Accounts from owners whose pieces have passed through the workshop — across dial work, crystal replacement, and heritage movement rebuilds.
Back to HomeBrought in a dress watch with a cracked acrylic crystal. The workshop matched a replacement that fitted cleanly — I had been concerned they would substitute something undersized. Collected it four days later. The water resistance test result was noted on the receipt, which I appreciated.
June 2025 — Crystal ReplacementMy father's old Longines needed more than I expected — several components had corroded through. The workshop contacted me before ordering parts from overseas and gave me an honest account of what it would involve. The dossier they produced at the end was detailed and well-presented. The job ran to about 14 weeks, which was within what they had indicated.
May 2025 — Heritage Movement RebuildThe written scope they provided before starting the dial work was more specific than I expected — it listed exactly which lume dots would be redone and which surface marks would be left as found. That level of care is not something I have encountered before. The piece reads much more clearly and still looks its age.
June 2025 — Dial and Hand RefinishingAsked about upgrading the mineral crystal on a watch I wear daily to sapphire. They confirmed the case profile would accept it and explained what was involved. Three days for the work. I notice the difference in clarity and it has held up well in the months since. Would return without hesitation.
May 2025 — Crystal Replacement (Sapphire)A good experience overall. The assessment was thorough and the written scope was clear on what could and could not be done given the state of the movement. One component had to be fabricated, which added some time, but this was flagged to me well before it became an issue. The dossier is a useful record to have.
April–June 2025 — Heritage Movement RebuildHad some of the lume on the hands restored. The scope document specified which hands would be reworked and which would be left alone, which gave me confidence they understood the brief. The result is consistent and the piece now reads clearly in low light. Took just under three weeks.
June 2025 — Dial and Hand RefinishingA pocket watch from approximately 1963, passed from grandfather to son, had not run for over twenty years. Corrosion to the mainspring was visible through the case back. Two pivot jewels were cracked and the barrel arbor was showing wear at the pivot ends. No spare parts were commercially available.
Full teardown, corrosion removal, replacement mainspring sourced from Swiss old-stock supplier (discussed with owner before ordering), arbor ends polished back to working diameter, cracked jewels replaced. Bridges refinished to original frosted finish. Reassembled with period-correct lubricants. Timing measured over 72 hours across five positions.
Movement running within ±15 seconds per day across positions. Owner received a 22-page bound dossier with photography at each disassembly stage and a written record of every component assessed, replaced, or left as found. Duration: 11 weeks.
"It runs now, which I had stopped expecting. The dossier is something I will keep with the watch permanently." — S.K., Butterworth
A 1970s Japanese watch with original acrylic crystal, heavily scratched from years of daily use. The owner wanted the watch to remain usable without extensive restoration. The original crystal profile was slightly domed — sourcing a match for a non-standard diameter was the main difficulty.
Original crystal removed, case tube inspected and found in good condition. A high-dome acrylic replacement sourced at correct diameter and height. Gasket renewed. Crystal fitted and bezel realigned. Water resistance tested to 50m equivalent. Completed in four working days.
Watch returned to daily-wear use with full clarity restored. Water resistance confirmed. Crystal profile matches the original appearance of the case closely. Owner returned six months later for the same service on a second watch.
"The correct profile made a difference I had not fully anticipated. It looks right, not just clear." — L.H., Penang
A dress watch from the mid-1950s with significant lume deterioration on the hands and several indices. The dial showed age marks consistent with the period and the owner was clear that these were to be retained. Only the lume was to be addressed.
Pre-work photography of all four sides of each hand and close-up of all indices. Scope document specified exactly which elements would receive new lume and which would not be touched. Hands lifted, degraded lume removed by hand, new lume applied to original profile. Dial surface wiped only with a dry pith stick where accessible, no chemical cleaning. Hands refitted with correct clearances verified.
Piece returned in three weeks. Hands legible in low light. Dial character retained entirely. Owner specifically noted that the agreed scope had been followed without deviation and that the photograph set was a useful reference against the pre-work state. Duration: 3 weeks.
"Every mark on the dial that was there before is still there. The lume reads again. That is exactly what I asked for." — P.M., George Town
Formal training in mechanical watch service and repair, with additional coursework in vintage movement diagnostics completed in Switzerland.
Listed practitioner through the Penang Heritage Trust craft registry programme within the George Town UNESCO Heritage Zone.
Member of the Malaysian Horology Society, maintaining connection with the collector and technician community across the region.
Contact the workshop to discuss your watch or to arrange an intake appointment. No charge for the initial assessment.
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