Iconic VCMs

[meijlinder]

For my post 1000 I thought I would do a thread on some iconic vintage Chinese watches. Got a question a while back about which the truly unique Chinese watches were. After a few years being interested in VCMs this is what I have come up with. None of the watches are mine btw.

Let's go brand by brand

Tianjin/Seagull/DongFeng
5 star - First Chinese wrist watch built (1955) - impossible to find



Early WuYi (5.1 - May 1st) - Rare



PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) Chrono - very rare (around 1400 produced)

China hadn't produced a chrono before, so no machines existed. Chinese government bought designs and tooling for the Venus 175


DongFeng ST5A (1966)

First 100% Chinese designed and built watch. (19 jewels 18000 bph)


Later improvements to ST5 lead to the common mvmt in many Seagull watches (21600 bph). There is also a ST5D (automatic)


Shanghai
114 - Very rare

Chinas first military dive watch (SS4 24Jewel)
Here is an interesting look at the movement:
http://watchguy.co.uk/service-shanghai-24-jewels/


A581 - black dial (for every 1 black, 30 white were produced)



Beijing
BS-1 (copy of Roamer MST 371) - Extremely rare (3762 made)


So what are your thoughts? Please add others or elaborate on the ones I have compiled






Information and images borrowed from http://www.amchpr.com , http://micmicmor.blogspot.se/ and http://chinesewatchwiki.net/

[is that my watch]

For my post 1000 I thought I would do a thread on some iconic vintage Chinese watches. Got a question a while back about which the truly unique Chinese watches were. After a few years being interested in VCMs this is what I have come up with. None of the watches are mine btw.

Let's go brand by brand

Tianjin/Seagull/DongFeng
5 star - First Chinese wrist watch built (1955) - impossible to find



Early WuYi (5.1 - May 1st) - Rare



PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) Chrono - very rare (around 1400 produced)

China hadn't produced a chrono before, so no machines existed. Chinese government bought designs and tooling for the Venus 175


DongFeng ST5A (1966)

First 100% Chinese designed and built watch. (19 jewels 18000 bph)


Later improvements to ST5 lead to the common mvmt in many Seagull watches (21600 bph). There is also a ST5D (automatic)


Shanghai
114 - Very rare

Chinas first military dive watch (SS4 24Jewel)
Here is an interesting look at the movement:
http://watchguy.co.uk/service-shanghai-24-jewels/


A581 - black dial (for every 1 black, 30 white were produced)



Beijing
BS-1 (copy of Roamer MST 371) - Extremely rare (3762 made)


So what are your thoughts? Please add others or elaborate on the ones I have compiled






Information and images borrowed from http://www.amchpr.com , http://micmicmor.blogspot.se/ and http://chinesewatchwiki.net/

this one catches my eye

[OhDark30]

Thanks for starting this, meij, a very handy resource!

[Strela167]

Great piece of work mate. Cheers

[meijlinder]

Thanks for starting this, meij, a very handy resource!

Great piece of work mate. Cheers

Thanks. So what have I missed? Was thinking there should be a few more pieces but couldn't think of them.

[is that my watch]

well here is some of mine if that helps for you to remember can't seem to find pics of all but here's a few

[meijlinder]

well here is some of mine if that helps for you to remember can't seem to find pics of all but here's a few

We def. need to do a thread on the ones with holographic dials. Seen 3 different versions I believe

[is that my watch]

We def. need to do a thread on the ones with holographic dials. Seen 3 different versions I believe

did have a go at doing one way back when

here
has any one else seen a guan yin holo watch

can re-use it or go fresh am easy

[Strela167]

Thanks. So what have I missed? Was thinking there should be a few more pieces but couldn't think of them.

Double rhom , peacock, everest (the first) , peony, 120/611 etc. Pretty sure you've got these mate

[meijlinder]

Double rhom , peacock, everest (the first) , peony, 120/611 etc. Pretty sure you've got these mate

The 40 jewel Beijings should probably be in there as well