Shanghai

Shanghai Watch Company was founded in 1955 in Shanghai, and was among the first Chinese watch brands. Domestically, the brand quickly gained a reputation for quality and by 1970 was producing over 700,000 watches a year.

The company has a reputation for producing good quality and affordable watches.

Why are they special?

Chinese Rolex

For many Chinese citizens in the 20th century, Shanghai watches were a highly desirable status symbol; and to acquire one required significant investment.

Flamboyance

The watches produced in the 1960s were relatively unremarkable in appearance, something changed in the 1970s when the company produced a whole range of wacky dials and elaborate and decorative cases. Reviewing contemporary images of the fashions and cultures of the era create the impression that everyone wore grey cloth trousers, dark blue tunics and flat caps. However, Shanghai watches show that this may have been an oversimplification and there was color and expression at least on people's wrists.

Why do we like them?

While over 700,000 were made each year, a lot of those watches were rumored to be destroyed, while spending 4 decades in a humid environment has created a lot of damaged watches out there.

There is pleasure in taking a something that is one of a million identical and making it one in a million.