A workshop shaped
by patience
Lanna Time grew from a simple belief: that a well-made watch deserves someone who will take the time to understand it.
← Back to HomeWhere Lanna Time began
Lanna Time opened on Thanon Tha Phae in Chiang Mai's Chang Khlan neighbourhood, a street that has long been a meeting point between the old city's craft traditions and the needs of a more contemporary life. The name is a small nod to the Lanna kingdom whose legacy still runs quietly through northern Thailand's culture — a tradition of craft done with care rather than speed.
The workshop was set up by Khun Prayut Wongchai, a horologist who spent several years working with watchmakers in Bangkok and later in Zurich before returning to Chiang Mai. His view was that most watches brought in for service didn't need replacing or extensive work — they needed someone to look at them properly and do only what was required. That principle still shapes every job that comes through the door.
Today the workshop handles service health checks for owners who aren't sure what their watch needs, cosmetic restoration work on crystals and cases, and more involved heritage movement restoration for older pieces with sentimental or collector value. The pace is deliberate. A movement is not rushed through cleaning simply because the appointment calendar is busy.
We are located steps from the old city moat, in a narrow shophouse that has been arranged to feel more like a study than a repair counter. You are welcome to come in, ask questions, and leave with a clearer picture of what your watch needs — even if that turns out to be nothing at all.
Our guiding approach
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Assessment comes first. We identify what is genuinely needed before any work begins.
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We describe findings in language that doesn't require a horological background to follow.
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For heritage pieces especially, we work to keep original parts intact wherever the movement allows.
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Written service records accompany every completed job — useful now and for any future care.
Operating since
Seven years of careful, unhurried work on Tha Phae Road.
Who looks after your watch
Prayut Wongchai
Master Watchmaker & Founder
Trained in Bangkok and Zurich over twelve years before returning to open the Chiang Mai workshop. Specialises in mechanical movements, particularly vintage Swiss and Japanese calibres.
Nattaya Thongsuk
Restoration Technician
Focuses on crystal and case refinishing work. A steady hand and an eye for detail built through five years of daily work with dress and sport watch cases.
Anchalee Kruawan
Client Liaison
First point of contact for all enquiries. Anchalee handles consultations, written assessments, and communications in Thai and English, ensuring nothing gets lost between the workbench and the owner.
How we hold ourselves to account
These are the protocols we follow on every piece, not when it suits us.
Pre-work Assessment
Every watch is examined under magnification before any work is priced or planned. We document condition at intake so nothing is missed or disputed later.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Movement parts are cleaned using an ultrasonic bath with watch-specific cleaning fluids — a standard used in professional horology worldwide, not a shortcut.
Correct Lubricants
We use lubricants specified for each component — not a single oil applied everywhere. The right grease in the right place makes a significant difference to long-term accuracy.
Timing Machine Check
Completed movements are tested on a timing machine across multiple positions before reassembly. Results are recorded and included in the service summary.
Water Resistance Testing
Where the watch is water-resistant and gaskets have been replaced, we perform a pressure test before returning the piece. No assumptions.
Secure Handling
All watches in the workshop are tagged and tracked from intake to collection. Nothing leaves without the owner's confirmation and a completed record of work done.
Watch care and repair in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has long been home to craftspeople who work quietly and well. Lanna Time tries to reflect that character — a workshop where the pace of the work is set by the needs of the watch, not by a turnover target. The Tha Phae Road location sits near the eastern moat of the old city, easily reached whether you are based in Nimman, the old city itself, or the Sankampaeng road areas.
The three services we offer cover the most common needs: an honest condition check for those who want to know where their watch stands, cosmetic refinishing for pieces that have seen daily wear, and careful movement restoration for older mechanical watches that deserve a more thorough approach. Each has a clear scope and a fixed starting price, so there are no surprises.
Thai-owned and operated, the workshop bridges the technical knowledge developed during training abroad and the particular needs of watch owners in northern Thailand — where humidity, dust, and the varied conditions of daily life each place their own demands on a mechanical movement. We understand those conditions and factor them into every piece of advice we give.
Come and talk about your watch
No pressure, no sales pitch. Just a proper look and a straightforward conversation about what your timepiece needs.
Get in Touch