Our Story
Work Done With Care, Not Just Speed
Masa Kirana has been a quiet presence in George Town since 1998 — a workshop where the pace is set by the watch, not the clock on the wall.
Back to HomeWho We Are
A Workshop with a Long Memory
Masa Kirana — meaning "a golden moment" in Malay — was founded in 1998 by Ahmad Firdaus bin Sulaiman, a trained horologist who had spent his early career servicing watches for a heritage shophouse near the waterfront. When that establishment closed, he chose to carry the work forward under his own name, setting up in a narrow shopfront along Lebuh Armenian that he has occupied ever since.
The workshop has changed very little since those early days. The bench, the loupes, the small drawers of spare parts — these have accumulated slowly over the decades, each item earning its place through usefulness rather than novelty. What has remained constant is the approach: look carefully first, do only what is needed, and explain everything clearly.
Over the years, the workshop has become a place where people bring watches they cannot simply send off to a faceless service centre. An inherited Seiko. A dress watch purchased at considerable sacrifice in the 1970s. A field watch that belonged to a grandfather. These are the pieces that arrive on the counter most often, and they receive the same unhurried attention regardless of their market value.
Our Mission
Keeping Timepieces in Service
Our purpose is a modest one: to help watches continue doing what they were made to do. We are not a boutique, and we do not sell new pieces. We repair, service, and occasionally restore — and we try to do that honestly.
George Town's heritage quarter is a fitting setting for this kind of work. Lebuh Armenian sits among some of the oldest and best-preserved buildings in the city, and the rhythms of the street — shophouses open to the pavement, tradespeople who have been here for generations — feel familiar. There is something appropriate about a watchmaker occupying this particular corner.
We value the kind of trade that grows through quiet reputation rather than advertising. Most of the people who find their way to us arrive on the recommendation of someone they trust. We take that as the finest measure of what we are doing.
The People Here
The Bench Team
Ahmad Firdaus
Founder & Master Horologist
Over twenty-five years servicing mechanical and vintage movements. Ahmad's strength is in reading a movement's history through the wear it shows.
Rohana Nadzri
Dial & Case Specialist
Rohana handles all cosmetic and case work with a careful eye for preserving original finishes. She joined the workshop in 2009 after training in Kuala Lumpur.
Zulkifli Ibrahim
Strap & Fitting Craftsman
Zulkifli manages strap selection, fitting, and bracelet adjustment. He is the first point of contact for customers bringing in watches for comfort or wearability work.
How We Work
Our Standards at the Bench
These are the principles that guide every piece that passes through the workshop, whether it arrives for a minor adjustment or a full movement service.
Diagnostic Before Disassembly
Every watch is observed running and examined under magnification before any disassembly. We write our findings before touching anything inside.
Original Parts Priority
We retain and reuse original components wherever they remain within tolerance. Third-party parts are sourced only when originals are unavailable or compromised.
Period-Correct Lubricants
We use watch-grade lubricants appropriate to the movement type and era. Over-lubrication is as damaging as under-lubrication, and we apply only what the movement requires.
Timing Check Before Return
Mechanical movements are tested on a timing machine after service to confirm accuracy. We share the readings with customers on request.
Safe Handling & Storage
Each watch is stored individually in a labelled case while in our care. Nothing is left loose on the bench overnight, and customer property is locked away at close of day.
Clear Communication
We explain what we find in plain terms. If a repair is not cost-effective relative to the watch's condition, we say so honestly rather than proceeding regardless.
Experience & Expertise
Mechanical Watch Servicing in George Town, Penang
Mechanical watches require periodic servicing to remain accurate and to prevent the kind of wear that accumulates when lubricants dry out or break down. The general recommendation for most movements is a service every four to eight years, though this varies depending on how frequently the watch is worn and the conditions it encounters.
At Masa Kirana, we have spent more than two decades working with mechanical, automatic, and hand-wound movements across a wide range of makes and eras. Our experience covers post-war Japanese movements, mid-century Swiss calibres, and the older British lever movements that occasionally arrive from estate collections. We are familiar with the particular characteristics and failure points of many common calibres, which tends to make diagnosis more efficient and more accurate.
George Town's climate — warm and humid throughout the year — presents certain challenges for mechanical watches. Moisture ingress, accelerated lubricant degradation, and the expansion and contraction of case seals are all considerations that affect how a watch performs over time in Penang's conditions. We factor these into our service recommendations.
For owners of inherited or long-held pieces, the workshop also offers informal assessments at no charge. If you are simply curious about a watch's condition or want to understand what it might need before committing to a service, you are welcome to bring it in during opening hours and we will share what we see.
We Are Here
Come and See the Workshop
If you have a watch you would like us to look at, or simply want to discuss what a service might involve, we are easy to find on Lebuh Armenian and always glad to talk.
Get in Touch