So What Happened to the Rolex of China?

The Shanghai watch was the first mechanical watch completely designed and made in China. It was so prized that no one would marry a man without a Shanghai watch. The timepiece was worn by Chinese leaders like Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Zhou Enlai.
We went to the factory in Shanghai to see how these historical watches are made.
**CORRECTION: @04:49, we said that Shanghai Watch released pieces with tourbillon complications similar to that you might find in a Rolex. This is a factual error because Rolex has never released a tourbillon watch.
0:00 Introduction
0:21 Meet Master Feng
0:39 Why was it so valuable?
1:57 How was it made?
2:38 Why haven’t I heard of it before?
2:50 Meet Lin Lin
3:52 Bringing the watch into the 21st century
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#china #factory #watch
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Producer: Jessica Novia
Videographer: Shirley Xu and Frentee Ji
Editor: Joel Roche
Music: Audio Network

[@langestrom814]

Rolex doesn’t make tourbillons. Brands such as Patek Philippe, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, and A. Lange & Söhne do. Way more high end than Rolex.

[@Goldthread]

Hi Raj! Thank you so much for pointing this error out to us. We have made a correction note in the description box :)

[@UsernameInvalidTHIS]

Not only this, but Rolex has *never* made a movement with a tourbillon to my knowledge.

[@moreevents4335]

thanks for pointing this out, because i nver knew what a tourbillion is. :D

[@key2theuniverse713]

I came here to say exactly that

[@Seele2015au]

@@UsernameInvalidTHIS Rolex has never made a movement: they're made by Aegler SA, and eventually bought out by Rolex in 2004 so that Rolex owns Aegler and can somehow claim that they make their own movements.

[@frankcass3485]

Tianjin Sea-Gull Watch Group (often simply called "Seagull") is a Chinese watch manufacturer located in Tianjin, a city with a strong connection to China's watchmaking industry. Tianjin Sea-Gull has over 50 years of history and is presently the largest manufacturer in China by volume. The factory was founded in 1958 (growing out of earlier watch making efforts in Tianjin beginning in 1955) and was originally known as Tianjin Wuyi Watch Factory. The factory was relocated in 1962 and renamed Tianjin Watch Factory, and operated under this name during the rest of the vintage period of Chinese watch making. It produced several mechanical and electronic movements in this timeframe, but is best known for its ST5 movement, produced in 1965, which was the first movement to be 100% designed and built in China and was used in Dongfeng and later Seagull brand watches (among others).

[@allthingsgood156]

Thank you for this video.

[@calebpan1505]

Great video! I love watches, but I don't think Rolex has ever produced, let alone sold, tourbillions!

[@Goldthread]

Hi Caleb! Thank you so much for pointing this error out for us. We have made a correction note in the description box :)

[@Williamchan87]

one of the downfall was actually fake shanghai watches, and competition by Tianjin Seagull and Beijing Factory

[@karanjain5663]

But my understanding was that Beijing Watch Factory produced a much smaller volume than Shanghai?

[@ucvietnguyen5876]

You're right @karanjain5663 ! Beijing Factory's watches are produced in a much smaller volume and with stricter criteria than that of Shanghai. Bringing these two companies to compare is not a wise idea, because Beijing Watch Factory's market position is aimed at the high-end luxury segment (priced at above $10000) while Shanghai targets to mid-income consumers (starting from $1000). Tianjin Seagull in fact cannot compete with Shanghai - their movements, design, production quality are much lower and less appealing than that of Shanghai. The only thing that keeps Seagull stands out in the market is cheap prices, but that cannot really helps Seagull becoming more competitive.

[@ucvietnguyen5876]

Nope. Seagull and Beijing didn't slap Shanghai watches. One thing that you're right is that the "fake watch market" has existed in China for too long, damaging the sales and reputation of many renowned brands. Shanghai was just one of its victims. But the real competitors for Shanghai Watch Factory in the 80s were Japanese firms (Seiko, Citizen, Casio) who were making more reliable and affordable quartz timepieces

[@misubi]

This woman's accent is crazy.

[@nathanchang7713]

She has a Singaporean accent I think, Singaporean’s spoken English aren’t very good.

[@nl2935]

im Singaporean, she is totally not Singaporean. it is so obvious that she is from china but probably studied and learned her English in the UK for many years.

[@artbanks27]

Lin designs are very interesting and avant garde, and the combination with more vintage 70s desings is a match amde in heaven.

[@vvangzi]

It’s still grateful to notice how ‘Time’ glowed on those watches, great vid👍🏻

[@kylin3197]

yaaaaay reviving! I want one! but they should do calligraphy in traditional Chinese lol

[@133r]

They make some highly complicated & stunning watches that would sell for over a hundred grand if they had a top Swiss pedigree.

[@lizsul2771]

Love your videos!! Are you going to upload videos on bilibili, the Chinese version of KZbin, too?

[@marius3391]

Where is the watch store at the end of the vid located? I'm already in Shanghai and would love to check it out

[@TheSupertecnology]

This video comes like a glove to a hand for me, since I'm expecting a custom made Shanghai watch I finally decided to get for myself amid Christmas times. If I was hyped, I'm more eager now. Maybe they're not the status symbol they once were, but they sure are still very relevant to the watchmaking industry.

[@spaceghostmiid]

same lol, picked up a shanghai factory skeleton watch, now i’m trying to learn about it some.

[@tentimetex]

In those days to get married all you needed was a watch? Jeez! im living in the wrong time!

[@racylaserjet]

A bicycle, a sewing machine, and a watch! That's actually not a bad idea.

[@SimonLi]

thats dope now i want one lol

[@PALWE]

Li is the start of a lie

[@cookbook800]

Those watches are breathtakingly gorgeous

[@actube10]

Thanks

[@Rod-bp8ow]

Shanghai, is known for the shang dynasty, its culture, its authentic style, its calligraphy, its details of eloquence in art as well as picturesque views in many souvenirs, the brand itself is a statement known worldwide, as sundials are known for their reminder of time, the tourbillion brand®©™ are exceptional features of this one of a kind masterpieces. SMEs.........respectively.

[@Drownedinblood]

You should put some links to her designs. I'd like to check em out.

[@ryanwiler4808]

Rolex doesn't have a tourbillon.

[@deshamp286]

Can you please let me know where I can buy this one?

[@Daijobustory]

Rolex never capable of producing the big three complications (tourbillon, minute repeater, perpetual calendar) the best they can do is the annual calendar.

[@arapaimagold8088]

The lazy Rolex that so comfortable with everyone lining up for their boring submariner.

[@frankyw8803]

I didn't know this , great history lesson .

[@730-buysell4]

NO, China actually started making clocks and watches as early as Qing dynasty

[@Kana0211]

I just found some new old stock shanghai watches from my grandpa that are over 40 years old.

[@arapaimagold8088]

They should redesign the case and put more effort in polishing as their dials isn't suitable for that brushed sport watch finish.

[@youcantmatchsteve11]

The Rolex of China is Rolex...

[@benderbendingrofriguez3300]

can you find that watch outside of china?

[@730-buysell4]

I deal with them before, this place seems legit: www.good-stuffs.com/

[@chillridesjohn]

those are actually cool watches!

[@aBc-123-XyZ]

0:03 Say whattt? I love watches. Interesting history. Thank you. 😎"🙏✌

[@globalluxurywatches960]

🌞

[@ame9021]

老乱，LOL

[@zsarimaxim692]

Wrong character though, the correct one is rather vulgar.

[@ame9021]

@@zsarimaxim692 哈哈，here you go. To be honest with you, as a native speaker of shanghainese dialect, I don't really know what charactor it should be. Guess it's from ancient local language, now the word is still used in daily talking, with the writen lost in time.

[@huyquang5334]

china is china , cant be other brand .