A Workshop Built on Patience and Honesty
Bua Timepieces began with a simple belief: every watch deserves to be understood before it is touched.
Back to HomeHow Bua Timepieces Came to Be
The workshop was opened in 2012 by Chalida Bua-ngern, a watchmaker who trained under a Swiss-certified technician in Bangkok before returning to her home city of Chiang Mai. She had spent years watching how watches were handled in larger repair centres — quickly, impersonally, with little communication. She wanted to do something different.
The name Bua — meaning lotus in Thai — was chosen not as a flourish but as a quiet reference to the lotus petal's layered, unhurried unfolding. It felt right for a workshop that takes its time, examines carefully, and never pushes a customer toward work they do not need.
Over the years, Bua Timepieces has developed a particular reputation for heirloom pieces: the grandfather's wristwatch that has been sitting untouched in a drawer, the inherited dress watch that nobody knows quite what to do with. Families bring these pieces with a mix of hope and uncertainty, and the workshop's approach — explaining each finding, discussing options, and proceeding only when the owner is comfortable — has made it a trusted place for exactly this kind of work.
The workshop today serves a mix of everyday watch wearers seeking a routine refresh and collectors with complex vintage movements. Both receive the same level of attention and the same straightforward communication.
Years in Chiang Mai
Watches Serviced
Service Paths
Clients Return
The Workshop Team
A small team that values careful work over volume.
Chalida Bua-ngern
Lead Watchmaker & Founder
Trained in Swiss-certified techniques, Chalida oversees all movement work and leads heirloom restoration projects. She has over fifteen years of hands-on experience with both quartz and mechanical calibres.
Phoom Nakorn
Workshop Technician
Phoom handles Gentle Care services and assists with Full Movement Care. He trained at a vocational institute in Chiang Rai and has been with Bua Timepieces since 2018.
Supaporn Lertsakul
Client Liaison
Supaporn manages enquiries, coordinates collection and return, and ensures that each customer's questions are answered clearly and without pressure.
Standards We Hold Ourselves To
Written Estimates
For all Full Movement Care and Heirloom Restoration work, a written estimate is provided and agreed upon before any repair begins.
Proper Watchmaking Tools
We use purpose-made watchmaking instruments — movement holders, spring bar tools, timing machines — not general repair tools.
Timing Verification
After any movement service, accuracy is verified using a timing machine across multiple positions before the watch is returned.
Seal Integrity Check
Gaskets and seals are inspected on every watch that passes through the workshop and replaced where necessary as part of the service.
Secure Custody
Each watch in our care is logged, stored securely, and returned only to the person who brought it in or someone they have authorised.
Sympathetic Restoration
On vintage pieces, we aim to preserve original character. Polishing, refinishing, or part substitution is only done with the owner's knowledge and consent.
Watch Repair and Restoration in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has long attracted people with an appreciation for craft and patience — qualities that sit naturally alongside watchmaking. Bua Timepieces is one of a small number of independent workshops in the city offering movement-level repair for both everyday and collector-grade timepieces.
The workshop's approach draws from traditional Swiss-trained watchmaking methods, adapted for the range of watches that arrive at the bench: Japanese quartz movements, Swiss mechanical calibres, Thai-branded pieces, and European heirlooms. Each receives the same careful attention, beginning with a clear assessment shared openly with the owner.
For mechanical watches that have not been serviced in several years, regular maintenance can make a considerable difference to accuracy and longevity. For heirloom pieces, careful restoration by someone familiar with older calibres can return a watch to running condition without compromising its original appearance.
We are located in Si Phum, a short walk from the old city's eastern moat. The workshop welcomes both walk-in visitors and those who prefer to arrange a visit in advance by telephone or email.
Bring Your Watch to Us
Whether you have a simple question or a piece that needs careful attention, we are pleased to hear from you.
Contact the Workshop