About the Workshop
A workshop built around one trade.
Cogwright was set up with the simple idea that a watch deserves careful, unhurried attention from someone who works on nothing else.
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How Cogwright Came to Be
Cogwright opened on Sukhumvit Road after years of watch repair being treated as a secondary service — something slotted between jewellery cleaning and battery replacement at general shops. The founder believed there was space for a dedicated workshop where the only thing on the bench was a watch needing proper attention.
The name comes from the older word for a craftsperson who shapes cogs and wheels. It felt fitting for a place that handles mechanical objects — things made to be understood, not replaced when they stop keeping good time.
The workshop serves Bangkok residents, long-term expatriates, and visitors who have brought a valued timepiece along and want to leave it somewhere trustworthy. The range of work covers routine servicing of everyday mechanical watches through to sympathetic restoration of older pieces with histories of their own.
Every watch that comes in is logged by reference number, inspected on arrival, and assessed before any work is proposed. If a piece turns out to need more than the original request, the conversation happens before the tools do.
The approach here is unhurried. Bangkok moves quickly enough; the bench does not have to. A watch left for servicing is worked on carefully, checked against timing equipment, and returned with a written note of what was found and what was done.
Cogwright does not use outside contractors. Everything is handled in the Khlong Toei workshop by the same people you speak to when you arrive.
The People
Behind the Bench
Thanachai Chaikaew
Head Watchmaker
Trained in Switzerland and returned to Bangkok to set up Cogwright. Works primarily on movement servicing and the more involved restoration projects.
Natnicha Phommasak
Restoration Specialist
Focuses on vintage dial work, case detailing, and sourcing period parts. Handles most of the heirloom and collector pieces that come through the door.
Siriporn Kultida
Client Liaison
Manages bookings, client communication, and condition reporting. The first person you speak to and the one who coordinates each watch's journey through the workshop.
Workshop Standards
How We Work
Condition Logging
Every watch is photographed and catalogued by reference number on arrival. The state of the dial, case, crystal, and crown is recorded before work begins.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Movement parts are cleaned in an ultrasonic bath before reassembly, removing old lubricants and fine debris without mechanical risk to delicate components.
Timing Verification
Regulated movements are checked on a timing machine in multiple positions before leaving the bench. Results are noted in the condition report.
Water Resistance Testing
Gaskets are inspected with each service and water resistance is verified for watches rated to a depth. This is included as standard in the Annual Care Programme.
Secure Storage
Watches not actively on the bench are stored in a secured cabinet. The workshop is not left unattended during business hours and a handwritten receipt is issued on each drop-off.
Written Summaries
Each completed job is accompanied by a plain-language written note describing what was found, what was done, and any observations about the watch's present condition.
Craft & Values
What Watchmaking Means at Cogwright
Mechanical watches are among the few objects in daily life that contain moving parts made entirely by hand. A well-maintained movement will run for decades and pass through several owners. At Cogwright, the point of each service is to extend that life without changing the character of the piece — to return the watch to its owner running well and looking as it should, not polished and altered beyond recognition.
Bangkok's climate makes regular service more relevant than in cooler places. Heat and humidity affect lubricants faster, and gaskets that work well in a temperate environment can dry out more quickly here. The Annual Care Programme was designed with local conditions in mind: shorter, lighter visits at regular intervals rather than a single major service every several years.
Vintage work requires a different kind of patience. Older Swiss and Japanese movements often have parts that are no longer produced, and finding period-appropriate replacements takes time. Cogwright maintains relationships with parts suppliers in Europe and Japan and will discuss sourcing options honestly — including cases where a close match is the best that can be done. Nothing is replaced without the owner's knowledge and consent.
The workshop is located in Khlong Toei on Sukhumvit Road, accessible from the BTS Asok and Nana stations. It is a small space with a single bench and no walk-in retail. Visits are welcome; booking ahead ensures a proper conversation is possible.
Start Here
Ready to bring a watch in?
Drop us a note to describe the piece and what you are looking for. We will come back to you with a clear idea of what the work would involve.
Get in Touch