Our company
A workshop built on patience and precision
Cogwise has been repairing and restoring timepieces in Bangkok's Bang Rak district since 2009. We work slowly, on purpose.
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Started on a bench, still run from one
Cogwise opened in 2009 when Somchai Rattanapha returned to Bangkok after completing a formal watchmaking programme in Switzerland. He had spent five years learning under experienced practitioners and wanted to bring that same considered approach to Thailand — not a quick-service counter, but a proper bench where each watch gets the time it needs.
The workshop found its home on Charoen Krung Road in Bang Rak, a part of Bangkok with a long connection to skilled trades and craft businesses. The location suited the ethos: unhurried, professional, and accessible to those who know what they're looking for.
Over the years, Cogwise has taken on work ranging from routine mechanical services for everyday wearers to delicate restorations of inherited pocket watches and early wristwatch movements. The client list covers private collectors, expatriates, and Bangkok residents who have heard about the workshop through word of mouth.
The team has grown from one to four, but the approach has not changed: every piece is assessed honestly, work is explained clearly, and timelines are agreed before anything is opened up.
Our approach in brief
Honest assessment first
We look at every watch before quoting. If we find that a simpler fix is sufficient, we say so.
Communication throughout
You hear from us if anything unexpected comes up during a service — before we proceed, not after.
Written record on return
Every watch comes back with a note covering what was done, what was replaced, and current condition.
One technician per watch
A single trained watchmaker handles each piece from intake to return — no handoffs mid-service.
The team
Experienced hands at every bench
Somchai Rattanapha
Founder & Head Watchmaker
Trained in Switzerland, Somchai leads all mechanical servicing and oversees vintage restoration projects. Seventeen years on the bench.
Naruemon Kanchana
Watchmaker — Mechanical
Specialises in automatic movements and timing adjustment. Joined Cogwise in 2015 after training at a Bangkok horological college.
Prapas Thaweesuk
Watchmaker — Quartz & Casework
Handles battery renewals, gasket work, and case preparation. Known for careful handling and a methodical approach to case refinishing.
Waranya Phromma
Client Liaison & Administration
Manages intake, written condition reports, and client communication. Waranya ensures paperwork and timelines stay clear throughout each job.
Standards
How we maintain quality
Formal watchmaking training
Our senior watchmakers completed accredited horological programmes — not informal on-the-job training. Foundations matter in precision work.
Ultrasonic and dry cleaning
Movement parts are cleaned using professional ultrasonic equipment and appropriate solvents — the same method used by authorised service centres.
Timing measurement on instrument
Each serviced mechanical movement is tested on a timing machine and adjusted to within acceptable daily rate variance before return.
Secure on-site storage
Watches in for service are stored in a locked, monitored cabinet. Client details are kept strictly private and not shared with third parties.
Water-resistance testing
Quartz battery services include a basic water-resistance check on supported cases. Gaskets are inspected and replaced when degraded.
Documented work records
Condition notes travel with each watch through the workshop. Clients receive a copy at collection — useful for insurance and future service reference.
About our work
Watch repair in Bangkok covers a wide range of needs — from the straightforward quartz battery that has simply run down, to the vintage mechanical movement that hasn't been serviced in three decades. Cogwise handles both ends of that spectrum and the range in between.
Mechanical watch servicing requires dismantling the movement to its individual components, cleaning each part, inspecting for wear, lubricating pivot points and jewels with the correct grade of oil, reassembling with correct torques, and then running timing checks on a dedicated instrument. This takes several days when done attentively. Shortcuts — skipping the ultrasonic, reassembling without full inspection — are not visible to the client but do affect how long the service remains effective.
Quartz watch battery replacement is less involved but still benefits from care. The case-back seal deserves attention every time the case is opened, and the gasket condition determines whether the watch retains any water resistance after reassembly. A battery placed in a watch with a degraded gasket can leave the movement vulnerable.
Vintage restoration is the most considered category of work at Cogwise. Older movements — from early automatic calibres to pre-war pocket watch movements — require a familiarity with period lubrication practices, tolerance levels, and available replacement parts. Some components are no longer produced and must be sourced from parts donors or, in rare cases, re-machined. We are straightforward about what is possible and what it will cost before any work begins.
Cogwise serves clients in Bangkok's Bang Rak and Silom districts, as well as collectors from across Thailand who prefer to bring watches in person. The workshop does not operate a postal service at this time.
Ready to begin?
Talk to us about your watch
Whether it's a routine service or something more complex, we're happy to discuss what your timepiece needs before any commitment is made.
Get in Touch