About the Studio
Small work, done with attention
Dao is a watchmaker's studio, not a counter service. Every piece that comes through our door is handled by the same person from start to finish.
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How Dao came to be
Dao opened on Rat Uthit 200 Pi Road in late 2019 after its founder — a watchmaker who had worked with a repair house in Chiang Mai for nearly a decade — decided to move south and work closer to the coast. The name is borrowed from an old Thai word for star, a quiet nod to the luminous markings that have always fascinated the founder about fine dials.
The studio was set up with a simple intention: to be the kind of place where someone who cares about a watch feels comfortable leaving it. Phuket sees a mix of visitors and long-term residents, many of whom own meaningful timepieces that deserve careful handling. There was, the founder felt, a gap between the quick-fix shops and the distant manufacturer service centres.
Today Dao handles a steady range of mechanical and automatic watches — some brought in by visitors passing through Patong, others by Phuket residents who have been coming back for years. Each watch is assessed honestly, and the owner is always told what is actually needed rather than what sounds most comprehensive.
Mission & Values
What guides the work
Honesty above volume
If a watch needs only a clean, we say so. We do not recommend a full overhaul when a lighter service will do. This keeps costs fair and builds the kind of relationship where people return.
Transparency at every step
The owner is consulted before any significant decision. Findings are explained in plain language, not hidden in jargon.
Patience as a standard
Good watchwork takes the time it takes. We do not rush a movement reassembly or skip regulation steps to meet an arbitrary deadline.
Preserving what matters
For restoration work, we work to preserve the original character of a watch. We do not polish away history or replace parts unnecessarily.
The People
Who you are dealing with
Siriporn Kamchai
Lead Watchmaker & Founder
Trained in Swiss movement servicing over nine years in Chiang Mai. Siriporn handles all movement work and leads every assessment personally.
Nattapong Wongsa
Case & Finishing Technician
Nattapong specialises in case polishing, bracelet servicing, and the finishing work that returns a watch's exterior to a considered state.
Pranee Jantarach
Client Liaison
Pranee manages enquiries, keeps owners informed throughout the service process, and ensures each collection goes smoothly.
Standards
How we hold ourselves accountable
Movement assessment before any work begins
Every watch receives a written assessment before we proceed. You know what we found and what we propose to do.
Timing regulated across multiple positions
After servicing, movements are measured in dial-up, dial-down, crown-up, and crown-left positions to confirm consistent performance.
Manufacturer-grade lubricants only
We use Moebius and Nye lubricants — the same formulations referenced in official calibre documentation. No substitutions.
Secure storage during service
Watches in our care are stored in a locked cabinet when not on the bench. We maintain a clear intake log and return policy.
Photographic documentation (restoration)
For dial and movement restoration, we photograph each stage. These images are shared with the owner at collection.
Written service record with every return
Each completed service comes with a plain-language note detailing what was done, what was replaced, and care suggestions going forward.
Our Approach
Watch servicing done thoughtfully in Phuket
Mechanical watches are compact, intricate objects. Their movements contain dozens of parts — some no larger than a grain of rice — that must work together within tolerances measured in microns. When these parts wear or dry out, the watch may still run, but it does so under stress. Regular servicing is not a luxury for fine watches; it is ordinary maintenance, much like changing oil in an engine.
At Dao, we approach each watch as an object with a history. Many of the pieces we service have been worn daily for years, passed down from family, or carried as companions through significant moments. The care we take in the workshop is shaped by that understanding. We work on one movement at a time, in proper light, with the right tools.
Patong is a busy place, and our studio sits quietly within it. We welcome visitors who have noticed their watch losing time, who have inherited a piece and want to understand its condition, or who simply feel it is time for attention after a few years of wear. There is no pressure at the initial assessment — we share what we find and leave the decision with you.
We are not the largest workshop in Phuket, and that is deliberate. Small scale means consistent quality. The watchmaker who assesses your piece is the same person who services it and hands it back to you. For restoration work, we collaborate with a trusted dial specialist whose approach to preservation aligns with ours.
Come and meet the studio
We are happy to look at your watch and give you an honest picture of its condition, at no charge for the assessment itself.
Book an Assessment