A Workshop Built Around Patience
Pelangi was founded in Ipoh with the straightforward belief that every watch deserves to be treated as the individual object it is.
Back to HomeWhere the Workshop Began
Pelangi opened on Jalan Sultan Idris Shah in Ipoh having spent several years quietly accumulating the tools, techniques, and — perhaps more importantly — the disposition that careful watch work demands. The name comes from the word for rainbow in Malay, a small nod to the range of dial colours that pass through the workshop: sunburst blues, aged champagne, deep gilt blacks, and everything between.
The founding principle was simple: to give owners of mechanical and automatic watches a place in Perak where they could hand over a piece and receive an honest, unhurried assessment. Not a transaction, not a quick turnaround, but a conversation about what the watch needs and what, sometimes, it does not need at all.
This has shaped every aspect of how we work. Services are limited to three focused areas — dial inspection and preservation, movement regulation, and pusher and crown refresh — chosen not to restrict what we do, but to ensure that what we do, we do consistently well. Owners who arrive with more complex overhaul requirements are always pointed toward appropriate specialists rather than having work attempted outside our scope.
Our Mission
To give watch owners in Malaysia a workshop they can trust — one that values the watch's integrity as much as the owner does, and never pushes toward work that isn't clearly needed.
Our Approach
Each piece is assessed on its own terms. We share findings openly, including when the right recommendation is to do nothing. The owner's understanding of their watch should grow through the process, not remain a mystery.
Our Values
Transparency in pricing. Respect for original character. Technical rigour without drama. And the patience to do things at the pace the work requires rather than the pace that suits a deadline.
The People at the Bench
A small team, each with their own area of focus and a shared preference for methodical work over rushed results.
Razlan Hashim
Lead Watchmaker
Razlan has worked with mechanical movements for over fifteen years, with a particular interest in regulation and the behaviour of lever escapements under different conditions.
Faridah Noor
Dial Specialist
Faridah leads all dial inspection and documentation work, bringing a careful eye to condition assessment and a firm view on when preservation is preferable to intervention.
Azmi Sulaiman
Case & Crown Technician
Azmi handles case-related work including pusher and crown replacement, with close attention to sourcing parts that match the original specification wherever possible.
How We Work
The protocols that govern our workshop are straightforward: clarity before action, documentation throughout, and no surprises at the end.
Pre-Work Assessment
No work begins without a documented bench review. Owners receive a written summary of findings before any service proceeds.
Instrument-Based Measurement
Movement regulation is conducted with a calibrated timegrapher. Decisions are based on measured data, not estimated feel.
Water Resistance Checks
Cases opened during service are tested for basic water resistance before return. Gaskets are renewed as part of the crown and pusher service.
Condition Photography
High-resolution photographs of the dial and movement are taken on arrival and on completion. Owners keep copies for their records.
Piece Security
Watches in the workshop are stored securely and individually identified throughout the service period. Handover requires the original receipt.
Open Communication
If anything unexpected is found during a service, we contact the owner before proceeding. No scope changes without your knowledge.
Watchmaking Knowledge in Ipoh
Watch repair is not a field where speed and quality sit comfortably alongside each other. At Pelangi, we work from a fixed workshop in central Ipoh, with direct access to the owners who bring us their pieces and no pressure to process watches faster than the work allows.
Our service range is deliberately narrow. Dial inspection and preservation demands a different set of skills and tools than movement regulation, and both differ again from the case work involved in pusher and crown replacement. By maintaining dedicated focus on these three services, we build depth of experience in the areas that matter rather than spreading thin across every possible watch repair scenario.
Malaysia's climate presents specific considerations for mechanical watch ownership — humidity levels that affect lubrication over time and the importance of maintaining water-resistance integrity. These are factors we keep in mind during every service, particularly when advising on maintenance intervals and storage conditions.
Owners who visit the Pelangi workshop often tell us that what they value most is simply being spoken to honestly. The watch servicing industry has a long history of unclear pricing and unexplained decisions. We aim to be straightforward: this is what we found, this is what we recommend, this is what it will cost, and this is what we will not do because it isn't necessary.
Ready to Talk About Your Watch?
Reach us by phone, email, or the contact form. We're happy to answer questions before you decide anything.
Get in Touch