About the workshop
A small workshop run with patience and clarity
Tickraft is a one-bench watch repair shop in Kota Kinabalu. The work is done slowly, shared openly, and shaped by whatever each individual watch actually needs.
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How Tickraft came to be on Jalan Gaya
Tickraft grew out of a long personal interest in mechanical watches — not the collecting side, but the mechanical side. What started as careful self-servicing of a small personal collection turned, over time, into a proper workshop setup and, eventually, a business.
The shop opened on Jalan Gaya because the street has a particular character that suited the kind of work being done here: unhurried, skilled, and quiet. Kota Kinabalu already had places to buy watches. What it was less well-served by was a repair shop where the work was done slowly and the owner was kept fully informed of what was happening to their piece.
That is the gap Tickraft occupies. The services are narrow by design — crown tube replacement, dial touch-up, and full heritage refurbishment. Doing fewer things well has felt more honest than offering everything and stretching the bench too thin.
Most customers come through word of mouth, which suits the pace of the shop. A heritage refurbishment done well tends to prompt a question from a colleague or a family member six months later, and that is how the bench stays full without needing to be loud about it.
Mission
To handle each watch with the level of care its owner expects, communicate clearly throughout, and return the piece in a condition that reflects the time and attention it received on the bench.
Philosophy
Repair over replacement wherever possible. Conservative decisions unless an owner asks otherwise. Photographs and notes shared at each significant stage. Nothing irreversible done without a conversation first.
Location
19 Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Walk-ins welcome during workshop hours. For heritage pieces, a brief call ahead is appreciated.
The bench
The people behind the work
Razif Amirul
Head Watchmaker
Over a decade working on Swiss and Japanese movements. Handles all heritage refurbishment work personally and reviews every crown tube job before delivery.
Liyana Hassan
Workshop Coordinator
Manages intake, customer communication, and tracking across ongoing jobs. The person who keeps owners updated with photographs and written notes throughout a service.
Jeffery Tambing
Dial & Cosmetics Specialist
Handles all hand and dial touch-up work, including lume re-application and dust removal. Trained in conservative restoration with particular attention to vintage dial surfaces.
How we work
Standards the bench holds itself to
These are not framed certificates. They are the practices that shape what actually happens on the bench and in communication with owners.
No work without agreement
If the scope of a job changes after the watch is on the bench, the owner is contacted before anything additional is done. This applies even to small additions.
Photographic documentation
The condition of each watch is photographed at intake and at key stages of the work. Heritage jobs are documented throughout and the record is included at delivery.
Period-appropriate parts
Heritage refurbishment uses parts and methods that match the watch's original period and specification. Substitutions are discussed with the owner before fitting.
Post-service checks
Every crown tube job includes a post-fit visual check. Heritage pieces are timed after reassembly and results are included in the service record.
Secure storage in workshop
All pieces are stored in a locked cabinet when not on the bench. The workshop is not left unattended while customer watches are present.
Written service records
Heritage refurbishment includes a printed service record at collection. This document is useful for future servicing and as part of the watch's own history.
Expertise
Watch repair in Kota Kinabalu — what that actually involves
Watch repair is a narrow field, and good repair work depends on a clear understanding of the difference between a piece worth restoring and one that has simply reached the end of its useful life. At Tickraft, that assessment is made honestly at intake, and owners are given a clear picture of what the work involves before anything starts.
Crown tube replacement is the most common job the bench handles. A worn or damaged crown tube is the most frequent reason a water-resistant watch loses its protection. The job requires the right tube for the case, proper thread preparation, correct gasket sizing, and a careful reassembly. Done properly, it restores the watch's original water resistance specification. Done poorly, it introduces new failure points.
Dial and hand work sits at the edge of cosmetic and technical repair. The bench's preference is to do as little as necessary — cleaning and straightening rather than stripping and repainting. Lume re-application, where the owner wants it, is done with materials appropriate to the watch's period and character. The photographs taken before and after serve as a record of what changed and what was deliberately left alone.
Heritage refurbishment is the most demanding work on offer. Inherited watches often arrive having been unused for years, with dried oils, worn wheels, and surfaces that need careful handling. The programme runs over several weeks because that is the time the work actually takes. Each stage is photographed and shared, so the owner understands what is happening to their piece and can make decisions along the way.
Tickraft is not a fast-turnaround shop. The work here takes the time it takes. For owners who want their watch looked after carefully and communicated with honestly, that pace is the point.
Start the conversation
Tell us about your watch
Describe what you have and what you've noticed. The bench will let you know what looks likely and what the options are — no pressure, no rush.
Get in Touch