Client Experiences
Straightforward accounts from clients who brought their watches to Permata Wira — what they were hoping for, what the service involved, and how their pieces performed afterwards.
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Khairul Lokman
Kuala Lumpur
I brought in a Speedmaster that had been sitting in a drawer for two years — crown stiff, running about three minutes fast per day. The intake process was more thorough than I expected. They asked me what I had noticed and recorded it all before doing anything else. Six weeks later the watch came back running within two seconds across the day. The movement looks like new under a loupe.
Standard Service Pathway · April 2025
Priya Nair
Petaling Jaya
The bracelet on my Lady-Datejust was loose around the clasp and had deep scratches from years of daily use. I was nervous about sending it anywhere because the original finish matters to me. The team at Permata Wira were straightforward about what was possible and what wasn't — no overselling. The bracelet came back looking very close to how it left the manufacturer, and the clasp closes with proper tension again. Timeline was about three weeks.
Bracelet Refinishing · March 2025
Tan Wei Liang
Singapore (visiting KL)
I was in Kuala Lumpur for work and took the opportunity to bring a mid-60s Longines that belonged to my father. I was concerned that they would push for heavy restoration. Instead, Razif walked me through exactly what the movement needed mechanically, explained which parts of the case and dial should be left alone, and put that in writing before I agreed to anything. The watch came back running, with the original patina intact. That's all I wanted.
Heritage Service Programme · March 2025
Faridah Hamid
Ampang, Selangor
My husband's JLC Master Ultra Thin was losing around ninety seconds a day — not catastrophic, but noticeable for a watch of that type. I contacted Permata Wira and they responded within a day with a clear explanation of what a standard service involves and what it would cost. Everything matched what they said. The watch is now running to within five seconds. The communication throughout was calm and professional.
Standard Service Pathway · April 2025
Rajan Subramaniam
Mont Kiara, KL
The service took about five weeks, which was a week longer than the initial estimate — they called to explain why and gave me the option to collect or continue. I appreciated being kept in the loop rather than just receiving a revised collection date. The result was worth the wait. My Panerai automatic is running well and the crown mechanism feels completely different to when I brought it in.
Standard Service Pathway · March 2025
Ahmad Kamil
Bangsar, KL
I brought two watches — one for bracelet work only, one for a full movement service. They were clear that these would have different timelines and tracked them separately. Both came back as described. The bracelet service in particular exceeded my expectations; the oyster bracelet on my vintage piece closes properly for the first time in years. They sourced a replacement pin that actually matched the original dimensions.
Bracelet Refinishing & Standard Service · April 2025
Case Studies
Case Study 01 — Standard Service
Challenge
A Tissot automatic from the mid-1970s had not been serviced in over twenty years. The movement was running intermittently — stopping overnight and restarting with wrist motion. The owner, who had inherited the watch, wanted it returned to reliable daily use without altering its original appearance.
Service
The Standard Service Pathway was undertaken. Intake examination found a degraded mainspring and heavily worn pallet stones. All components were cleaned and inspected. The mainspring and pallet fork were replaced with period-appropriate equivalents. The movement was regulated over six days before collection was confirmed.
Outcome
The watch has been in daily use since collection in February 2025. Rate performance sits within approximately eight seconds per day — appropriate for the calibre and age. The dial, hands, and case were not touched. Total service time: seven weeks. Starting price: MYR 1,000.
"I wore this watch as a child when my grandfather let me wind it. It runs every day now. That is more than I hoped for." — Client, Kuala Lumpur
Case Study 02 — Heritage Programme
Challenge
A collector brought in a mid-1960s Rolex reference with an original tropical dial — a watch whose value is directly tied to the preservation of original components. The movement needed attention, but the owner was concerned that previous workshops had advised dial replacement as a condition of service.
Service
The Heritage Service Programme was agreed. Suraya led an extended consultation before intake, establishing in writing that the dial and hands were not to be replaced under any circumstances. The movement was serviced with conservation-grade solvents. A replacement crown was sourced from a specialist dealer — period-correct in both dimension and material.
Outcome
The watch was returned after fifteen weeks with the original dial, hands, and case surfaces untouched. Full photographic documentation was provided at each stage. The movement runs to within twelve seconds per day — within the expected range for a calibre of this era. Starting price: MYR 2,210.
"The dial is everything on this reference. They understood that before I had to explain it twice." — Collector, Singapore
Case Study 03 — Bracelet Refinishing
Challenge
A stainless steel Oyster bracelet worn daily for twelve years had developed significant link stretch — the bracelet moved loosely around the wrist and the clasp no longer held its position without manual adjustment. The polished centre links showed heavy scratching.
Service
Ahmad assessed clasp tension, link articulation, and pin condition at intake. Several links required tightening; two pins were replaced. The clasp spring was replaced as it was no longer providing adequate resistance. Refinishing followed the original geometry — polished centre, brushed outer links — without stripping material beyond what was necessary to address the visible marks.
Outcome
The bracelet was returned after eighteen days. It sits correctly on the wrist and the clasp holds its position. The polished surface shows an improvement of approximately seventy percent relative to intake condition. No links required replacement. Starting price: MYR 730.
"I'd been wearing it loose for two years. I forgot what it felt like when it was right." — Client, Petaling Jaya
Find Us
39 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 – 19:00 · By appointment
Intake appointments are required before bringing any watch to the atelier. This allows the working watchmaker to be present for the initial assessment, rather than a reception handover. Contact us by phone or email to arrange a time that works for you.
By the Numbers
15+
Years combined experience
800+
Movements serviced
4.8
Average client rating
3
Specialised service pathways
Your Turn
Send details of the piece you have in mind and which service pathway interests you. We will respond with an honest view of what the work involves before any commitment is made.
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