Calendar watches made by Chongqing Clock and Watch Company have been a mystery to me for a long time. They’re not easy to find, and most of the ones I’ve seen have movements imported from other factories. Back in 2012 I bought one, a Shancheng, with an interesting 18 Zuan marking on the dial – an unusual number for a tongji. I doubted the movement’s origin, but since then I became convinced that the movement was probably made in Chongqing. Much about it remained a mystery, though.



I found another in better condition with a movement clearly marked ZCQ, Chongqing’s tongji code. I hoped it could answer some questions.



There are some differences between this one and my other example. The hands are different, the date is black, not red, and there is no date magnifier. It’s possible the crystal is a replacement because it’s in excellent condition.

The calendar function was of particular interest. Me in 2012:

The seller said that the calendar mechanism is unique and posted a link to a thread in another forum.I don’t completely understand the translation, however. The date is adjusted by moving the hands between 10 PM and 12, but unlike other watches the date does not advance at 12, but at 10. When the watch runs, the date changes every 24 hours at 12 as it should.
I tried with my new example. Same thing; the date advances when the hands are turned back to 10. I noticed immediately, however, that the change was instantaneous, not gradual as with most tongji calendar mechanisms. As I was playing with it, I accidentally turned the minute hand past 9. The date jumped again. I kept turning back. It jumped again and again and again – a very unique way to set the date. The calendar will advance by turning the hands backward no matter where I start.

Immediately I took out the watch I already had. It behaves in the same way. The instantaneous date change is more subtle, however. Why didn’t the date advance at 12 when I tested it before? It’s possible I started at 12 noon. How did I not notice all of this in a watch I’ve owned for years?

I later remembered that I’ve seen this method to advance the date in 1990s double calendar automatic tongji watches with movements made in Liaoning. Maybe it isn’t so unique after all. With the Liaoning movements, the crown doesn’t need to be turned backward as far as with the Chongqing movements.

Probably the most common Shancheng caseback and crown.





Unusually,the ZCQ movement does not have a date code. My other has the code 8612, suggesting December 1986.



Why the dials say 18 Zuan and the movements 17 remains a mystery to me.