The story
This watch was donated to the Art for Heart charity sale in 2024 to raise money for heart operations for disadvantaged children.
In the latter part of the 20th century, the watches made by the Shanghai Watch Factory were, in China, as desirable to many as a Rolex. In those times China was undergoing enormous internal changes, as well as beginning to open it's doors to the world after a period of isolation. While some may have been able to afford an actual rolex, for many the Shanghai watch was one of the most realistically attainable status symbol.
This watch was designed specifically for the Heart for Heart charity art sale, held annually in Shanghai, therefore the heart motif speaks for itself. The arrangement is a reference to the Rolex dial designs which contained multi colored balls and jigsaw pieces, echoing the historic prestige of the watch brand to contemporary buyers.