Est. 2009 · Petaling Jaya
A workshop built around the work, not the volume
Tickfold Atelier takes in a limited number of pieces each month. Each one is assessed before any work is agreed, and the scope is put in writing.
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How the atelier came about
Tickfold Atelier opened in 2009 on Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya. The founder, Rajan Krishnamurthy, had spent the preceding decade in a horological training programme in Geneva before returning to Malaysia to set up a workshop intended for mechanical work only — no batteries, no quartz modules, no volume turnaround.
The name came from a drafting term: a fold that registers precisely on both sides. The idea was that each piece entering the workshop should leave with its geometry intact — not approximated, not smoothed into something easier to finish.
In the years since, the atelier has remained a one-bench operation. The three services on offer today — case and bracelet refinishing, self-winding movement service, and collection assessment — were settled on early and have not changed. The tools have been updated; the approach has not.
Work comes in by appointment. A short written assessment precedes any agreement to proceed. If the work is not advisable, that view is given clearly and without charge.
Mission
"To carry out mechanical watch work at a pace that the work itself requires — not at the pace the calendar permits."
In numbers
The Team
The people at the bench
Rajan Krishnamurthy
Founder · Lead Technician
Trained in Geneva, returned to Petaling Jaya in 2007. Carries out all movement service and case refinishing work personally.
Nurul Liyana
Workshop Coordinator
Manages appointments, written assessments, and client records. Joined the atelier in 2015 after a background in archival documentation.
Zakaria Hamdan
Parts & Supplier Liaison
Sources parts from established Swiss and Japanese suppliers. Ensures that only grade-appropriate components enter the workshop inventory.
Workshop Standards
How the work is carried out
Written assessment first
No work is agreed without a prior written assessment. The scope, expected duration, and cost are documented before any disassembly begins.
Pressure and timing tests
Each piece is timed on a timing machine before and after service. Water resistance is pressure-tested where the case is rated. Results are recorded in the job file.
Grade-appropriate lubricants
Lubricants are matched to the movement type and pivot specification. No general-purpose oils are used on precision bearings or escapement components.
Verified replacement parts
Parts used in service work come from established horological suppliers with verifiable provenance. Generic substitutes are not used where calibre-specific parts are available.
Client data handled carefully
Inventory records and personal information are kept in a secured system. Data gathered for the Collection Assessment is not shared outside the atelier.
Post-service follow-up
Collection Assessment clients receive one follow-up consultation six months after the plan is issued. Movement service clients are welcome to contact the workshop with questions within the 12-month coverage period.
Workshop Philosophy
On the pace of watch work
Watch repair in Malaysia has largely followed a model built around fast turnaround and high volume. Tickfold Atelier sits outside that model. The workshop was set up to do a small amount of work carefully, rather than a large amount of work quickly. That is not a marketing position — it is the actual constraint under which the atelier operates. One bench, one technician, a limited number of intake slots per month.
For clients, this means two things: wait times are longer than a high-street workshop, and the work that comes back is done to a specific standard. The written assessment at the start of each job serves both parties. It sets out what will be done, why, and for how much. It also records anything that will not be done, and the reason. A watch that arrives with a case too worn to refinish safely leaves with that information in writing.
Self-winding movements from the 1960s onward are within the scope of the atelier's movement service. The calibre range covers most Swiss and Japanese automatic movements from that period. Quartz movements, battery replacement, and electronic modules fall outside the workshop's area of work.
The Collection Assessment was developed for clients who carry several mechanical pieces and have no structured record of their condition or service history. The output is a written plan and a digital inventory, not a commitment to spend. Clients who take the assessment are under no obligation to have the recommended work done at this workshop — or anywhere else, for that matter.
Next step
Arrange an assessment
Appointments are taken by phone or through the contact form. A short initial conversation helps establish whether the work is within scope before you make the trip.
Contact the Workshop