Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 IV - China Railways

Model : Sea-Gull 海鸥

Manufacturer : Tianjin Watch Factory (天津手表厂）

Year of Production: 1970s

Case Diameter :

Weight w/o strap: g

Movement Model : ST5B (19 jewels) 

Type : Hand Wind

This is a Sea-Gull watch for China Railways the logo of which is on the dial. See wiki page here. However, it is not the railroad standard watch but a normal watch powered by ST5 movement engraved with decorative stripes. The movement has the date calendar but with no hacking function. It is protected with an anti-magnetic shield and has a date calendar with no hacking function. The crown is signed with Sea-Gull logo.

The caseback is the standard Sea-Gull case back. But from the images found in internet, China Railways Sea-Gull usually has the standard caseback engraved with serial number and also the name of the issuing railways office. So, the caseback may not be well the original one.

Other watches produced by Tianjin Watch Factory:

1. Tianjin 天津 ST2A Wuyi 五一 (Five One);

2. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Dongfeng 东风 （East Wind);

3. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Dongfeng 东风 （East Wind) - Black;

4. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Dongfeng 东风 （East Wind) - Green;

5. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Tianjin 天津;

6. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 I；

7. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 II； 

8. Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 III - White Logo
9. Tianjin 天津 ST19 The First Chinese Air Force Chronograph 1963 (Reissue) 中国空军第一只航空码表1963（复刻版）

 

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Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 III - White Logo

Model : Sea-Gull 海鸥

Manufacturer : Tianjin Watch Factory (天津手表厂）

Year of Production:1970s

Case Diameter :

Weight w/o strap: g

Movement Model : ST5A (19 jewels) 

Type : Hand Wind


This is my third Sea-Gull watch. It is powered by a ST5A movement. See my earlier post about ST5 movement in Sea-Gull here. In the post, it was said that ST5 movement with decorative stripes is the high beater. In the other post on Dongfeng, it was also said that movement signed with ST5 is a fast beater 21600bph and whereas the one signed with "东风” is a lower beat movement 18000bph. I have verified these two statements by putting the ST5 with and without stripes at my ears and can confirm that they tick at the same beat and therefore can confirm that a movement signed with ST5 is always the fast beater regardless whether it has stripes or otherwise.


The logo in white is special and more so when the hands are in white too. Black dial with white logo and hands is contrasting. However, there is a little imperfection that the words on the dial are not as bright as the logo and the hands. Otherwise, it would be one of the most outstanding pieces in my collection.


Other watches produced by Tianjin Watch Factory:

1. Tianjin 天津 ST2A Wuyi 五一 (Five One);

2. Tianjin 天津 ST5A Dongfeng 东风 （East Wind);

3. Tianjin 天津 ST5A Dongfeng 东风 （East Wind) - Black;

4. Tianjin 天津 ST5A Dongfeng 东风 （East Wind) - Green;

5. Tianjin 天津 ST5A Tianjin 天津;

6. Tianjin 天津 ST5B Sea-Gull 海鸥 I；

7. Tianjin 天津 ST5A Sea-Gull 海鸥 II；
8. Tianjin 天津 ST19 The First Chinese Air Force Chronograph 1963 (Reissue) 中国空军第一只航空码表1963（复刻版）

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Guangzhou 广州 SG3A

Model : SG3A (17 Jewels)

Manufacturer : Guangzou Watch Factory (广州手表厂)

Year of Production: 

Case Diameter : 

Weight w/o strap: g 

Movement Model : (17 jewels) 

Type : Hand Wind

This is my third piece of Cantonese (see the links below for the earlier two) but it is the oldest among them. 'SG3A' stands for Shoubiao (手表 , watch), Guangzhou (广州, Canton) and the 'A' should represent movement with no calendar. SG3 is a movement of lower quality but the piece survives till todate. To cite the relevant part of the wiki: 

The following year [1963], development commenced on the Guangzhou brand SG-3 watch, based on duplicate tooling to that used for the Beijing BS-2. It took a further 2 years to reach production. The contrast in quality between the BS-2 and SG-3 was stark. Certain vintage Chinese watches are sought after, not for their fine quality, but rather because they are of such poor quality that scarecely any survive. The SG-3 was one such watch. Poor mangement, poor tooling, economic and political turmoil, and vibrations from a nearby army test range dogged the Guangzhou Factory. In 1969, the factroy finally relocated.

[Added on  21 Aug 2011]
The inscriptions on the caseback is long, longer than usual. It says "GUANGZHOU, SHIQIZUAN, FANGZHEN, QUANGANG" or "CANTON, 17JEWELS, ANTI-SHOCK, ALL STAINLESS STEEL".


The other Cantonese are:

1. Guangzhou 广州 Mingzhu 明珠 (Pearl)
2. Guangzhou 广州 17J

More shots see here:

1. The watch;
2. The movement and the caseback;
3. The movement 1;
4. The movement 2;
5. The movement 3;
6. The movement 4;
7. The caseback;
8. The dial.

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Jinzhong 金钟 Zhufeng 珠峰 III (Mount Everest)

Model : Zhufeng 珠峰 (Mount Everest)

Manufacturer : Jin Zhong Watch Factory 金钟手表厂（Golden Bell Watch Factory)

Year of Production: 

Case Diameter : 1983

Weight w/o strap: g 

Movement Model : ZCQ (17 jewels) 

Type : Hand Wind

This is the third Zhufeng watch that I have had and they are Zhufeng I and Zhufeng II. This Zhufeng is so special that it has hologram on its dial which projecting the image of the Goddess of Mercy: Guanyin (观音) or Guanshiyin (观世音), a popular goddess, or budhisattva, among Chinese people particularly those outside China. See wiki here.  If you are familiar with Chinese tea, you will know that one of the variety of oolong tea is named after the goddess as Tieguanyin (铁观音).

The caseback of the watch is still with its seal. Beneath the seal it is engraved with a running horse surpassing a flying bird with Zhufeng logo, the same engraving as in Zhufeng I.

Zhufeng is a product of Jin Zhong Watch Factory and the standard movement of which is ZTZA. However, the movement of this wacth is ZCQ which is from Chongqin Wacth Factory.

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Nanning 南宁 Xiangshan 象山 17J (Elephant Hill)

Model : Xiangshan (象山)

Manufacturer: Nanning Watch Factory (南宁手表厂)
Year of Production: 1989
Case Diameter:
Weight w/o strap:
Movement Model : Standard Movement ZNN (17 jewels)
Type : Hand Wind

This is yet another piece of Chinese unique way of naming a watch. The brand is Xiangshan (象山) or Elephant Hill. This hill is also known as Xiangbishan (象鼻山) or Elephant Trunk Hill. It looks like a gigantic elephant dipping its trunk into the river. This is an icon of Guilin (桂林), one of the most scenic park in China about which there is an ancient saying: "桂林山水甲天下 " (Guilin is the most scenic park on earth).

In the logo, there is a knob on top of Elephant Hill. It actually depicts Puxian Pagoda (普贤塔)  which is situated on the hill top. It is an ancient pagoda built during Ming dynasty (1368-1644). See picture below:

A member of iwactch365 forum, 多功能, has taken a few photos of the wacth factory in his post and some of the photos are reproduced here:

The name of the factory, Nannning Shoubiaochang, is on the clock dial:

 

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