Our Approach
What You Can Expect When You Trust Us with Your Watch
Clear communication, careful hands, fair costs confirmed upfront. Here is what the Lanna Wela approach means in practice.
Back to HomeAt a Glance
Six Things That Matter to Us
Plain-Spoken Communication
We describe what we find and what we plan to do in clear, everyday language. Questions are welcome at every step and never treated as an inconvenience.
Costs Agreed Before Work Starts
Nothing proceeds without your knowledge and approval. We confirm what the work involves and what it costs, then wait for your go-ahead.
Work Done at the Right Pace
Fine watchwork benefits from patience. We do not rush pieces through the bench to meet a quota. Each timepiece gets the time it actually needs.
Service Warranty on Movements
Movement services include a warranty. If something needs revisiting within the warranty period as a result of our work, we attend to it at no added cost.
Originality Respected
We do not refinish, polish, or alter original surfaces without explicit agreement. The character that makes an older watch interesting is treated as something worth keeping.
Progress Updates Along the Way
Particularly for longer restoration work, we share gentle updates so you are never left wondering what is happening with your piece.
In More Detail
What Each Benefit Means in Practice
Experienced Hands on Mechanical Movements
The watchmaker at Lanna Wela has worked on mechanical movements for well over a decade. This means familiarity with a wide range of calibres — Swiss lever, cylinder, and various automatic designs — as well as older Japanese movements that can be less well-documented. Experience matters in this work because the consequences of an incorrect procedure are not always immediately obvious; they may emerge weeks later as erratic timekeeping or accelerated wear.
- Broad experience across Swiss and Japanese mechanical movements
- Comfortable with older, less-documented calibres
- Timing machine verification after every service
What this means for your watch
A movement that has been properly disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated by someone who knows its calibre well is far more likely to run accurately and reliably than one hastily turned around. We take the time to understand what we are working with before we begin, and we do not proceed if we encounter something outside our competence.
What this means for your experience
You will never receive a call telling you that work has been done and a bill is waiting. Before anything is started, we discuss what we have found, what we propose, and what it will cost. You can ask questions, take time to decide, or simply decline — and we will store your piece safely until you are ready to collect it.
Pricing and Process Agreed in Advance
We believe that the person who owns a watch should be the one deciding what happens to it. That requires having full information — what condition the movement is in, what the proposed work involves, what it will cost, and how long it will take. We share all of this before lifting a tool, and we do not add to the agreed scope without coming back to you first.
- Assessment shared and discussed before any work begins
- No unilateral additions to scope or cost
- Written assessment for restorations
Fair Pricing for Careful Work
Our service prices reflect the actual time, materials, and skill that thorough watchwork requires. A movement service priced at ฿4,500 covers disassembly, ultrasonic cleaning, fresh lubrication, reassembly, and timing regulation — not a quick clean and recase. The price is published so there are no surprises, and it is confirmed with you before the work starts.
- Published prices for all three services
- No hidden extras — any additions discussed and agreed first
- Prices reflect genuine scope, not a minimum entry point
Our service pricing
- Movement Service & Clean ฿4,500
- Crystal Replacement ฿7,700
- Full Vintage Restoration ฿14,700
All prices confirmed with owner before work commences.
How We Compare
Lanna Wela vs. Typical Repair Options
| Feature | Typical Repair Shops | Lanna Wela |
|---|---|---|
| Cost confirmed before work begins | ||
| Progress updates during work | ||
| Movement timing verified and recorded | Sometimes | |
| Written assessment for restorations | ||
| Original surfaces preserved unless agreed otherwise | Varies | |
| Service warranty on movement work | Rarely | |
| Honest about what falls outside competence | Not always |
What Sets Us Apart
Things You Will Not Find Everywhere
A Written Plan for Every Restoration
For full vintage restorations, we produce a written assessment and plan that covers what we have found, what we propose, the expected cost, and a realistic timeframe. This is agreed with you before any work begins and serves as the reference throughout.
A Dedicated Client Liaison
One person handles all communication with owners throughout the repair or restoration process. This means consistent, reliable updates and a single point of contact for any questions — not a different voice each time you call.
We Say When We Cannot Help
If a piece falls outside what we can take on well — whether due to the calibre, the condition, or the type of work required — we say so honestly and, where we can, suggest where it might be looked at instead. We would rather refer than do poor work.
No Photos Without Permission
We do not photograph pieces in our care for social media, portfolios, or promotional use without the explicit consent of the owner. Your timepiece and your decision to have it serviced are private matters.
Our Record
Milestones and Recognitions
14+
Years of mechanical watch experience
400+
Timepieces serviced or restored
97%
Owners satisfied with the finished work
3
Specialist services, each done properly
Member — Thai Horological Association
Professional membership affirming standards in mechanical watchwork across Thailand.
Certified Watchmaking Technician
Technical certification in mechanical movement servicing and repair.
Highly Rated — Chiang Mai Workshop Directory 2024
Recognised among the recommended repair and restoration specialists in northern Thailand.
Ready to Talk About Your Watch?
An initial conversation is free and comes with no obligation. Tell us about your piece and we can let you know what we think is involved.
Get in Touch