
WOSTEP Foundation Certificate
Watchmaking theory and movement-specific training, completed 2013
Thailand Watch Collectors' Association
Recognised independent service provider, listed since 2019
Chiang Mai Craft Trades Directory
Listed under precision instrument repair, Chiang Mai 2022
Bring the Watch In and We Will Take it From There
An initial enquiry costs nothing. Describe the piece and what you have noticed, and we will give you an honest view of what the work involves before you commit.
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