In the bustling streets of 19th-century Shanghai, watches were already familiar sights. Shopfronts displayed timepieces imported from Switzerland, Germany, and England, symbols of precision and modernity from the West. Yet among the polished cases and ticking movements, one thing was conspicuously absent: the words Made in China.
For decades, China remained a consumer of watches, not a creator. That reality would not change until 1955 — a year that quietly marked the beginning of Chinese horology.
1955: When Ingenuity Replaced Abundance
In the mid-1950s, a small group of watchmakers in Shanghai set out to achieve what had never been done before: to produce the country’s first domestically made mechanical watches. Their ambition was modest on paper — just 12 prototype Swiss-style waterproof watches — but the challenge was immense.
Resources were scarce. Industrial infrastructure was limited. There were no established supply chains, no specialized machinery, and no precedent to follow. Every component had to be created from scratch, relying purely on craftsmanship, improvisation, and determination.
What followed was an extraordinary display of ingenuity. Copper strips were salvaged from musical instruments. Steel wires were taken from umbrellas. Sewing needles were repurposed into critical components. With little more than second-hand clock-repair machines and basic hand tools, each part was filed, carved, polished, and assembled by hand.
In September 1955, the team completed 18 fully functional mechanical watches, each engraved with the words “Shanghai, China.” These watches were more than timekeeping instruments — they were symbols. Proof that Chinese watchmaking was no longer an idea, but a reality.
A Legacy Embraced by the Nation
The momentum continued. In 1957, the Shanghai Watch Factory was officially established. By early 1958, it released its first production movement: A581, meaning “the first movement of 1958.”
By contemporary standards, the performance was remarkable. Shanghai watches offered a continuous run time of over 36 hours and a daily accuracy deviation of less than one minute — placing them firmly on par with respected Swiss brands of the era, such as Selca.
The watches soon found their way onto the wrists of citizens across the country — including China’s leadership. In 1961, Premier Zhou Enlai purchased a Shanghai watch and wore it regularly until his passing in 1976. The watch was removed before cremation and is now preserved at the National Museum of China, a testament to its cultural and historical significance.
The Must-Have Watch of a Generation
On 1 July 1958, Shanghai Watches were officially launched at the Shanghai Third Department Store. All 100 pieces from the first batch sold out immediately. Over 1,000 customers registered on waiting lists that very morning. The event was reported in the Xinmin Evening News, complete with photographs — an early sign of the brand’s growing importance.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Shanghai Watches became a central symbol of aspiration. As part of the famous “Three Turns and One Ring” — a watch, bicycle, sewing machine, and radio — owning a Shanghai watch was seen as a milestone, particularly for weddings and new households.
At its peak, one in four Chinese watch wearers wore a Shanghai watch. It was not merely a product; it was a marker of progress, pride, and stability.
Challenges, Reinvention, and Technical Ambition
The rise of quartz technology in the late 20th century disrupted the global watch industry. Japanese brands, led by Seiko, reshaped consumer expectations with electronic accuracy and affordability. Like many mechanical watchmakers worldwide, Shanghai Watches struggled to adapt.
In 1987, the brand introduced electronic watches, but market saturation made recovery difficult. Instead of retreating, Shanghai Watches chose a more demanding path: technical reinvention.
The brand refocused on mechanical innovation, developing proprietary movements and, eventually, tourbillon calibres — one of watchmaking’s most complex complications. In 2005, to mark its 50th anniversary, Shanghai Watches unveiled its first tourbillon timepiece, which was quickly acquired by collectors.
Where Tradition Meets Modernity
Today, Shanghai Watches occupy a unique position in horology. They are both guardians of history and active innovators, blending oriental aesthetics with modern mechanical engineering. Their designs reflect restraint, balance, and cultural depth, while embracing contemporary proportions and finishing.
These are watches that go beyond function. They speak of heritage, perseverance, and identity — carrying with them the story of an industry that was built by hand, under constraint, yet driven by belief.
More than six decades after those first engraved words — “Shanghai, China” — the brand continues to shine, rooted firmly in its past while moving confidently forward.
Click here to explore the SHANGHAI WATCHES collection.
Credit: Images — Shanghai Watch
