Client Testimonials
What watch owners say about working with us
These are the accounts of people who brought watches to Dao Siam — what they found when they arrived, what we did, and what they thought of the experience.
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Reviews from watch owners
Somchai Thongsuk
Chiang Mai · Standard Service
I brought in my father's Seiko that had been sitting in a drawer for about twelve years. Before touching it, they wrote down the condition and showed me — the mainspring had set and the lubricants had dried out completely. The service took three weeks, which is longer than some places but they explained why. When I collected it, the timing sheet showed it was running within a few seconds per day. That was worth the wait.
May 2025
Andreas Kowalski
German expat, Chiang Mai · Heritage Rebuild
I had a vintage Longines from the 1950s that needed a full rebuild. Nattapong spent almost half an hour with me at the bench explaining what he found before writing up the plan — which pivot holes were worn, which springs needed replacing. He was very clear about what he could conserve and what needed sourcing. Six weeks later the watch was running. They gave back the original mainspring in a small bag, which I hadn't expected but appreciated.
April 2025
Napatsorn Prasertsuk
Bangkok · Refinishing
I was visiting Chiang Mai and decided to leave a steel dress watch for refinishing. Waranya showed me the difference between the brushed flanks and polished bevels before anything was done, and asked whether I wanted to keep both or unify the finish. I chose to keep both, which I'm glad about. The result was neat without looking like a new watch. Collected it two days before I flew back.
May 2025
Wanchai Tantikhun
Chiang Rai · Standard Service
My daily Citizen had been running slow for about a year. I came in without an appointment and they looked at it while I was there — not a diagnosis, just a look to understand what it probably needed. The condition note was ready the next morning. Straightforward service, came back running well. I also appreciated that when I asked whether a crystal replacement was worth doing, they said it was up to me and didn't push it.
May 2025
Marie-Claire Dubois
French tourist · Heritage Rebuild
I left my grandmother's Omega with Dao Siam during a visit and collected it on a second trip two months later. The entire process was handled by email — they sent the written plan and photos of the movement, waited for my reply before starting, and provided a full written outcome report. For a watch with sentimental meaning, that level of communication made a significant difference. It is running well and looks as it should.
April 2025
Piyaphon Phoomcharoen
Chiang Mai · Refinishing
Brought in a stainless steel sports watch with quite a few scratches on the case. They were upfront that a fully polished case would look different from how it originally came — flatter, less defined edges — and suggested keeping the brushed finish on the flat surfaces. That was the right call. Work was clean and the watch looked tidier without looking wrong. One less star only because the wait was slightly longer than expected, though they did tell me.
May 2025
Case Studies
Three watches, three different needs
Challenge
A 1965 Swiss pocket watch movement — converted to wristwatch configuration in the 1970s — had been non-functioning for over twenty years. The owner had inherited it and wanted to know whether it could run again without replacing its original character.
Our Approach
We examined the movement in detail and found two broken jewels and a set mainspring. The broken jewels were the main obstacle — we sourced compatible replacements from our parts stock and fabricated a bushing for one worn pivot hole. The mainspring was replaced with a period-appropriate grade. A written plan with photographs was agreed before any work began.
Outcome
The movement was returned to running condition within eight weeks. Post-rebuild timing showed a rate of +7 seconds per day — quite acceptable for a movement of this age. The owner was present when it was wound and started for the first time. Original components including the set mainspring were returned in a small envelope.
Challenge
A modern automatic watch worn daily for nine years with no previous service. The owner noticed it had started losing around three minutes per day and the case had accumulated significant surface scratches during working use.
Our Approach
The condition note identified dried-out lubricants and slightly worn keyless work as the timing issue. We recommended a standard service first to address the mechanical side, and discussed the refinishing option separately as an independent decision. The owner chose to have both done, and we sequenced the movement service before the case work.
Outcome
Movement service completed in two and a half weeks, case refinishing in an additional week. Timing result: +4 seconds per day across positions. The owner wore it to a wedding the following month and returned later to say the watch was keeping better time than when new.
Challenge
A collector with a Japanese automatic movement from the early 1980s wanted refinishing but was concerned about retaining the original brushed finish on the case sides, which had a specific texture he valued. Previous workshop experiences had left him uncertain about trusting someone with it.
Our Approach
Waranya spent time with the owner examining the original surface under a loupe, and described exactly which areas she would work on and which would be left. The agreement was to address the top surface of the case and the bracelet end links only, leaving the flanks entirely. Nothing beyond this was touched.
Outcome
The case returned with the agreed areas tidied and the original brushed flanks intact. The owner examined it alongside a reference photo he had taken before leaving it. He was satisfied. He has since brought in two further watches, including a divers' watch for a standard service.
By the Numbers
Sixteen years in one place
16
Years of workshop operation in Chiang Mai
4.7
Average client rating out of 5 across all services
800+
Movements serviced or rebuilt since opening
60+
Distinct calibre families worked on to date
Phone
+66 53 278 416Workshop
12 Thanon Ratchadamnoen, Phra Sing, Chiang Mai 50200
Hours
Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00
Sat 10:00–15:00
Would you like to add your watch to the list?
We welcome new clients in the same way — with a look at what your watch needs, and a conversation before anything is decided.