Model : Yinbei (银杯，Silver Trophy)
Manufacturer : Shanghai Fourth Watch Factory 上海手表四厂
Year of Production: 1986?
Case Diameter :
Weight w/o strap: g
Movement Model : SM1A-K( 17 jewels)
Type : Hand Wind
Yinbei is by Shanghai Fourth Watch Factory 上海手表四厂 whose immediate predecessor is Shanghai Stopwatch Factory 上海秒表厂which produced the famous Zuanshi 钻石 （Diamond) watch; my Zuanshi is here. There are two identical features in Yinbei and Zuanshi: firstly, both were powered by the ten times winner SM1AK movement and secondly both utilized the diamond shape as a logo in whole for Zuanshi and in part for Yinbei. Yinbei means silver trophy. The diamond became the cup of the trophy logo, a clever design.
As to the background of naming the watch as "Silver Trophy", it was said that it was to commemorate the factory's ten times champion in national quality competition in which the champion was given away with a silver trophy (there was no gold trophy in the competition). This is just a hear-say; cite it at your own risk.
[Added on 17 April 2011] Interestingly, unauthorized internet source indicated that Yinbei watch was a product of corporation between Shanghai Zuanshi Watch Factory (上海钻石手表厂） and Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Fishery of Nanhui Province (南汇县畜牧水产局) started in circa 1985. Around that year Shanghai Fourth Watch Factory was renamed as Shanghai Zuanshi Watch Factory. Such corporation had benefited both sides in such the way that it enabled the availability eggs and chicken, which was in high demand at that time, to the work force of watch factory and at the same time provided watch assembly works to the work force of the bureau. Therefore, it was also known as "Egg Watch" or "Watch of third kind".[End of Addition]
The movement is engraved with "Zuanshi" on the bridge board. Below the balance wheel , there is date code of SM1-86-3. My best guest is that"SM1" is the model of the movement and "86-3" means the month of March in 1986.
The case back has the logo, "银杯", "上海手表四厂" and the longest pinyin I have ever seen "YINBEIPAISHOUBIAO". Do not be intimidated, let me hack it: YIN 银 (Silver) BEI 杯 (Trophy) PAI 牌 (Brand) SHOU 手 (Wrist) 表 BIAO （Watch).
More shots are here:
The Portrait
The Dial
The Movement
The Movement and the Caseback
As to the background of naming the watch as "Silver Trophy", it was said that it was to commemorate the factory's ten times champion in national quality competition in which the champion was given away with a silver trophy (there was no gold trophy in the competition). This is just a hear-say; cite it at your own risk.
[Added on 17 April 2011] Interestingly, unauthorized internet source indicated that Yinbei watch was a product of corporation between Shanghai Zuanshi Watch Factory (上海钻石手表厂） and Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Fishery of Nanhui Province (南汇县畜牧水产局) started in circa 1985. Around that year Shanghai Fourth Watch Factory was renamed as Shanghai Zuanshi Watch Factory. Such corporation had benefited both sides in such the way that it enabled the availability eggs and chicken, which was in high demand at that time, to the work force of watch factory and at the same time provided watch assembly works to the work force of the bureau. Therefore, it was also known as "Egg Watch" or "Watch of third kind".[End of Addition]
The movement is engraved with "Zuanshi" on the bridge board. Below the balance wheel , there is date code of SM1-86-3. My best guest is that"SM1" is the model of the movement and "86-3" means the month of March in 1986.
The case back has the logo, "银杯", "上海手表四厂" and the longest pinyin I have ever seen "YINBEIPAISHOUBIAO". Do not be intimidated, let me hack it: YIN 银 (Silver) BEI 杯 (Trophy) PAI 牌 (Brand) SHOU 手 (Wrist) 表 BIAO （Watch).
More shots are here:
The Portrait
The Dial
The Movement
The Movement and the Caseback
