Baihua--Shenyang City Watch Factory, Liaoning Province
It's been a few days since this arrived, and I did a WRUW post a couple of days ago, but on a different (leather instead of fabric) strap.
It's been a daily wearer at work for a few days now...and...I'm kind of impressed.
It's keeping ridiculously good time--no formal measurement, but when I compare it to my phone, it's within 5-10 seconds consistently over days. I haven't measured the reserve, but I wind every morning, anyways.
The dial center section is lightly brushed, and changes in contrast to the rest of the dial depending on light angle. Great fun to watch.
Shenyang City Watch Factory is still in operation, and although the watch I received has a ZSH (Shanghai) tongji movement, I think that the watch left the factory like that, and recently. I could be wrong, but...everything about the feel and packaging made me think new, or maybe NOS.
Super comfortable on the wrist, 35/36mm w/o crown, 10mm thin, and a very smooth wind, at least on this one. Acrylic crystal.
Got in on Ebay, but the seller is also on Ali. A straight up mechanical three-hander in a classic size, 18mm lugs, and it works with lotsa straps.
For the princely sum of $33 US.
Packed well enough it easily survived a Canada Post crushing. Canada Post is generally good in my experience, and it even arrived in an CPost apology pillow, but the watch was untouched.
Here's a shot of Shenyang, taken Sept 2023 from the 88th floor of the Shenyang Conrad.
The 88th floor lounge...
The snacks and coffee...
Now I have a souvenir of Shenyang. I'd happily visit the city again.
Curator: Alberta Museum of Chinese Horology in Peace River; Member: China Horologe Association; Chief Expert: China Watch Overseas Working Committee (CWOWC); Sino-Canadian Horological Cultural Affairs...
Nice watch. It's a perfect mixt of originality and simplicity.
It's funny that we can clearly see the city was build during the USSR. There are only big building.
I have a question what is the watch scene in China when it comes to brands like San Martin and all those Aliexpress watches? Do the locals support it and wear it? or just like other countries people tent to gravitate and want a Rolex, Patek etc. In Japan they respect their Japanese brands and watch making history but most watch makers and store owners I saw them wearing a Rolex.
Swiss and German brands certainly have high draw in China. No doubt about that.
I don't think domestic Chinese respect is near as high as Japanese domestic respect, but it's improving among collectors, and both new and vintage Chinese watches are seen on Chinese forums.
I have a question what is the watch scene in China when it comes to brands like San Martin and all those Aliexpress watches? Do the locals support it and wear it? or just like other countries people tent to gravitate and want a Rolex, Patek etc. In Japan they respect their Japanese brands and watch making history but most watch makers and store owners I saw them wearing a Rolex.
AliExpress, Temu, and Amazon are platforms only for international buyers. People in China shop online using Taobao, JD, etc.
Some of the popular brands we know of like Addiesdive, Pagani, Cronos, and San Martin are export watches. Some of them are also available on Taobao and similar platforms, but their presence is so small it is almost non-existent.
There are many Made in China watch brands, but 90% of the domestic watches sold are dominated by Sea-Gull, Fiyta, and Beijing.
In the last few years, nationalism has played a big part in the surge of domestic brands. I can especially see that on Taobao's product feedback section, where people discuss why they buy domestic brands. Just like in the West, there was doubt in Chinese brands' quality in China for many years. That sentiment has now subsided.
Having said that, loyalty does not mean selection blindness. Shoppers in China are smart in cost-performance evaluation. If two products are equal, they will select a Chinese brand over an international one. Otherwise, value trumps patriotism.
For the well-to-dos, Rolex/AP/Longines/etc. are popular, just like anywhere else in the world. Some people also buy high end Sea-Gulls, but I do not think it is as popular as the well known Swiss brands.
I do not have the total sales figure on hand to show the breakdown between Chinese vs imports. My gut feelings tells me the majority will be domestic due to affordability. Let me see if I can find anything.
AliExpress, Temu, and Amazon are platforms only for international buyers. People in China shop online using Taobao, JD, etc.
Some of the popular brands we know of like Addiesdive, Pagani, Cronos, and San Martin are export watches. Some of them are also available on Taobao and similar platforms, but their presence is so small it is almost non-existent.
There are many Made in China watch brands, but 90% of the domestic watches sold are dominated by Sea-Gull, Fiyta, and Beijing.
In the last few years, nationalism has played a big part in the surge of domestic brands. I can especially see that on Taobao's product feedback section, where people discuss why they buy domestic brands. Just like in the West, there was doubt in Chinese brands' quality in China for many years. That sentiment has now subsided.
Having said that, loyalty does not mean selection blindness. Shoppers in China are smart in cost-performance evaluation. If two products are equal, they will select a Chinese brand over an international one. Otherwise, value trumps patriotism.
For the well-to-dos, Rolex/AP/Longines/etc. are popular, just like anywhere else in the world. Some people also buy high end Sea-Gulls, but I do not think it is as popular as the well known Swiss brands.
I do not have the total sales figure on hand to show the breakdown between Chinese vs imports. My gut feelings tells me the majority will be domestic due to affordability. Let me see if I can find anything.
Great information! Do you know or think that brands like San Martin, PD etc. have any retail presence in China? I find it quite interesting that many Chinese brands have a whole logistics department but zero retail presence. I'm sure many can rent a hole in a wall somewhere for not too much money. Then again I'm very ignorant when it comes to retail businesses in China.
San Martin and PD watches are available for purchase on Taobao, and they can also be found in the used market, similar to Kijiji in North America, through a platform owned by Taobao. However, their sales volume is notably smaller compared to brands like Sea-Gull and Fiyta.
Establishing a retail presence in the West presents a chicken-and-egg dilemma for them. Building consumer confidence takes time, and international after-sales service is a significant challenge. Let me explain why.
In China, owning a Sea-Gull watch allows you to use the Sea-Gull Customer app on WeChat to easily request service. The shipping cost is low, the process is automated, and after-sales service is efficiently managed by Sea-Gull. Once your watch is registered with Sea-Gull, all service matters are handled by them, simplifying the process.
However, shipping costs in the West are significantly higher compared to China. For instance, shipping a watch from the US to China for service might cost around $40 USD, whereas shipping from China to the US may only cost around $10 USD. This disparity becomes problematic, especially when the watch itself costs only $200 USD. Moreover, in the West, the authorized dealer (AD) on AliExpress/Temu/Amazon handles the shipping process to Tianjin for repairs, adding layers of complexity.
This dilemma arises because although establishing an AD network in the West could potentially address the issue, the current sales volume does not justify such an investment. Consequently, brands like Sea-Gull and Fiyta primarily focus on their retail business in China. Some Sea-Gull ADs operate international websites, but their performance is uncertain, and they often claim to be the 'Official' Sea-Gull despite being authorized dealers. Their prices vary, and some may include a watch with a QR code, while others may not.
Lastly, when purchasing a watch on platforms like AliExpress, Temu, or Amazon, logistics are managed by the platform, not the vendor.
This is a great buy @AlbertaTime ! It is beautiful!
I'll be going to China myself next week. Although I doubt if I will have any opportunity to stop by a local watch shop. We shall see.
AliExpress, Temu, and Amazon are platforms only for international buyers. People in China shop online using Taobao, JD, etc.
Some of the popular brands we know of like Addiesdive, Pagani, Cronos, and San Martin are export watches. Some of them are also available on Taobao and similar platforms, but their presence is so small it is almost non-existent.
There are many Made in China watch brands, but 90% of the domestic watches sold are dominated by Sea-Gull, Fiyta, and Beijing.
In the last few years, nationalism has played a big part in the surge of domestic brands. I can especially see that on Taobao's product feedback section, where people discuss why they buy domestic brands. Just like in the West, there was doubt in Chinese brands' quality in China for many years. That sentiment has now subsided.
Having said that, loyalty does not mean selection blindness. Shoppers in China are smart in cost-performance evaluation. If two products are equal, they will select a Chinese brand over an international one. Otherwise, value trumps patriotism.
For the well-to-dos, Rolex/AP/Longines/etc. are popular, just like anywhere else in the world. Some people also buy high end Sea-Gulls, but I do not think it is as popular as the well known Swiss brands.
I do not have the total sales figure on hand to show the breakdown between Chinese vs imports. My gut feelings tells me the majority will be domestic due to affordability. Let me see if I can find anything.
I really appreciate your input on this. It's all well put, and matches my experience, too.
Nice watch. I am considering buying one. It might look great as a dress watch.
Nice watch. I am considering buying one. It might look great as a dress watch.
Re: It might look great as a dress watch."
I agree.