Built on a quiet
love of fine movements
Bua Luang began with a simple conviction: that mechanical watches deserve patient, skilled attention — and that the people who bring them in deserve plain, honest answers.
Back to HomeA small atelier with a long view
Bua Luang — named after the great lotus, a symbol of patient unfolding — came into being from a watchmaker's personal dissatisfaction with how Bangkok's repair workshops often handled watches: quickly, without explanation, and with little regard for the character of each piece.
Our founder, who trained at workshops in Switzerland and Japan before returning to Thailand, set up this atelier at 250 Wireless Road with a different intention. The goal was never to turn over the greatest number of watches, but to do each one properly — to take the time to understand what a movement needs, to explain that to the owner in ordinary language, and to carry out the work with care and precision.
From the beginning, the focus has been on mechanical and automatic movements: the kind that reward close attention, that reveal their age and history when opened, and that can run well for another generation with the right service. We also carry out considered restoration of antique pocket and wrist watches — pieces that require a different kind of patience, one that respects what has survived rather than rushing to make everything look new.
The name Bua Luang was chosen with care. The lotus opens at its own pace, and the best work in a watch atelier follows a similar rhythm. We do not promise speed; we do promise thoroughness, transparency, and the kind of respect a well-made timepiece deserves.
Our location in Lumphini, near BTS Ploen Chit, is convenient for Bangkok residents and visitors alike. We ask clients to contact us before coming by so we can arrange appropriate time to look at each piece without rushing. This small formality makes a real difference to the quality of the conversation.
"Each watch that comes to us carries a history — sometimes decades of it. We try to understand that history before we change anything."
— Founding principle, Bua Luang
Small team, deep knowledge
Theerawat Prasong
Master Watchmaker & Founder
Trained in Geneva and Kyoto, Theerawat returned to Bangkok with a desire to bring the same careful standards to Thailand. He carries out all movement work personally.
Manee Wongchai
Case & Strap Specialist
Manee has spent many years working with watch cases and straps, developing a fine eye for finishing and fit. She advises clients on their options with patience and honesty.
Somchai Pornthep
Antique Restoration Technician
Somchai specialises in older and antique calibres, including pocket watches, and can make hand-crafted parts for movements where original replacements are no longer available.
Standards we hold ourselves to
Assessment first
No work begins without a proper look at the movement. We record our findings, share them with the owner, and agree on the scope before anything is dismantled.
Swiss lubricants only
We use watch-grade lubricants from established Swiss manufacturers, applied in the correct quantities to each bearing surface and escapement component.
Timing machine testing
After each service, movements are tested on a timing machine in multiple positions to confirm the rate is within acceptable range before reassembly.
Written records provided
Owners receive a written account of all work carried out and any parts replaced. These records are useful for insurance, resale, and future servicing.
Secure storage
Watches in our care are stored securely at all times. Antique and high-value pieces are given individual secure containers during the work period.
Progress updates
For longer jobs, we contact the owner at key stages to share progress. If the work reveals something unexpected, we pause and seek agreement before continuing.
Mechanical watches and the value of patience
A mechanical movement is a system of many small parts working together with very little margin for error. A pivot no thicker than a hair, a spring adjusted to the width of a few microns — these are not things to be rushed through. The work of a skilled watchmaker is largely invisible precisely because it has been done well: the watch simply runs as it should, quietly and reliably, for years.
At Bua Luang, the work begins before any tool is picked up. Understanding the condition of a movement, its service history where known, and what the owner hopes for the watch — this preparation shapes everything that follows. A watch that belonged to a grandfather requires a different conversation than one purchased last year at market; the expectations are different, the emotional weight is different, and the appropriate approach is different.
We carry out three types of service, each suited to a different situation. Movement cleaning and regulation serves watches that have been running but have gradually drifted in their rate or have not been professionally attended to for several years. Case and strap care suits watches that function well mechanically but have aged in appearance. Full antique restoration is reserved for pieces of real historical or sentimental weight — heirlooms, pocket watches, early wristwatches — where the work is as much about conservation as function.
If you are uncertain which service is appropriate, we are glad to take a look and offer our honest opinion. There is no obligation attached to that conversation.
Come and talk about your watch
We are glad to hear from you, whether you have a clear idea of what needs doing or simply a watch that has been sitting in a drawer for years. The first conversation costs nothing.
Get in Touch