Our Story
Small workshop.
Long attention span.
Cogwheel was built around the idea that a watch repaired carefully once is better than one rushed through twice.
← Back to HomeWho We Are
Founded on Sathorn Road
Cogwheel opened in Bangkok's Silom district after its founder spent several years as a movement technician at a Swiss-trained service centre in Chiang Mai. The move south was deliberate — Sathorn Road draws a steady mix of residents, business travellers, and long-term expats who carry watches worth caring for.
The workshop handles three areas of work: quartz servicing, crystal and seal replacement, and full mechanical rebuilds. Each sits at a different level of complexity, but all follow the same principle — nothing starts without the owner's full picture of what's involved.
Bangkok's humidity is hard on gaskets and lubricants. A watch that ran fine in a drier climate may begin losing time or admitting moisture within a season here. Much of our daily work involves pieces that arrived in good shape and simply need attention appropriate to the environment.
Our Mission
Quiet craftsmanship, honestly priced
Cogwheel exists to serve people who want their watches looked after without ceremony or opacity. No inflated estimates, no unexplained parts, no waiting weeks to be told what we already knew on day two.
Each service produces a written record — what was found, what was done, and anything the owner should watch for. A watch returned without documentation is a watch we haven't finished.
Core Values
- Inform before you act
- Price according to work, not expectation
- Return each piece in better order than received
- Keep records that are actually useful
The People
Who works on your watch
Niran Kositchai
Head Technician
Trained in mechanical movement service over fourteen years. Handles all full rebuilds and regulation work, with a particular interest in vintage Swiss automatics.
Patchara Wongsawat
Workshop Assistant
Manages quartz servicing, battery work, and crystal replacements. Also handles intake assessments and keeps the parts inventory current.
Suda Lertpanich
Client Liaison
The first person most clients speak with. Coordinates collection, keeps owners updated on progress, and ensures every returned piece has its paperwork in order.
Standards
How we approach the work
Consistent protocols on every job — regardless of price bracket or brand.
Calibre-Specific Tools
Correct-width screwdrivers, movement holders, and oiling tools matched to each movement family. No improvised substitutes on parts that can't be replaced easily.
Correct Lubricants
Watch oils degrade and separate. We use graded lubricants for each friction point — thin oils for escapements, heavier compounds for keyless works.
Timing Machine Checks
Every regulated movement is tested on a timing machine across multiple positions. Results accompany the watch as part of its service record.
Moisture Resistance Check
After any gasket replacement, cases are pressure-tested where the design permits. Bangkok's climate makes this step especially worthwhile.
Written Condition Reports
Every watch leaves with a note of what was done and anything worth monitoring. A record today saves guesswork at the next service.
Owner Privacy
Watch details and contact information are held only as long as the job requires. Nothing is shared with third parties for marketing or any other purpose.
Craft & Context
Watch servicing in Bangkok's humidity
Bangkok sits at roughly 60–80% relative humidity through most of the year. For a sealed quartz module, that figure is largely irrelevant — provided the gaskets are fresh. For a mechanical movement, the same humidity, combined with rapid changes in air-conditioned interiors, creates cycles of expansion and contraction that stress lubricants and seals over time.
A movement that was serviced in a dry European workshop and brought to Bangkok should ideally be re-sealed within a year or two. The oils used in a northern European winter are lighter than what performs well in tropical conditions. Cogwheel's technicians account for this when selecting lubricants for locally used pieces.
Crystal fitting in Bangkok is a small but regular specialty. Sapphire crystals resist scratching but are brittle under point impact — motorcycle mirrors, door handles, and the edges of laptops claim more than a few each year. Mineral glass scratches more readily but absorbs knocks with less risk of fracture. Discussing the right material for a specific use is part of every crystal consultation at the workshop.
Full rebuilds are less common but remain the heart of the work. A movement that has run dry — losing ten or more seconds a day and showing inconsistent amplitude on the timing machine — needs strip, clean, and oil before it will perform reliably again. Cogwheel handles this work on a broad range of calibres, from common Japanese automatics to Swiss lever escapements in vintage dress watches.
Next Step
Bring your watch in for a look.
No commitment needed at first contact — we're happy to assess and advise before any work begins.
Get in Touch