Our Story

The workshop behind the work

How Tourbillon Nook came to be

Tourbillon Nook opened its doors in 2009 on Jalan Imbi in Kuala Lumpur — a street already well-worn by trade, and a fitting address for a workshop that values unhurried, careful work.

The founding idea was simple: mechanical watches deserve to be handled by someone who understands what they are. Not a watch boutique offering service as an afterthought. Not a mail-in depot with a turnaround target to hit. A proper bench, with the time and tools to do things properly.

Over fifteen years, we have worked on watches ranging from everyday automatics to vintage pocket watches brought in wrapped in handkerchiefs. Each one different. Each one given the same unhurried attention from intake to return.

We keep the scope of our services deliberately narrow — mechanical tuning, seal and gasket restoration, and complete movement overhauls. Staying within that range lets us do those three things well, rather than many things acceptably.

What guides the work

Honesty about scope

If a watch only needs regulation, we regulate it. We don't upsell a full service to a watch that came in running. The timing machine readings are shared with you — the data guides the recommendation, not a price list.
Patience as a method

Movement service timelines exist because proper regulation takes time. We test across multiple positions and across multiple days. Rushing that process would undermine the purpose of doing it at all.
Written before verbal

Findings are documented. If something changes mid-service — a worn part that wasn't visible at intake — you receive a written update. No verbal agreements, no post-collection surprises.
Mechanical only

We work on mechanical and automatic calibres. No quartz battery swaps, no smart watch repairs. Specialisation keeps our tools current and our knowledge deep where it matters.

The People at the Bench

A small team — kept that way intentionally. Each member handles a watch from start to finish rather than passing it down a line.

Zainal Raziff

Founder & Lead Watchmaker

Trained in Swiss movement servicing under a Geneva-based watchmaker before returning to KL in 2009. Handles all Complete Movement Services personally.

Lim Hui Shan

Timing Technician

Operates the timing equipment and handles mechanical tuning services. Brings a background in precision instrumentation to movement rate analysis.

Nadia Khairul

Client Liaison & Intake

Manages intake assessments, client communication, and service documentation. Makes sure every written record from first contact to collection is clear and complete.

Standards We Work To

These aren't marketing claims — they're the operational criteria we hold each completed service to before returning a watch.

COSC-Aligned Tolerances

Regulation targets are set to within COSC standards (-4/+6 seconds per day for movement services) unless the original calibre specification differs.

Manufacturer-Specified Lubricants

We use watch-grade lubricants — Moebius and Nye series — applied at specified points per technical data sheets for each calibre family.

Multi-Stage Ultrasonic Cleaning

Movement parts pass through four ultrasonic tanks — each with a purpose-specific cleaning solution — before rinse and drying. No shortcuts on contamination removal.

48-Hour Accuracy Test

After reassembly and initial regulation, the movement runs on the timing machine for 48 hours to verify consistency before the watch is cased and returned.

Dry Pressure Testing

Seal and gasket replacement services are followed by dry pressure tests at appropriate ATM ratings — using compressed air, not water — for safe, reliable verification.

Service Documentation

Every completed service is documented — parts replaced, timing readings before and after, and any noted conditions. A record you can keep alongside the watch.

Mechanical watch servicing in Kuala Lumpur — what that actually means

A mechanical movement contains between 100 and 400 individual components. Most are smaller than a grain of rice. They interact through friction, spring tension, and precisely calibrated geometry. When any one element drifts — through age, contamination, or wear — the effects ripple outward into rate errors, power reserve loss, or in advanced cases, damage to neighbouring components.

Workshop service is how you interrupt that process. Not because something is dramatically wrong, but because preventive attention is far less involved than repair after the fact. A movement cleaned and lubricated on schedule will continue functioning well within its design parameters. One left unserviced beyond that window accumulates wear that cannot always be reversed by cleaning alone.

Tourbillon Nook works within the Jalan Imbi area of Kuala Lumpur — a location our clients have found consistently accessible from Bukit Bintang, Chow Kit, and Petaling Jaya. We do not operate a courier intake programme. Watches are received and returned in person, which means we can speak with you directly at intake and again at collection. That conversation has been part of every service since we opened.

Bring your watch in for a look

No pressure. If you're unsure what your watch needs, we'll put it on the timing machine and share the data with you. From there you can decide.

Contact the Workshop