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Jun 30, 2016, 04:19 AM
#1
Not-often-seen VCM brands
The development of a standardised watch movement in the 1970s led to an enormous increase in the number of watch factories all over China. As a result there are hundreds of different brands of VCMs. One of the less-well-known brands is Yun Xing.
Yun Xing brand watches were made in Kunming, the capital of the southwestern province Yunnan. I don’t know how to translate the brand name. Literally it’s Cloud Star, but it could be Yunnan Star. Kunming Watch Factory was one of the ventures closely linked to Chongqing Clock & Watch Company, the largest watch manufacturer in southwestern China at the time. A significant number of watch components moved in both directions between Chongqing and Kunming.
ZCQ, Chongqing’s movement code is not surprising. However, the code under the balance, 0483L, is unexpected. It suggests that it could have been manufactured in April 1983, but the L is commonly seen on movements made by Liaoning Watch Factory, far away in the northeast. Whether the movement is original or the result of a repair is unknown to me.
One of Chongqing C&WC’s other southwestern joint ventures was in the Sichuan city of Chengdu. However, a look at Kevin Ma’s impressive Chinese Wrist Watch reveals that there were several other factories in Sichuan province. It’s difficult to find information about them.
One of these factories was Qionglai Watch & Clock Company, about which I know almost nothing. This watch is one of their products.
I don’t know what Jing Yi means in English. The crown isn’t signed.
This movement appears to have a northeastern connection too. Under the balance: ZHE 110H. ZHE is Harbin Watch Factory’s code.
My collection of Vintage Chinese Mechanicals can be seen at
myvcms.com
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Chinese Standard Movement (tongji) watches were produced in every mainland Chinese province (except Hainan, which was part of Guangdong until 1988). I hope someday to have at least one watch from each of them. Shanxi is one of the provinces that haven’t been represented in my collection, as watches manufactured in Shanxi are rare. I know of the existence of only one other outside of China – miroman’s Haishan.
The seller from whom I bought my Kunming-made Yunxing also had three (!) Huanqiu brand watches which, like the Haishan, were made in the Shanxi city of Yangquan. I bought two of them. The first:
Internet translators tell me 环球 (Huanqiu) means “global” or “worldwide”.
It has a Shanghai crown, probably a replacement.
The movement is signed ZYQ. I’ve seen this code mentioned on lists, but I hadn’t seen a picture of it until this one.
Curiously, the letters ZSE and RB appear under the balance. ZSE is Shanghai No. 2 Watch Factory’s tongji code. (RB suggests that it was made in February 1983.) I don’t know whether the ZSE inscription is “correct” or not. The movement inside miroman’s Haishan is a complete ZSE tongji, so it’s possible that there was some cooperation between Yangquan and Shanghai No. 2. Having never seen another ZYQ movement, I don’t know. I have another example, however.
I’ve never seen a crown signed like this before.
Inside is another ZYQ movement.
Under the balance: ZSE above RA. It’s possible that these movements are original, but I may never know for sure.
Two more provinces to go…
My collection of Vintage Chinese Mechanicals can be seen at
myvcms.com
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Jul 14, 2016, 04:00 AM
#3
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Jul 21, 2016, 04:16 AM
#4
Many cities in Jiangsu province had a watch factory, and a few had more than one. I’ve seen VCMs made in 16 Jiangsu cities, but never one from Zhangjiagang. A modern city in the lower Yangtze region, Zhangjiagang didn’t exist until 1986. Before that it was Shazhou County, which apparently did have a watch factory. Its brand name was Chang Jiang (Yangtze River).
I’ve seen Chang Jiang brand watches for sale from time to time, but not at an affordable price until now.
There’s no factory name on the caseback. If I remember correctly, one of the lists of Chinese watch factories that can be found repeatedly in a web search said that Chang Jiang brand watches were manufactured by Shazhou County Watch Factory. Yesterday, however, I saw another Chang Jiang brand watch on an auction site which had the factory name 长江手表厂 (Chang Jiang Watch Factory) stamped on the back.
The movement has no factory code, but 中国 上海 and the letters EA are inscribed under the balance, indicating that at least part of the movement was made by Shanghai Watch Factory in January 1978.
My collection of Vintage Chinese Mechanicals can be seen at
myvcms.com
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