It seems that no Shanghai based blog is complete without male accessories, and while I’m not as metro as some of my good friends I do like a nice watch. I’m not really interested in expensive (or fake), mainstream stuff, it’s always the obscure, interesting stuff that interests me (yeah, I’m a cheapskate).
Anyway, I saw talk about these watches on watchuseek and just had to have one (and they’re not easy to track down). It’s made by Seagull (Tianjin Seagull, different from the Shanghai Seagull camera company) and is a reissue of their 1963 chinese airforce watch. It seems that demand is high, I had to wait months to receive it, worth the wait though! My pictures don’t really do it justice (the best I can do in my hotel with a P&S and a desk lamp) but take a look at the watchuseek pics above to get a better idea.
Display back:
The movement is Seagull ST19 (handwound chronograph), the seagull movements are pretty much copies of ETA movements as far as I know, and by all accounts they are a pretty good match in terms of performance. Apparently the text reads “China: Tianjin Watch Factory” although apparently they’re made at the plant in Shenzhen.
My only minor gripe is that I’d prefer something a little bigger for my chunky wrist, at 37mm it’s a little on the small side of what I’d normally wear.
I just need to find a decent strap now, it’s still on the khaki NATO strap it was supplied on, anyone know any decent shops in Shanghai for straps?
EDIT:
Oh, by the way, Seagull watches are stocked at Tourneau in Xintiandi (not this model though), I took a look, their range is certainly premium priced but not really to my taste, they do have a reasonably priced tourbillon though.
11 Comments
Wow Dingle that’s a great looking watch, I may have to look into this brand, although 37mm is clearly too small for you as my Panerai is already 40mm and my wrist is tiny (probably coz it hardly ever gets and exercise).
thanks Woai, it’s interesting that Tourneau don’t display the Seagull watches, you have to ask for them and they take you into a back room and bring them out of the safe, not sure why this is, maybe the name isn’t established enough yet? they seem to be well respected but I didn’t like any of the range in Tourneau.
There’s a few variants of the same watch:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=62127
It is a bit small, but at the other end of the spectrum I tried on a Bell and Ross (fake) at the new Xiangyang market last weekend, it was an absolute monster.
Bloody hell dingle, I didn’t realise you were so into your watches. It certainly is a bobby dazzler and this whole big watch trend can’t last forever I reckon.
No idea where to get your strap on though, sorry.
Dingle, for all your watch strap needs:
http://www.watchworx.co.uk/index.html
Yes, they’re in the UK but they make quality straps at VERY reasonable prices.
yeah, anything mechanical and complicated swiss, old cameras etc…
thanks woai, I want to see the straps though really, I haven’t got a clue what to match with the watch, wanted to try a couple and see how they look. if I figure out which colour I might have another look at watchworx though!
Hey dingle, can I ask you where you got the Seagull 1963 reissue from?
Lei, I’ll email you
Hi Dingle
I am in Shanghai and also looking for one of these 1963 reissue watches. Can you comment on how you tracked this one down?
By the way, Sea-gull watches are stocked in a new mall in the old city. I forget the name but it’s just out of the south gate of Chen Huang Miao. You’l see a Papa Johns and a couple of cafes, the watch shop is on the corner. Sadly no 1963 though
CDS as I understand it these are pretty much unavailable everywhere. I bought my watch through a forum (watchuseek) from a guy who’d commissioned the factory to make a few hundred of these watches, they’re not on general sale.
Have a search on watchuseek, you’ll find the guy, not sure if he was planning any more
Hey, I saw these online!
Almost a year later, but I see a whack of these on sale at Taobao
Search for 1963??, and be prepared for sticker shock! 2500rmb+
If you like Chinese watches Dingle, check this forum out http://www.watchstore.com.cn/index.asp?boardid=68
In Chinese, but has purty pictures for illiterate migrant workers like you
I love the back of it so much that I’d be tempted to buy one and wear it the wrong way round! After all, I’ve got a clock on my phone, so I don’t really need it to tell the time, it’d just be a cool talking point to show people.
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