§ 01 — Why Chimely
What Considered Repair Actually Means
The differences between workshops are rarely visible in before-and-after photographs. They show up in the written assessment, in the parts retained, and in how steady the movement runs six months later.
← Back to Homepage§ 02 — Core Advantages
Six Reasons Owners Choose This Workshop
Written Assessment Upfront
Before any tool is picked up, the proposed scope of work is set out in writing. You know what will be done and what it will cost. No surprises at collection.
Work Done by One Pair of Hands
Your piece is assessed, repaired, and regulated by the same person from start to finish. No handoffs between technicians, no gaps in understanding what has already been done.
Patina and Character Respected
The workshop does not default to full refinishing when targeted work is what the piece needs. Originality is treated as worth keeping, not as a problem to be polished away.
Fixed Prices for Stated Services
Crystal polishing, dial refinishing, and pocket watch restoration are each priced at a fixed rate. If something beyond scope is found, you are contacted before work proceeds.
Regulated Across Positions
After restoration, movements are checked for consistent timekeeping in multiple positions. A watch that runs well only dial-up has not been properly attended to.
Displaced Parts Returned
Any original component removed during restoration is kept and returned with the piece. Provenance for future collectors and repairers is preserved.
§ 03a — Expertise
Over a Decade on the Bench
The watchmaker at Chimely has spent more than twelve years working on mechanical movements, with particular depth in antique pocket watches and complications. That time has not been spent in a single style of workshop — it includes production environments where speed was expected, and independent restoration work where accuracy was what mattered. The work done here draws on both.
- Repeater and calendar complication experience
- Antique pocket watch assessment and restoration
- Dial surface and colour-matching training
§ 03b — Process
A Systematic but Unhurried Method
Each repair follows a fixed sequence: receipt and initial inspection, written assessment to the owner, agreement on scope, bench work, regulation and checking, and return. No stage is skipped. For pocket watch and complication work, the sequence repeats at each movement station — each sub-assembly cleaned and checked before the next is opened.
- Documented condition on receipt
- Stage-by-stage progression for complex pieces
- Final regulation before return
§ 03c — Service
Communication Without Vagueness
Owners receive a written assessment before work starts and progress updates for longer pieces. If something unexpected is found, the workshop contacts you to discuss options before doing anything. At collection, a brief summary of what was done is provided — useful for your own records and for any future repairer who works on the piece.
- Written pre-work assessment always
- Progress updates for work over two weeks
- Summary of work at collection
§ 03d — Value
Pricing That Reflects Real Work
The three services offered here are priced to reflect what they actually require. Crystal polishing at ฿3,600, dial refinishing at ฿13,500, and pocket watch restoration at ฿31,000. These are not promotional figures — they are set at a level that allows the work to be done properly without compromise on parts, time, or method.
- No add-on charges within the stated scope
- Out-of-scope work discussed before it begins
- ฿ Thai Baht — no currency conversion needed
§ 04 — Comparison
How This Workshop Differs
| Aspect | Chimely | Typical Service Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Written assessment before work begins | ||
| Fixed price quoted upfront | ||
| Same technician from assessment to return | ||
| Original displaced parts returned | ||
| Regulated in multiple positions | ||
| Pocket watch and complication expertise | ||
| Work on older, antique calibres |
§ 05 — What Sets Us Apart
Distinctive to Chimely
Station-by-Station Documentation
For pocket watch and complication restoration, a brief log is kept at each stage of the work. At the end of restoration, this record is available to the owner — an account of what was found and what was done at each movement station.
Colour-Matched Dial Refinishing
Dial refinishing at Chimely uses colour-matching rather than standard stock finishes. Where a dial has a tone that has developed over decades, that tone is the reference — not a factory swatch.
Turnaround Times Quoted in Good Faith
The timelines stated for each service reflect real bench time, not an optimistic minimum. A one-to-two day window for crystal work and an eight-to-twelve week window for pocket watch restoration are what they say they are.
No Work Without Agreement
If the assessment reveals something beyond the stated scope, the workshop contacts the owner before doing anything further. Work beyond the original brief never proceeds without a second agreement.
§ 06 — Milestones
Workshop Record
Thai Horology Society
Associate member since 2017. Active participant in annual technical forums.
Precision Restoration Certificate
Awarded by the Southeast Asian Watchmakers Guild for complication restoration work, 2021.
320+ Pieces Returned
Over three hundred pieces returned to working condition since the workshop opened in Bangkok.
4.9 Average Rating
Collected from owner reviews across platforms over the past two years of operation.
§ 07 — Start Here
A Watch Worth Keeping Is Worth Repairing Well
Contact the workshop with a brief description of the piece and what you are hoping to have done. The response will be straightforward about whether the work is within scope and what it will involve.
Request an Assessment