Manufacture
BCHH's comprehensive report on Beijing Watch and Sea-Gull offers a rare glimpse into the heart of Chinese horological manufacturing. His detailed photo essay, stemming from a 2013 visit to Beijing and Tianjin, provides invaluable insights into the production processes and unique horological culture of China. This article not only showcases the technical prowess of these manufactures but also sparks a discussion on their design philosophy and innovation.
Dear friends,
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Beijing & Tianjin, and could not miss stopping by Beijing Watch and Sea-Gull in those respective cities. As requested on another thread, I am now posting photos of my visits here. Hopefully this will give many of you an eye into watch production and horological culture in China.
These photos represent only about half of all taken and have been substantially downsized for efficient web delivery and are meant merely as a general overview of the places visited. Anyone desiring more detailed or higher-resolution photos or shots from a different angle can contact me directly for them.
And now, on to the festivities...
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Our story begins in Beijing, capital for six centuries of the most populous nation on the globe and one of the world's great ancient cultures. Beijing, or Northern Capital in Chinese, is an ancient city, a citadel exuding both the faded majesty and trappings of Imperial China as well as brimming with the modernity and confidence of New China.
Sundial inside the Imperial Palace Hall of Clocks & Watches The drum (first picture) & bell (second picture) towers of old Beijing - these towers used to dominate the Beijing skyline during the Imperial era, and were the basis of timekeeping in the capital from the Yuan dynasty until 1924. And here is another grande dame... a vintage Sea-Gull from 1973
While on the highway, we can see the Swallow Mountains that surround Changping village, home of China's greatest watchmakers. These Swallow Mountains take their name from Zhu Di, the Swallow Prince, who ultimately became Emperor Yongle and built the Forbidden City and launched Zheng He's voyages among other accomplishments. The Swallow Mountains gave Beijing Watch the inspiration for their tourbillon carriage in 1996 (built in titanium in the shape of a swallow), which is mainland China's first
...you had fabulous weather in BJ with blue sky, which is often not the case. ( i spent a lot of time up there pre-Olympics...) Can you share some picturs of the factory and the way the timepieces are made? thanks, Stefan
But I think that you reduced them a bit too much. I would love to visit the hall of clock and watches... And now... we would like to know what is inside tge Beijing watch building... Fx
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