A Workshop That Takes Its Time

Ruamjai was built around a straightforward idea: each watch deserves careful handling, clear communication, and an outcome that lasts.

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How Ruamjai Began

Ruamjai started as a small repair bench in Khlong Toei, Bangkok — a neighbourhood well-known for its mix of working families, small traders, and the quiet rhythm of daily life. The founder, Khun Wanchai, spent over a decade servicing watches for friends and local collectors before the workshop took its current form. The name Ruamjai — meaning "together at heart" in Thai — reflected the spirit he wanted to carry into every customer relationship.

From the beginning, the focus was not on volume but on doing each job thoroughly. A watch would arrive, be assessed honestly, and the owner would hear a clear account of what was found and what the options were. If the cost of repair made little sense for a particular piece, Wanchai would say so. That directness, more than anything else, built the workshop's reputation in the neighbourhood and eventually beyond it.

Today Ruamjai handles battery services, full mechanical overhauls, and heirloom restorations for watches from across Bangkok. The workshop remains small by choice. The team believes that a smaller load allows the right attention for each piece — and that the right attention is what watch owners actually need.

Our Approach

Before any work begins, the watch is examined under magnification and the movement's condition is assessed. The owner receives a summary of what we have found, a description of the service that would address it, and a clear price. We do not begin work until the customer has agreed to proceed.

During the service, if we encounter something unexpected — a worn part, a broken jewel, an earlier repair done with the wrong lubricant — we reach out before continuing. This adds a little time but avoids surprises at the end.

For heirloom and restoration work, the process is collaborative throughout. We keep notes on the decisions made, the parts retained, and the condition of the dial and case before and after. When the watch is returned, those records come with it.

The People Behind the Work

Wanchai Charoenwong

Lead Watchmaker

Over fifteen years working with mechanical and quartz movements. Handles full services, movement diagnostics, and restoration decisions.

Nattaya Sriwong

Case & Dial Specialist

Focuses on case and dial conservation for older pieces. Trained in surface treatment and careful handling of aged materials.

Prasit Limsakul

Customer Liaison

First point of contact for all enquiries. Coordinates assessment appointments, communicates progress updates, and handles collection.

Workshop Standards

The practices we hold to across every service, regardless of the watch's value or complexity.

Pre-Service Assessment

Every watch is examined before work begins. We document the condition on arrival and share our findings with the owner before proceeding.

Correct Lubrication

We use movement-grade lubricants appropriate to each calibre. Mismatched lubricants cause long-term wear; we do not use shortcuts here.

Timing Verification

After servicing a mechanical movement, timing is measured across multiple positions using a timing machine before the watch is cased up.

Water Resistance Testing

Where the watch is rated for water resistance, seals and gaskets are renewed and the case is pressure-tested before return.

Service Records

Restoration and full-service work is documented. The record of parts replaced, decisions made, and condition notes is kept and shared with the owner.

Safe Custody

Watches in our care are stored securely when not actively being worked on. We take the responsibility of holding someone's watch seriously.

Watch Repair in Bangkok — What Good Service Looks Like

Bangkok has no shortage of watch repair options, from department store kiosks to specialist ateliers. What varies considerably is how those services are conducted — how the movement is handled, which lubricants are used, whether timing is checked after reassembly, and whether the owner receives honest information about what their watch actually needs.

At Ruamjai, the approach is shaped by the understanding that a poorly serviced mechanical watch can come back in worse condition than it left — stripped threads, wrong lubricant, regulation that was never tested. We consider these risks in how we work, and we have designed our process around avoiding them rather than minimising time per job.

For quartz watches, the same care applies. A battery change that disturbs a corroded contact without cleaning it, or replaces a seal without testing water resistance, is a service that leaves problems in place. Our Battery & Care service addresses the whole picture, not just the part the customer asked about.

Heirloom restoration is the most sensitive area we work in. Older watches often carry family significance that has little to do with market value. We approach these pieces with a conservator's mindset — doing what is needed to make the watch function well, while leaving its character intact. The dial will not be refinished unless the owner requests it; the case will not be polished in a way that removes original finishing. When in doubt, we ask.

Ready to Discuss Your Watch?

We are happy to answer questions before you commit to anything. A short message or phone call is usually enough to get started.

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