— Our Workshop
A workshop that takes its time
Mainspring began with a simple idea: that watches deserve the same unhurried attention they were built with. We work from a small bench on Ratchadamnoen Road, and we mean to stay small.
Back to Home— Our Story
How Mainspring came to be
Mainspring opened in 2018 in Chiang Mai's Phra Sing neighbourhood, in a ground-floor space with good northern light and little else to distract from the work. The founder, Kasem Wichitrungsi, had spent a decade working at the service counters of two established jewellers before concluding that the workshop format — quiet, direct, relationship-based — suited him and the work better.
The name comes from the part that stores and releases energy in a mechanical movement. It felt right: a watchmaker's whole practice is about keeping that energy flowing cleanly, without interference, for as long as the piece allows.
We've kept to three areas of work since opening. Scheduled collection upkeep for owners who prefer organised care over ad-hoc repair. Sympathetic restoration of older and inherited timepieces, where the original character of the piece is the reference point. And cosmetic refinishing for owners who simply want the case to look considered again.
None of these is quick work, and we don't try to make it so. A watch brought to us gets looked at properly. Notes are kept. The owner hears what we find in plain language before anything is decided.
— Mission
"Careful hands, plain words, no shortcuts."
Every watch that passes through Mainspring is assessed on its own terms. We don't apply standard fixes to individual problems. We look at what's in front of us and respond to that.
— At a glance
— The People
Who you'll meet
Kasem Wichitrungsi
Founder & Lead Watchmaker
Over twelve years at the bench, Kasem specialises in mechanical movements and sympathetic vintage work. He handles most first assessments himself.
Nattaya Siriporn
Finishing & Case Specialist
Nattaya trained in surface finishing and brings particular attention to case refinishing work. She manages all polishing and brushed-finish restoration.
Ananya Phomchit
Client Liaison & Records
Ananya keeps track of every piece in the workshop — condition notes, service records, correspondence — so nothing is ever misplaced or misremembered.
— Workshop Standards
How we work
Assessment before work
Every piece is examined and documented before a single tool is lifted. The owner receives a written summary of findings and proposed work before any decision is needed.
Reversible methods only
We use approaches that can be undone or reconsidered. Nothing we do should close off future options for the piece or the next person who works on it.
Written service records
Each visit produces a record of condition, work done and any observations noted. Copies are kept in the workshop and given to the owner on collection.
Pre- and post-work photography
For restoration and refinishing work, we photograph the piece before and after. These images become part of the record and are shared with the owner.
Secure storage in-workshop
Pieces left with us are kept in locked, individually labelled storage when not on the bench. We do not subcontract work without prior agreement with the owner.
Transparent communication
If something unexpected comes up mid-work, we stop and contact the owner. Costs are agreed before they are incurred. No invoices with surprises.
— Workshop Expertise
Watch care in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has a long tradition of craft-based trades, and Mainspring sits within that tradition — a small, permanent workshop offering skilled attention to mechanical timepieces. We work with a range of movement types across different eras, from mid-century hand-wounds to contemporary automatics, approaching each on its own terms.
Collection owners often find that watches accumulate service needs over time, particularly when more than one piece is worn regularly. Our Collection Care Plan is structured around that reality: a scheduled programme of checking, winding and light service that keeps a small group of watches in working order across the year, without the owner needing to track individual service intervals.
Vintage and inherited timepieces call for a different kind of attention. The goal is almost always preservation rather than transformation — keeping what is original, addressing what is worn, and leaving the piece with its character intact. We are comfortable working on dials, movements and cases where the original surface or finish is the primary reference point.
Case refinishing is, in some ways, the most visible of our services. Scratches accumulate with wear, and a considered refinishing — brushed where the original was brushed, polished where it was polished, with edges kept sharp — can make a worn piece look properly maintained again without erasing the signs of age that give it presence.
We are based at 16 Ratchadamnoen Road, Phra Sing, Chiang Mai, and open Monday to Saturday. Enquiries by phone or email are equally welcome for those who prefer to ask questions before visiting.
— Start Here
Talk to us about your watch
An initial conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We're happy to look at what you have, answer questions and suggest what might make sense for your piece.
Get in Touch