NAVA HOROLOGY · SINCE 2011
A Workshop Built on
Patience and Precision
We opened to serve owners who want their watches handled with care — not speed, not volume. That has not changed.
← Back to HomeOUR STORY
How Nava Horology Came to Be
Nava Horology opened in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok in 2011. The workshop grew out of a personal frustration — a Seiko bought in the early 1990s that spent two years passed between repair shops, each one too busy to look at it carefully. When it was finally returned by the third shop, it kept worse time than when it went in.
That experience shaped the approach here. The workshop takes on a limited number of watches at any given time so that each piece can be examined properly. An assessment is never rushed. If the watchmaker is not confident of a correct result, they will say so rather than proceed.
Over the years the work has broadened to include vintage and collectible timepieces — pieces from the post-war decades through to the early quartz era that tend to fall between the specialised services offered by brand boutiques and the general repair shops that handle everything. These watches require patience and a willingness to source correct parts, sometimes over weeks or months. Nava Horology was built to do exactly that.
The workshop is on Phra Sumen Road, a short walk from Khao San Road and close to the old city. Owners are welcome to visit — by appointment, so that time can be set aside for a proper conversation about the watch.
Our Purpose
To handle fine and collectible watches with the attention they deserve — neither hurried nor heavy-handed — and to be honest with owners about what we find and what we recommend.
How We Work
Every watch that arrives is individually logged on receipt, assessed under magnification, and kept secure throughout the time it is with us. Nothing is started without the owner's agreement. All recommendations are put in writing before any work begins.
Where We Are
219 Phra Sumen Road, Bowon Niwet, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200. By appointment: Monday to Friday, 10:00–18:00. Saturday, 10:00–15:00.
THE PEOPLE
The Workshop Team
A small group, deliberately so. Each person who touches a watch here is someone who understands what they are handling.
Kriangsak Poonprasert
HEAD WATCHMAKER
Trained at the Watchmaking Institute of Thailand and further apprenticed in Chiang Mai under a Swiss-trained tutor. Works primarily on vintage mechanical movements and complex pocket watches.
Nattaya Siriporn
WATCHMAKER
Specialises in Japanese movements from the 1960s to the 1990s, with particular interest in Seiko and Citizen calibres. Responsible for water resistance testing and rate regulation.
Waraporn Aumcharoen
CLIENT LIAISON
Manages all client communication from first enquiry to collection. Ensures every written report is clear, and that owners are fully informed of condition findings before any decision is made.
OUR STANDARDS
How Each Watch Is Cared For
These are not policies written for display — they describe actual workshop practice, applied to every watch we receive.
Individual Logging on Arrival
Each watch is photographed and recorded on arrival, noting condition, case markings, and any visible damage. This record travels with the watch throughout the process.
Assessment Under Magnification
All movement inspection is performed under stereo magnification. Nothing about the condition of the calibre is left to assumption or visual estimate from the outside.
Secure Storage Throughout
Watches are kept in individual, labelled storage when not on the bench. The workshop is locked outside operating hours, and watches are not left unattended during working time.
Written Reports Before Work Begins
A written summary of findings and recommended work is provided to the owner before any service proceeds. The report is factual and free of pressure.
Water Resistance Testing
Where a watch has water resistance claims, this is tested using a dry pressure tester before reassembly and again at completion. Results are noted in the service record.
Rate Measurement at Completion
Before any watch is returned, the rate is measured in multiple positions using a timing machine. Results are recorded and shared with the owner alongside the service documentation.
Craft, Context, and the Long View
Mechanical watchmaking is a discipline that rewards patience. The movements found in fine timepieces — whether a Swiss lever escapement from the 1950s or a Japanese automatic from the 1980s — were designed to be serviced, and they repay careful attention with decades of reliable running. What they do not respond well to is hurry or inattention.
At Nava Horology the workshop is kept deliberately small so that each watch receives the time it needs. When a movement comes in, it is assessed fully before a decision is made about what to do. Sometimes the answer is very little — a light clean, fresh lubricants, and a regulation. Sometimes a more substantial repair is necessary. In every case, the owner is told clearly what was found and what is proposed before work begins.
For vintage and collectible watches, the emphasis is on preservation rather than restoration to a showroom appearance. A watch that has been worn for forty years carries marks that are part of its history. The aim is to bring it back to reliable mechanical function while keeping that character intact. Heavy case polishing, incorrect replacement dials, and non-original crowns all reduce collector value. Nava Horology avoids these interventions unless the owner specifically requests them and is aware of the implications.
Parts sourcing for vintage calibres takes time. The correct stem, setting lever spring, or balance complete for a 1962 movement is not always immediately available in Bangkok. The workshop maintains contacts with parts suppliers in Japan, Switzerland, and Germany, and will source the correct part rather than substitute an approximate one. This adds to the timeline but protects the integrity of the watch.
If you own a watch that you value — whether for monetary, sentimental, or historical reasons — Nava Horology offers a place where it will be considered as the object it is, not processed through a workshop as a number on a repair order.
NEXT STEPS
Ready to Discuss Your Watch?
An initial conversation costs nothing. Tell us about the watch and we will let you know whether we are the right people to help — and on what terms.
Enquire Now