Our Story | Mainspring Row

How we began

The name comes from where energy lives.

The mainspring barrel is the part of a mechanical watch that holds every coil of stored energy and releases it steadily over hours. It is, in a sense, the most patient component in the whole movement — and patience is what the workshop was built on.

Mainspring Row was set up by a watchmaker who spent a decade working in independent workshops across Malaysia and Switzerland before returning to Kuala Lumpur. The decision to open on Jalan Telawi 3 came from a straightforward observation: owners in this part of the city had no nearby workshop where they could hand in a watch, receive a written report, and know that nothing further would happen without their say-so.

The workshop has been operating from the same premises since 2019. The bench equipment, including the timing machine and ultrasonic cleaning system, is maintained to the same standard as the watches that come across it.

What guides the work

Three principles that apply to every job.

Written agreement before anything moves

Scope is documented before the case opens, and again before any additional work begins. No surprises on collection.

Photography at each key stage

Owners receive timestamped photographs showing the movement condition before, during and after service. The record stays with the job file.

One week on-test before return

After regulation, the watch runs for seven days on the timing machine. Rate data is checked daily before the collection call is made.

The people

The bench team

A small workshop runs on a small team. Every watch that comes in is handled personally — not passed to a different technician mid-job.

RI

Reza Iskandar

Principal Watchmaker

Trained in movement servicing in Geneva and Kuala Lumpur. Handles condition surveys, standard services and complication rebuilds personally.

SL

Siew Ling Tan

Workshop Coordinator

Manages intake, job scheduling and owner communications. Ensures every written report reaches the owner before work proceeds.

AM

Amir Mustafa

Parts Sourcing Specialist

Sources calibre-correct parts from authorised channels across Switzerland, Germany and Japan. Handles logistics for complication rebuild projects.

Bench standards

How the work is held to account

These are not certificates on a wall. They are working habits applied to every job on the bench, regardless of the watch's value or the service type.

Multi-stage ultrasonic cleaning

Movement components are cleaned in a four-bath ultrasonic system with fresh cleaning fluid for each batch. No cross-contamination between jobs.

Timing machine regulation

Regulation is measured in six positions on a calibrated timing machine. Rate data is logged and included in the report that goes home with the watch.

Water resistance testing

Cases are pressure-tested with a dry-air tester after gasket renewal. The result — pass or advisory — is recorded in the written report.

Secure storage between sessions

Watches not actively on the bench are stored in a locked, humidity-controlled cabinet. High-value pieces are kept separately and logged daily.

Manufacturer-spec lubricants

Moebius and Nye lubricants are applied to the calibre-specific points recommended by the original manufacturer. Expired oils are disposed of and never reused.

Full written record on return

Every watch leaves with a document covering parts replaced, readings taken, tests performed and the watchmaker's notes on anything the owner should keep in mind.

Workshop approach

Mechanical watch servicing in Kuala Lumpur — done at the pace the calibre deserves.

A mechanical watch contains upwards of a hundred individual components, most of them smaller than a fingernail. When the movement is opened, each part is handled with tweezers, examined under a loupe, cleaned individually and measured before it goes back. At Mainspring Row, that process is never hurried because a hurried reassembly is where wear starts.

The workshop accepts three-hand mechanical calibres, calendars, moon phases, alarms and other complication modules from Swiss, German and Japanese manufacturers. Pocket watches are assessed on enquiry. Quartz and battery-driven movements are outside the current scope, as the bench focuses on mechanical work where the depth of knowledge makes a practical difference to the outcome.

Owners who have never had a watch serviced often ask how they will know what was done. The answer is the written report: a plain document listing what was found on opening, what was replaced, what was measured and what the timing machine showed during the test week. The report comes home with the watch, so the owner has a permanent record for insurance, resale or future service reference.

Bangsar Baru is a practical location for owners across central Kuala Lumpur, Damansara and Petaling Jaya. The workshop accepts drop-offs by appointment and, for complication rebuild projects, can also arrange a courier arrangement for owners outside the Klang Valley. Full details are available on enquiry.

Next step

Have a watch that needs a second opinion?

A Condition Survey is the most straightforward way to understand what a movement needs. It takes 2–3 working days and carries no obligation to proceed further.

Book an Appointment

A workshop built around the watch, not the clock.