# What Chinese timepiece are you wearing today ? May 2013



## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

To start the month, I'm wearing my reliable Parnis automatic 







View attachment 1068286


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## FitzroyTom (Feb 21, 2012)

*Re: What Chinese watch are you wearing today in May 2013 ?*


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

*Re: What Chinese watch are you wearing today in May 2013 ?*

AlphaUSA milsub for me today:


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello World.

So this is what was waiting for me yesterday evening when I returned home from the office. Tis a Shuangling 40 Zuan (obviously) with a red dial.

Now I have to make a few points about this watch before I go rambling off into one of my digressions.

I've decided to call it a Shuangling 'cos of the two interlocked diamonds on the dial. They're technically wot the Chinese watch freaks call a "double rhomb", which in Mandarin comes out as Shuangling. The watch was produced by my beloved Beijing Watch Factory back in the 1980s when they used "Shuangling" as their branding for the Chinese home market. And for export they used (you guessed it) "Double Rhomb". But as this watch has no brand name printed, I could just as easily call it a "Beijing" and still be correct. Anyways, I decided on "Shuangling" and a Shuangling it'll be until someone better qualified than me wags their finger.

It's also got that red dial, of course. Now here I'm on shaky ground as I believe red dials were more of a fashion during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976, according to Wikipedia) which was well and truly over (thank god) by the 1980s. For understandable reasons (they look dynamite) red dial vintage watches in good condition from the Cultural Revolution era are like hen's teeth. I scoured TaoBao high and low but couldn't bring myself to buy the few ragged examples I could find. But there *are* some later era red dials about, so I faced facts and went for one of those. And I chose *this* particular watch because the combination of red dial and gold markers and hands took my breath away.

But that's only half the story: this is the *only* watch I've ever bought *specifically* because it's an automatic (I prefer handwinds, as a rule). I have no idea why the watch movement needs to have 40 jewels in there, but the automatic movements produced by Beijing have more rocks inside than the Crown Jewels. But the fact that China could design and create their own indigenous automatic movement (this is no ETA clone) is something for Beijing to be rightly proud of. So of course I decided that I'd have to acquire a "40 Zuan" *sometime*, so when I realised the red dial beauty I'd found on TaoBao had this movement... well, Capucho's don't do delayed gratification.

So (wincing at the price) I snapped the buggah up.

Well, after a lot less than twenty four hours I found that so far that the condition is far better than I expected from the soft-focus TaoBao photos, and it's reasonably accurate. The red dial changes tone with changing light, but then I've come to expect that of Chinese vintage watches; it's wot they do. And after whipping various straps off almost every watch I own, I've found that it looks *amazing* on a reddish strap (the poor Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue will have to live on a brown strap for now). Oh, and there's a bit of crystal glue smeared on the acrylic that no amount of rubbing with Colgate is shifting. Shall get around to taking it to my trusty watchmender and he'll sort it out.

Am I pleased with myself? Yup. Did I pay too much? Yup. Should this watch be in a museum? Erm, probably. But I'll look after it, wear it carefully, and make sure it's preserved for the future.

Me very very very happee.

Ric


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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)

Just about every day for me starts with "So, which one shoud I wear today?"
This morning however, the choice was simple - May 1 Labour Day Holiday in China, it could only be the WUYI ;-)


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon fellas!

Parnis Big Pilot, for my Holiday.








Have a great day everyone!
Luís M


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Sterile sub!


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## dougiedude (Aug 29, 2012)

My latest aquisition, from Good-Stuffs. Shanghai multifunctional Moonphase (S506-5-12):


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## AlbertaTime (Dec 27, 2008)

Just sized for my wrist, so...


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## eskamobob1 (Apr 18, 2013)

That beautiful! Can u by any chance tell me where u got it?


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## Jay23 (Feb 22, 2013)

This one just arrived.


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Went out for a mid week coffee and gave this old dude a ride...









This was one of my very first VCMs and I like it as much today as I did back then. This is the one that runs circles around the Dragon King with regard to time keeping.
When I first got it; I submitted it to a thirty day period of wearing it and monitoring it's time keeping. After 30 days; it was a total of 34 seconds fast against NIST! That's just a smidge over 1 second per day :-!


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi All.

So today I decided to wear my *other* newly arrived vintage Chinese watch, this time the Tianjin WuYi (a 62-A, for those of you who're interested. There's an irony in this as "Wuyi" basically means "5.1" or more correctly the "1st of May". So it would have been far more appropriate to wear it yesterday.

But c'est la vie.

The watch seems to be in great nick considering it's over fifty years old. WuYi was the original brand name for the Tianjin watch factory, and was replaced with the DongFeng brand in the mid-1960s. And *that* brand name was followed by Sea-Gull. So this watch is the grandfather of the Sea-Gulls of today. Some might even argue *great* grandfather as today's ETA-clone powered Sea-Gulls are a far cry from the ST5 movement Sea-Gulls of the 1980s.

Anyway, a quick look at the watch. The dial looks correct to my amateur eyes and has those golden markers and sword hands that called out to me the moment I laid eyes on it (via pickies on Taibao, of course). The case is about 34mm, I think, being a smudge smaller than my beloved ST5s and a bit bigger than my size benchmark Baume et Mercier 18k's 33mm. But those lugs are long, as was the norm in those days. The crown likewise looks correct although the signature 51 is barely legible to camera or naked eye.

Makes yer wonder how many times it's been wound up in half a century. Probably lots and lots.

Oh, and the case back likewise looks correct in everything but condition. Folks, can it be that a watch whose signed crown's eroded to almost nothing from continual use also have a case back that's still as crisply etched as the day it left Tianjin? Am I that lucky?

Unlikely, I'd say.

I'm assuming this watch has been restored using a few original parts of varying levels of condition. Still, that's fine by me as I'm nevertheless the proud owner of an original (erm, originals?) Tianjin WuYi that older than me (I was born at the end of 1964) that's kept good time since I first wound her up on Tuesday evening *and* that I love the looks of. And anyway the vast majority of Chinese vintage watches have been unashamedly kept on the road using whatever spare parts happened to been within reach of the local watchmender, so a totally original watch would be *culturally* unoriginal, if yer see wot mean.

I dunno how to remove the case back without doing it harm, so if someone could tell me how, then I'll oblige with an interior shot. I have a good hammer and a range of chisels in my tool box...

Have a great day.

Ric


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

black/blue/grey dial. tricky to capture.


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Portuguese watch, but Chinese movement, and the Baiji is also named for a Chinese porpoise, so I don't think it's too out of place here. Plus, I've been posting its photo in every other subforum today. ;-) (And Ric and Luisão might appreciate its Portuguese credentials.)









(No wrist shot. You good folks know me by now, right?))


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Also named for the Baiji...


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 1068348
> 
> 
> Me very very very happee.
> ...


You should be! It sure is a beauty.  Congratulations!


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Any two prong case back opener should work just fine. I use one and have yet to find a VCM with this case back that would not open...and I have not damaged any of them so far. Just make sure you apply ample downward pressure on the tool so it can't slip up and scratch the back.


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## ninzeo (Jun 7, 2011)

Seagull D219.360 55th Ann. L.E. on a IW Hamilton Khaki strap.


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## dougiedude (Aug 29, 2012)

Just arrived b-): Shanghai 1120 Vintage


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Pawl_Buster said:


> Any two prong case back opener should work just fine. I use one and have yet to find a VCM with this case back that would not open...and I have not damaged any of them so far. Just make sure you apply ample downward pressure on the tool so it can't slip up and scratch the back.


Hiya Peter! So what does a two prong case back opener look like? Any chance of a pickie? Keep in mind that I was very shy with girls at college...

Ri


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello World.

So today I am mostly wearin' this 'ere vintage Tianjin WuYi. Again. I have to wear it 'cos I'm on a business trip to sunny (pah!) Frankfurt and it's the only watch I brought along.

Because of "an important change in company travel policy" I had the choice of getting here from Zürich (about 550km or getting on for 400 miles) by either taking a 4 hour train that happens to go past the perfectly good airports at either end *or* take a 4 hour car journey that *also* takes me past those most excellent airports. Either way, no airports, no flight, no 2 hour trip.

So I drove up.

But there are compensations for the red blooded drivers amongst us. There is unlimited Autobahn between Karlsruhe and Frankfurt where yer can legally test the top speed of your car, assuming you've got the brains *not* to stuff your car into the bum end of some truck. So what can a chap do? Sadly there was too much traffic for the father of three small boys to be giving it the full welly, but I did get up to some impressive speeds now and again during the few clear patches.

Don't ask. Nope, not tellin'. Stop it!

Oh ok, I briefly saw 231km/h which is about, erm... that comes to... erm... 143mp/h according to my weights and measures converter. Ok, I'm not sure if a Mini goes any faster, so maybe I did get to the top speed. Eek.

Anyways, apart from admiring the Germans for leaving troublesome things like speed limits open, I also had chance to admire the German countryside as it streamed past me (I'm a relativist at heart) and also the age and condition of the German cars on the road. Everything new, clean and unblemished as yer would expect. And the surprise is that the Germans seem to be even more fastidious than the Swiss, which doesn't seem possible.

And the other thing that occurred to me (plenty of time to think think think on a 4 hour journey) is that a daily commute that involved an unlimited stretch of Autobahn would make for nervous days at the office. Imagine getting into work every morning with yer knuckles still white from gripping the steering wheel, and yer right foot sore from jumping on the anchors every time a Dutch car towing a caravan pulls out on yer?

Nah, I'll stick to the lowlier speed limits elsewhere, Ta muchly. Fun as a one off though.

One does so like writing about watches. I should try it some time.

Ric


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## OhDark30 (Oct 2, 2012)

My May Day watch - re-post on this correct thread








Two prong caseback opener. Great for Vostok ring backs too

That Wu Yi is a stunner, Rick


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## abangr (Jan 23, 2012)

This came in the mail yesterday.


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

I had a computer crash, and lost all the watch images.o| I took some new images again. Today, this very clean 1980's Diamond with luminous hands.


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## FitzroyTom (Feb 21, 2012)




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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

regards,

Martin


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## ninzeo (Jun 7, 2011)

FitzroyTom said:


> View attachment 1070679


42mm reissue from Thomas? Im about to order one myself...


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## ninzeo (Jun 7, 2011)

Alpha SMP Homage blue dial, guilloche on the stock bracelet band (which is THE best stock bracelet I've ever had from a sub 200$ watch).
Unfortunately my bezel is a little damaged, but hey...at least it shows signs of wear huh?


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good evening mates!

Around here is still the good weather, so color is essential. Parnis, the Big Red for me today.







*This one here, has won Tommy's seal of approval!*



Have a great weekend everybody!
Luís M


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Luisão said:


> Good evening mates!
> 
> Around here is still the good weather, so color is essential. Parnis, the Big Red for me today.
> 
> ...


You need to feature Tommy more often in your pictures!

Here's one of my Alpha GMT with Alvin!


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## MrJaz (Mar 8, 2013)

First time I've worn my Parnis out in the wild, finally got a matching NATO


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

Early pie-pan dial Dongfeng with a slow beat ST-5A movement.


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## ntchen2 (Apr 7, 2012)

1963


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## FitzroyTom (Feb 21, 2012)

ninzeo said:


> 42mm reissue from Thomas? Im about to order one myself...


Sure is, Picked up the black dial and cream dial 42mm a few weeks ago from Thomas while I was on holidays in Hong Kong


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

soviet said:


> I had a computer crash, and lost all the watch images.o| I took some new images again. Today, this very clean 1980's Diamond with luminous hands.


Sorry to hear that. Maybe you could setup an on-line diary like saskwatch and Ron have done?

Ric


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

Ric Capucho said:


> Sorry to hear that. Maybe you could setup an on-line diary like saskwatch and Ron have done?
> 
> Ric


Thanks for the advice. But it is not a big problem. I have posted many watch images on various forums that I can search and down-load at any time.|>


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## fliegerchrono (Feb 21, 2012)

My el-cheapo yet COSC accurate Winner on a Blue Rios Crocoprint strap


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Today I could not resist the appeal of my blue bezel PO homage.







Enjoy the weekend!
Luís M


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## ninzeo (Jun 7, 2011)

One of my best (and more expensive ) Chinese mechanical watches today (both technically and aesthetically): Perpetual Watch Chronograph from Alex. It has a ST19 movement and rose golden dauphine style hands on a black dial with (guilloched) black subdials. Overall the best finish I've seen on a Chinese watch, better than those of Alpha and the Seagull's I've owned so far. Wearing it on a genuine Alligator strap!


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

My best shot this morning  oh yeah !


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## eskamobob1 (Apr 18, 2013)

ninzeo said:


> One of my best (and more expensive ) Chinese mechanical watches today (both technically and aesthetically): Perpetual Watch Chronograph from Alex. It has a ST19 movement and rose golden dauphine style hands on a black dial with (guilloched) black subdials. Overall the best finish I've seen on a Chinese watch, better than those of Alpha and the Seagull's I've owned so far. Wearing it on a genuine Alligator strap!
> 
> View attachment 1072010
> 
> ...


That is absolutely beautiful... Would you mind if I ask how much it ran you?


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## ninzeo (Jun 7, 2011)

eskamobob1 said:


> That is absolutely beautiful... Would you mind if I ask how much it ran you?


Sure, you can buy them at perpetual-watch.com: Chinese Venus 175 / The Best Chinese Made Chronograph Movement
It retails for $370. Plus you now have the option to buy it without the genuine Alligator strap if you want to save some money.

I'm still eyeballing the white dial chrono with moonphase complication...beautiful! It's either gonna be that one or the Seagull M199S.


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## eskamobob1 (Apr 18, 2013)

ninzeo said:


> Sure, you can buy them at perpetual-watch.com: Chinese Venus 175 / The Best Chinese Made Chronograph Movement
> It retails for $370. Plus you now have the option to buy it without the genuine Alligator strap if you want to save some money.
> 
> I'm still eyeballing the white dial chrono with moonphase complication...beautiful! It's either gonna be that one or the Seagull M199S.


tyvm ... i saw that moon phase as well :drool:... unfortunately they are a bit out of my price range as a student, but hey... its better then the $260k of the IWC i like


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## H3RRINGTON (Dec 13, 2012)

Luisão said:


> Today I could not resist the appeal of my blue bezel PO homage.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where on earth did you acquire this? It's beautiful.

Please drop me a link or a treasure map.


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Hello
shenhua flywheels

cheap picture,here is better (credit seller) 
http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/...Automatic-Mechanical-Watch-NBW0ME7004-SI3.jpg

|>
who would have this jaragar? I have just ordered it


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

H3RRINGTON said:


> Where on earth did you acquire this? It's beautiful.
> 
> Please drop me a link or a treasure map.


Hi H3RRINGTON!

Thanks for the compliment my friend, I appreciate! I'll tell you exactly the same I told to our fellow colleague, JakeJD at the affordable thread.

I got this one in the same place were I buy all my Parnis, in here: Parnis watch station but unfortunately, they are sold out for a long time!:-(

It's a great watch, all stainless steel (case an bracelet, with solid links) unidirectional rotating bezel, an domed crystal (crystal, not acrylic). Don't know how, but this one has a Helium valve (and it is for real)! I have also the other model, with the orange bezel, in which the Helium valve, is just a fake crow for decoration. Summing up, this watch is a good value for money, as indeed, all the Parnis.

This is the model in question: PARNIS 40MM Planet Ocean Blue Bezel Automatic watc - Automatic - Parnis watch station

Try your luck, you have nothing to lose...

Kindest Regards,
Luís M


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Put this one on for a little while...

























But I forgot it runs fast and I have not been able to figure out why :-(


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

PAM homage on this very sunny day!


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## H3RRINGTON (Dec 13, 2012)

Luisão said:


> Hi H3RRINGTON!
> 
> Thanks for the compliment my friend, I appreciate! I'll tell you exactly the same I told to our fellow colleague, JakeJD at the affordable thread.
> 
> ...


Thank you!


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Parnis


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Parnis


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Error message


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello All.

Today, I am mostly wearin' this 'ere Beijing Liaoning. That's 'cos it's a Sunday and so a good day to wear a watch that can't be worn under a work shirt's cuff.

It's a lovely day here in *sunny* Switzerland, which is why this post is both late and short. Just returned from a loooooong walk around Zürich Zoo so my legs are aching, and in dire need for a decent beer (Weissbier, if anyone's interested in joining me). Oh, and sat looking out at the Springtime view from our house which ain't too shabby, even on a crappy day. The meadows are coated in a zillion yellow dandelions, so it don't get nicer.

Oh hang on, I'll take a snap and add it to the post.

(later)

Done, hope yer like it. Taken from the top corner of our land looking down to our house on the left (the white thing) and the great outdoors in front and rolling off to the distant right. Tis a hardship, but someone has to live 'ere.

Right, going back to a hard afternoon of sittin' about doin' nowt.

Ric


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## ntchen2 (Apr 7, 2012)

ROMIOU


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

Getat's 

17 Jewels Skeleton PVD Gun Colour Hand-winding Asian 6497 Movement with Decoration


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

ntchen2 said:


> ROMIOU
> View attachment 1072955


Where can these be found?


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning everybody.

Today I've gone for the Beijing ZunDa, this one being the black dialled version. I'm quite surprised as to the efficiency of the automatic movement. As I usually do with totally uncharged autos, I gave the crown about five or six turns to give it something to think about, then set date and time. By the time I'd wandered to our parking area, the power indicator was showing just over half. And now after the drive to the office plus the short walks to/from the elevator and thence to my desk, it's now showing just a tad under three quarters. I think anyone with a pulse can charge up this watch.

You'll be glad to hear that my recent Ebay excursion to offload a few unworn watches has been successful. Just a few things to sort out and I'll be making one of my mass mailing trips to the Post Office. Dunno about you, but I find the general experience of parcelling up watches in adequate bubble-wrap, writing out the address and customs slips, and putting the *correct* slip onto the *correct* box, all a bit unnerving. The merest slip will result in an eager recipient at t'other end fast becoming an unhappy camper, and understandably so. How would *I* like to have that thrill of anticipation I feel unwrapping (yet another) box containing this or that treasure dashed 'cos some daft sod's put the wrong label on?

One shall be diligent. One shall still be slightly unnerved. One shall be relieved as emails come in upon successful delivery.

But all the above is far too watch-related to a chap who's always eager to chuck in a digression or three. So today's meandering's on the subject of the latest fad; better written as the Latest Fad. This watch thingy ain't my first obsession and I'm sure it won't be the last. As a middle-aged adult, I've had a stream of 'em over the years.

My first love (and it's still there) was the car, a fad for which kept me up to my ears in car magazines for many, many years. I could reel off all sorts of performance statistics for cars that I rarely saw on the road, never mind had have any hope of affording. I've been "lucky" enough to stumble into a career in IT so there was always enough money about for a slightly better (faster!) car that anyone of my age (at the time) should have been able to find the money for. So over the years I've had a stream of different quick cars, and occasionally I mentally list 'em out in chronological order; which is a hiding to nothing 'cos I then get a bit worried that there are better things to spend a lifetime's disposable income on than expensive lumps of metal, plastic and glass. I still *like* cars, and even occasionally buy myself a motoring magazine to keep me up to date on the latest toys, but the months of reading and plotting that went into the *next* car acquisition aren't quite as feverish as they once were.

The next Latest Fad was the light aeroplane.

I'm still a bit bemused how I could have been so foolish as to get into a pastime that's as expensive as training for and then using a private pilot's licence. Again, the magazines piled up almost as fast as the flying hours (and the cheque-books that rapidly turned into spent stubs). And flying is one of those things where yer never finished learning. And I don't mean in some sort of philosophical sense. I mean that by the time you get your nice new PPL in the post, you've been conditioned that flying's all about arriving at an airfield earlyish in the morning and then sitting for an hour alongside an instructor learning stuff. So the first thing *I* did when I was a newly qualified pilot was to enrol for an additional course (aerobatics, as it happens), which I then followed with yet another (tail-wheel conversion), and then another still (basic instrument flying). And then there're the *other* conversion options such as being "typed" to fly on this J3 Cub or that deHavilland Chipmunk. Yep, the flying fad kept me quite busy for many years... and consumed almost as much money as the automotive fad.

One thing led to another, and I left the UK; first to Luxembourg and thence to Switzerland. Convenient, affordable (pah!) and timely access to all things aeroplane came to an end. It's a shame, that, but the truth is that I never wanted to be a low hours pilot who cynically limits his flying to whatever minimum needed to cling on to an under-utilised PPL licence. Far too many pilots from that pool end up making smoking holes in the sides of mountains. So my PPL licence lapsed years ago, and with it the fevered surfing of aviation websites came to a gradual end. I still get misty-eyed thinking about my flying days, and wonder (hope!) that one day I'll retrain and get myself up into the air again. But like as not that'll be years from now when the kids are away from the nest and I have *some* justification for spending such a large chunk of disposable income on just a few hours of fun a month.

Next Fad? Amateur astronomy.

You know the drill by now. Piles of magazines, numerous visits to the websites, my first telescope (a buying mistake) followed by *the* telescope, *the* mount, and *the* set of eyepieces. I even started a small internet business with a friend selling telescope eyepieces with our own brand (Moonfish). For a while we became quite famous in that little teacup wot is amateur astronomy. Again the Fad lasted many years, and I spent almost as much time at the eyepiece as I did reading about it. But astronomy's a funny thing for someone as faddish as myself. After many nights shivering with a cricked neck whilst peeping at a planet or galaxy or nebula (or the Moon, which everyone should have a proper look at) my curiosity as to what's out there became sated. And the astronomy magazines stopped accumulating quite as rapidly. And there was *always* another excuse why this night was too cold, or that night wasn't quite clear enough... and the Fad passed.

Sometime in the next few months I'll face facts and start selling my telescope equipment. Ah well.

And the Latest Fad?

Erm, I'll let you take a wild guess.

Ric


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

Seagull date with a Tianjin made tongji movement that has Seagull stripes.


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## ntchen2 (Apr 7, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> Where can these be found?


very soon.


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## ntchen2 (Apr 7, 2012)




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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Probably a recent assemblage, but still nice:


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Chronotac:



Regards,

Martin


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Sent from Tapatalk 2


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## Ruslex (Mar 8, 2013)

dasmi said:


> Sent from Tapatalk 2


Same here, that's a nice watch!


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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

So, received this big boy yesterday. A real dinner plate by my standards, but it's thin enough, so I'm pretty sure it will be a wearer. I'm loving the 6498 movement - 'tis a thing of beauty!


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning everyone, and I hope you're having a happy Tuesday.

So today I chose the Shuangling 20 Zuan to celebrate the welcome return of the sun to the Swiss skies. Its polished case and silver dial and markers make a wonderful job of reflecting sunlight, so why not.

The date says Tuesday. Honest *****.

Still happy with the strap choice I made (inevitably a Rios1931 Juchten) which was as a result of one of my typically flippant shrug and click sessions on Amazon. I probably need to reduce my impulsiveness and think these things through a bit, but then again a Capucho's a hasty creature at the best of times. Tis what sets us apart, temporarily, until we run out of money and return to the herd.

No digression today 'cos I've got stuff to do.

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon guys!

Today I'm wearing "o baratíssimo", which is Portuguese for, the dirt-cheap. My Jaragar Montblanc Timewalker, homage.







Have a great day everyone (mine is a kind of ruined, because today I was fined by the National Guard, for not having given priority to their patrol car, while driving down a road without any signs, and which I was unfamiliar. My fault, but not entirely. Lucky me!!)!

Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Mingzhu


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

regards,

Martin


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi All,

So today I decided to wear my first vintage chinese mechanical watch (VCMs, don'tcha know) the blue-dialled Sea-Gull ST5. I've yet to capture the blue dial properly, nor the contrast that the red "jewel" on the second makes against it. I'm guessing it's something beyond the colour matching capabilities of my humble iPhone camera. So instead I altered the pickie using the FX facilities of the Camera+ app. Of course the photo is even *further* removed from naked-eye reality, but at least it was fun.

I'm in a bit of a quandry now, with these three Sea-Gull ST5s I own. The blue remains my first love, so I'll be keeping that one for ever and ever amen. But whilst I like the *look* of the green and black dialled versions of same, they're not exactly shouting and waving at me from out of the watch box. And even if they were, I'm usually deafened by the VCM cacophany being made by the pair of Shuangling supermodels that they're sitting next to. Shame that. But then again they're cheap enough to sit there unworn if I come over all "collector" and decide to keep 'em anyway.

And that's the thing, innit. I now have well over thirty watches (insane, insane, insane) which is *many* more than can reasonably be worn in daily rotation. I've just this week purged five of 'em even though I *liked* each them well enough; but they weren't getting worn often enough. And whilst something inside of me cried to keep 'em anyway, my head overruled on the basis of clawing back their value. But is that the full story? Isn't it closer to the truth that beyond aesthetics (my second long word, used purposely to vex Chris) I'm at heart a utilitarian (the third) sort of chap? Use 'em or lose 'em?

I think I am.

Two of the watches I've just sold cost me just over fifty dollars a pop, so material value isn't the main driver here. Nor is a need to empty out some slots in the watch box, although it does help to keep things tidy and symmetrical. But being a bit sentimental about mechanical stuff (I can't bear to leave a broken machine unfixed, regardless of material value; which is why I wasted a *lot* of money on classic cars) I find the idea of a watch finding a new home where it'll be better appreciated (worn) to be what motivates me to go through the painful process of setting up Ebay auctions and then the even more hideous packing and mailing.

Capuchos don't like packing and mailing. We're genetically conditioned to leaving that sort of thing to servants. Capuchos would welcome a return to their aristocratic (lazy arse) ways, but find themselves a bit short of the tens of millions of dollars necessary. Capuchos now have to work for a living. Buggah.

Where was I?

Oh yes, sentiment forces me to prepare the next batch of watches for off-loading. Shall have a look into my watch box later this evening. And then I'll have a look into the *other* watch box.

Have a cracking day.

Ric


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## OhDark30 (Oct 2, 2012)

Could this be the strap that finally works on the Dong Feng?


----------



## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Regards,

Martin


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

I'm trying out a newly arrived Black Rodina today. Over some months, I struggled with the idea of buying one of these, since I love the simplicity and I happen to love this dial, but I also tend to hold the opinion that the last thing the world needs is another Chinese homage watch. On the other hand, the famous Nomos Tangente was itself copied from a pre-war ALS design, so in the end, I caved to the good looks, the good reviews, and the present ready availability on the English-language part of the internet (my previous forays into TaoBao having proven difficult). The watch feels good on the wrist, but I'm not yet sure how seriously I'll take it. Maybe I will keep and enjoy it, or maybe it will end up on f29 one of these days.









(No wrist shot. I'm not a fan of shootings.)


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon fellas!

My chunky Parnis U-Boat homage, for me today. A very reliable watch, as has already been said here, by others fellow members.







Have a very nice day, everyone!
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Guangzhou


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## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)




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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

I've put a bracelet on my Parnis PR for a test, what do you think..?


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all.

Today is a public holiday here in (almost) sunny Switzerland, and of course nearly everyone takes the non-holiday Friday off. Ergo, today is the start of a looooong weekend.

And these days I tend to wear my larger watches on weekends, so I went for the Sea-Gull Dragon King. If the Vostok Amfibia 1967's "impressive" like the village blacksmith's an impressive looking fellow, and the Beijing Liaoning's "handsome" like that Daniel Craig fellow that makes my wife go a bit quiet whenever he appears in a movie, then the Dragon King's "pretty" like that (damn) George Clooney that seems to make every woman I've ever met weak at the knees.

So there you have it, the Sea-Gull Dragon King. The George Clooney of diving watches.

Time for a change of topic, digression fans.

I've just spent a couple of hours out on my mountain bike. After the *eight* months break due to my sickness, and then winter, I was a bit sceptical whether to try my usual one hour route up to the top of the hill (well, at 1,200 metres the Brits would call it a mountain. The Swiss would call it a bump). I've had a couple of one hour forays (there it is, Chris) on the flat bits around the village so far this year, but nothing that gives me confidence that I'm fit enough for that. The village's at 700m so we're talking about a 3km (2 mile) road that meanders its way up another 500m.

Colonials should multiply by three to work out the feet equivalent.

So I tried it anyway. And got to the top in one go without having a rest stop (which sounds a bit like a kid saying "yes it *really* hurt... but I *didn't* cry"). So in spite of my one hour route taking me an hour and ten minutes, I'm actually quite chuffed with myself, the day, life and the universe. That bloody illness really laid me low for months, and I well remember wheezing after walking just a few steps up to our parking area. Folks, health and fitness wise I've turned another corner (the first being fit enough to go back to work last January).

Funny thing being a Brit weights and measures wise. We're more or less ambidextrous (Chris) with regards to Imperial and Metric measurements. Had it drummed into us as skool, didn't we. Oh hang on, this is a blatant digression to my digression and that's not allowed.

Where was I?

Oh yes, now I know I can cough my way back up the hill (mountain!) I'll keep you posted on my time. I'm at 1:10 hour today, but my pre-sick benchmark was always 1:00 hour dead.

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon mates!

Today rotation took me to my, orange bezel PO homage. By Parnis (supposedly).







Have a great day, everyone!
Luís M


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## LaurentH (May 1, 2013)

Sorry, I'm just a rookie, the choice was easy : I've got only one ! For the moment...
So here is my Shanghai 1120. By the way, if you have information about this model... "Je suis preneur" !































The pictures were taken last week end, but I still wear it today ! My old Tissot is having some rest after 19 years of good and faithful service.


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## Recoil (Sep 15, 2011)




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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Another of my non-Chinese yet Chinese-powered watches, this being a South Korean Tisell built around a Seagull ST25. Note the strange-for-a-flieger power reserve lever on the dial.









(No wrist shot. I like cameras like I like the pox.)


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## eskamobob1 (Apr 18, 2013)

This jaragar just arrived in the mail today ... First thoughts is that it's better quality then I was expecting, and has a much longer power reserve then I was expecting (say on my desk for 10 hour while I slept and only lost 10s or so )


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## ninzeo (Jun 7, 2011)

watchcrank said:


> Another of my non-Chinese yet Chinese-powered watches, this being a South Korean Tisell built around a Seagull ST25. Note the strange-for-a-flieger power reserve lever on the dial.
> 
> View attachment 1078456
> 
> ...


Looks good, although the power reserve lever (or whatever it may be) looks a bit weird. I'm looking for a decent Type B B-Uhr myself...where did you pick this one up?
I am expecting a Type A Ticino any moment now and am also looking for some comparabe quality in the Type B...


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Two observations...my iPhone 4s takes pretty good pictures, and damn, my arm is hairy.


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

ninzeo said:


> Looks good, although the power reserve lever (or whatever it may be) looks a bit weird. I'm looking for a decent Type B B-Uhr myself...where did you pick this one up?
> I am expecting a Type A Ticino any moment now and am also looking for some comparabe quality in the Type B...


Ebay. Tisell usually lists a watch or two a week.

The power reserve is subtle enough I don't notice it when I glance at the dial to check the time, so it's less jarring on a B-Uhr than a date window or a seconds sub-dial like so many fliegers, but it's still mostly pointless and a bit annoying, and I do notice it when I look at the watch (as opposed to simply checking the time).


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Yangcheng


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Some Parnis


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## Redcrow (Jun 25, 2011)

My first Chinese mechanical. I LOVE this watch!


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## leejc_jc (Aug 17, 2010)




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## Edward King (Aug 19, 2012)

I wear parnis today from Parnishop


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

leejc_jc said:


> View attachment 1079059


This is interesting and reminds me that I am completely ignorant of dual-balance movements and how they work. What does the second balance do?


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon all!

Toady I'm wearing my Parnis, Panerai style. One of my favorites...








Have a great weekend, everyone!
Luís M


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Edward King said:


> I wear parnis today from Parnishop
> View attachment 1079075


That's a very beautiful Parnis, and very cute lovebird (scientific name, "Agapornis roseicollis")!

I've had a dozen of these beautiful birds, and of the watches, too!

Regards,
Luís M


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## deluded (Jul 26, 2012)

Just arrived in the mail yesterday!










I'm assuming the movement is Chinese.


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

My impression of the white-dialed Rodina I'm wearing today is close enough to the black-dial that I'm just quoting my words from Wednesday in every WRUW thread today:



watchcrank said:


> I'm trying out a newly arrived Black Rodina today. Over some months, I struggled with the idea of buying one of these, since I love the simplicity and I happen to love this dial, but I also tend to hold the opinion that the last thing the world needs is another Chinese homage watch. On the other hand, the famous Nomos Tangente was itself copied from a pre-war ALS design, so in the end, I caved to the good looks, the good reviews, and the present ready availability on the English-language part of the internet (my previous forays into TaoBao having proven difficult). The watch feels good on the wrist, but I'm not yet sure how seriously I'll take it. Maybe I will keep and enjoy it, or maybe it will end up on f29 one of these days.











(No wrist shot. I am convinced cameras have jaws that bite and claws that catch.)


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> (No wrist shot. I am convinced cameras have jaws that bite and claws that catch.)


Nope, that would be the frumious bandersnatch.

Ric


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Ric Capucho said:


> Nope, that would be the frumious bandersnatch.
> 
> Ric


Oh, so you're one of those naïfs who believes there's a difference betwixt the two? ;-)


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

I would wear that one any day Jon


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> Oh, so you're one of those naïfs who believes there's a difference betwixt the two? ;-)


Different animals entirely, and that's scientific fact. And just be thankful he didn't meet up with the jub jub bird. Vorpal blade or not, he'd have been toast, that's all I'm sayin'.

Ric


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## deluded (Jul 26, 2012)

So @Chascomm has kindly replied in another thread that my EA is using a Hangzhou 2189 movement. I can now post here confidently!


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

"Rain drops keep fallin' on ma head..." So why not the Alpha Paul Newman, aka The Panda?

While I was out shopping this morning (groceries, people, groceries) our youngest son tried (yet again) to play on the cross-trainer machine, and (yet again) got tangled up in it. Frau Capucho called me moments ago from the medical centre. Yup, he needs a proper x-ray because Herr Doktor reckons his foot's broken.

Broken.

Foot.

He's only four years old. Oh, my poor poor boy.

Ergo we'll still be going to the rain-drenched barbecue, but might be a bit late. Funny thing about kids and injuries. When these things happen, the kids scream the house down, the parents go into a nose spin of worry, yet an hour or so later the wee ones are running (limping, hopping, crawling) about like nowt's happened. A carefree childhood's like one long party that the kids don't want to spoil with anything as inconvenient as a broken foot.

Anyways, where was I?

Yep, the Alpha Paul Newman. Right. Erm, sorry but I have to go now to concentrate on worrying about me wee lad.

Ric


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

My 1963 inspired watch


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Hello and good afternoon guys!

Keeping my rotation, today is the turn of my, 50 mm U-Boat homage. Great watch, very pleasant to wear!








Have e great weekend, everyone!
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Relay


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Garton flieger, because I'd prefer to be above the cloud on this crappy, rainy day...


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

Seagull


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Parnis out for the day


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Beijixing moonphase


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

saskwatch said:


> Beijixing moonphase


Wow!


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Sent from Tapatalk 2


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

saskwatch said:


> Beijixing moonphase


I'm wondering if those constellations rotate correctly with the 24 hours. If they *do* then you have someone truly remarkable there.

Ric


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## Raznov (Jul 31, 2011)




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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Chronotac with an ST17 on the inside:


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all, and I hope you had a great weekend.

I decided to start the working week with the Shuangling 40 Zuan 'cos I couldn't bear to wait another day without looking at that glorious red dial. As you can see from the photos, I had a bit of a play with this watch 'cos I was curious to see what the famous Beijing 40 jewel automatic movement looks like; and to make sure it's got the *right* movement inside, which can sometimes be a bit hit or miss with vintage watches. Anyways, to my expert eyes (I didn't say *what* I'm an expert in, but it ain't watches) it looks right. At least the reference code on the movement matches the one on the dial, so it's good enough for me. And doesn't it look none too shabby, either. No geneva stripes, of course, but properly finished anyway. Not sure how they managed to squeeze forty jewels into this thing, but I'm guessing it's a sign of those times when marketing departments were having a jewel count peeing contest:

Beijing Engineer (all proud): "Our very latest movement. It's got seventeen jewels. Nice innit?"

Tainjin Engineer (trying not to smirk): "Really so few? Our movement's got *nineteen*. Yeah nineteen jewels, just look at that baby go."

Beijing Engineer (flustered): "Nineteen jewels?" (whisper, whisper, whisper with his boss) "We spit on your nineteen jewels, and raise you to twenty one."

Tainjin Engineer: "Twenty one? Really? Are you sure they..." (interrupted)

Beijing Engineer (all excited now): "Did I say twenty one? Screw you and the horse you rode into town on. We're going to forty. Beat that."

Tainjin Engineer (continues in a quiet voice): "...actually *do* anything?"

Beijing Engineer (suddenly subdued): "Erm, are they have to *do* something? Thought they only had to be pretty."

The bit of glue residue's still on the front of the crystal, and this might be enough to motivate me into buying some proper Polywatch to buff it off. Colgate doesn't get anywhere near it, sadly. Don't want to change the crystal 'cos it adds to the authenticity, so if Polywatch don't work then it's there for posterity. The androids that'll rule the post-apocalyptic Earth'll figure out what to do with it.

Update on our little four year old lad and his (suspected) broken foot. Still quite swollen, and he's had another troubled night. A bit better than the *previous* night, but still rough on son (and parents). But this morning he tried a test hobble to see if he could manage to get to the loo on his own, and that showed promise. Big eyes looked at me this morning as he followed his morning ritual ("Daddy, can I the iPad?") which usually results in a flat refusal. But at the moment he can have anything short of a stripper if it'll keep him quiet and distrated from that niggling pain in the poor mite's foot.

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning all!

This Monday I'm back to my Parnis.








Have a great week, everyone!
Luís M


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

time for some old stuff ;-)
In eagerly anticipation of the ST5 project, my 1120:

(it does need a better strap though..)


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A gold hand and markers Beijixing (polaris) with a slightly different S/S case. It looks bigger on the wrists of those Shandong big guys.


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## demag (Feb 12, 2012)

Kongque today.



Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2


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## ntchen2 (Apr 7, 2012)

jusko dive 200M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Ric Capucho said:


> I'm wondering if those constellations rotate correctly with the 24 hours. If they *do* then you have someone truly remarkable there.
> 
> Ric


No, they rotate every 30 days, but I think it's remarkable anyway.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

ZuanShi


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Where are you guys finding these wonderful vintage Chinese watches?


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

dasmi said:


> Where are you guys finding these wonderful vintage Chinese watches?


I bought most of mine on Taobao. AlbertaTime has an extremely helpful guide at his museum website.


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## demag (Feb 12, 2012)

I fancied buying the orange version of this. Can you say where you got it?



ntchen2 said:


> jusko dive 200M
> View attachment 1083170
> 
> 
> View attachment 1083171


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## SCourt (Apr 23, 2013)

I have my first VCM this Monday:









It's got a calfskin Hadley Roma, but I think I'll go hunting for a Black and Tan NATO. Anyone know of one?


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## Skitalets (Oct 22, 2008)

I had my BeiHai on for the third time this month today, still forgot to post.

But! I got my 1963 reissue from Thomas this evening.


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Just for fun; I put this one on for a couple of hours...









Sorry about the seller photo but as usual Photobucket has stripped more of my photos away :-(


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Skitalets said:


> I had my BeiHai on for the third time this month today, still forgot to post.
> 
> But! I got my 1963 reissue from Thomas this evening.


Congratulations, another wonderful watch to join your collection of wonderful watches.

Ric


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## jopex (Jul 27, 2012)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello everybody.

I decided that this sunny morning (it won't last, don't get excited) deserves the Sea-Gull Sun Yat-sen, itself a bright and happy bit o' kit. It's the silver textured dial that does it. Even though the dial finish is matt, the applied marker batons and hands are nice and polished so they reflect glints of light from all directions. One of the few watches about that look stunning when lit up with reflected sunlight, but impossible to capture on a pickie so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Update on the (suspected) broken foot situation: the wee lad slept through the night, and seems more chirpy this morning. Frau Capucho had the idea to remove the lump of half-plaster from his foot so it wouldn't be bugging him all night, and it seemed to work. Well that, and the drugs we laced him with before he went to bed. He's quite a lump for a four year old, so we're getting lots of exercise carrying him about from bed to sofa to dinner table to loo to sofa to loo to bed, etc etc.

Have added an extra charge line to the invoice we intend to present him with when he's eighteen, draft as shown. Should cover it.

Ric


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Today the MilSub.


(picture from last year, in little over a week, I will take my second daughter for a weekend Rome, so I can make a new one in front of the Colloseum or st. Peter  )


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

If you look closely, there is a 'B' on the crystal of this relatively uncommon 19 jewels Baoshihua made by Shanghai Watch Factory. It is signed 7720-101 on the caseback. Both 19j and 17j Baoshihua are national grade A watches, but I think the 19 jewels version made by Shanghai Watch Factory should have sold for a higher price then.


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## SCourt (Apr 23, 2013)

My "collection" of VCMs have doubled in as many days! My Dongfeng "Serve the People" came today.









The strap feels like plastic, but I have a red and tan NATO coming for it.

Should I be concerned that I'm being lulled into a VCM addiction?


----------



## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## abangr (Jan 23, 2012)

Got the Bauhaus bug. Look what the postman brought in this morning.


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon all!

Today with my Parnis, Big Pilot homage.







Have a very good day, everyone!
Luís M


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## Recoil (Sep 15, 2011)




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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Shanghai for me today :-!



Regards,

Martin


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Baihua


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## WatchFan650 (Feb 22, 2013)




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## Skitalets (Oct 22, 2008)

WatchFan650 said:


> View attachment 1085898


I bid on one of those a while back. Looks gorgeous in your photo! How is the accuracy?


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## WatchFan650 (Feb 22, 2013)

Skitalets said:


> I bid on one of those a while back. Looks gorgeous in your photo! How is the accuracy?


Sorry about the cell phone photo. Timed it over the last 24 hours, of which i wore it for 14 hours of that time, and it was about +5 seconds, so, not bad.


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

new watch buy today (buy a other member),

massive wow !!!,nice finition,i love it


----------



## LaurentH (May 1, 2013)

Ok, I'm cheating... I will wear it tomorrow but it just arrived !
And it is not MY watch, but my son's watch. I bought it for his 16th birthday. He is SOOOO happy on one hand. And SOOOOO disappointed on the other hand... He's only 8 ! Until then I have the usufruct of his beautiful Beijing BE44Q !:-d


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A rare brand "Shuangcheng" (double towns) VCM. I am not sure what double towns it refers to?


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## Skitalets (Oct 22, 2008)

Finally a shot of my BeiHai on the wrist this month.


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## SCourt (Apr 23, 2013)

Dongfeng again, with the new Nato strap.











SCourt said:


> My "collection" of VCMs have doubled in as many days! My Dongfeng "Serve the People" came today.
> 
> View attachment 1084861
> 
> ...


----------



## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello World.

For the last workng day of the week I chose Beijing ZunJue for a bit of class and sparkle.

Shiny, innit.

Realised yesterday that it's been a few weeks since I've received a new watch in the post and even *two* weeks since the latest batch of straps arrived. T'ain't natural, I tell yer, although Frau Capucho looks relieved. But there had been some watch activity 'cos I mailed off five watches last week to their new and hopefully more appreciative homes.

But the itch continues. Nary a day passes without a look on Ebay for something that might catch my eye. Of course *loads* of watches do just that, but somehow my trigger finger's a little less impulsive than past performance might have led yer to believe.

One reason is that although I quite like the look of the *many* vintage Smiths watches that pop up on Ebay daily, I've learned by my clumsy testing of the waters that just by looking at fuzzy Ebay photos it's hard to tell the difference between a beautiful, classic, well-engineered masterpiece of a Smiths (Made in England) from a still beautiful, but nevertheless made to a strict budget Smiths (Great Britain). Both have Smiths on the dial, and that's the problem. So I've just ordered the "Smiths Watches" book which has dozens of catalogue pictures in it from (I hope) both brands so I have a hope of differentiating between classic and budget models.

Nowt wrong with the budget models, mind you. It's just that the jumble of Smiths appearing on Ebay at the moment seems similar to the vintage watch scene of just a few years ago when you could pick up a classic Chinese or Russian masterpiece for a song *if* you had a clue what you were looking at. Of course my collection of vintage Chinese and Russian watches are still comparative bargains for what they are, but I've paid three or four times as much for each example than those plucky (canny) people that had the brains and nerve to harvest those waters for the first time had to pay.

Are vintage British watches worth collecting?

Well, tastes vary, of course, but assuming the dressy designs *do* float yer boat then consider this: apart from the transplant factory setup in Scotland by Timex, Smiths (Made in England) is one of the few British manufacturers of note that there ever was. The joint venture setup in Wales between Smiths and Ingersoll resulted in Smiths Great Britain, so nowt wrong with snapping up a few of those too. But they're not the same Smiths. Then those other *very* British brands that I grew up with have turned out to be not very British at all. Rotary? Swiss. Sekonda? Russian. Russian! Ingersoll? Japanese or Swiss, take yer pick.

A bit shocking, really.

Next they'll be telling me that Heinz Beans and Tomato Ketchup are American.

Ouch.

So Smiths (Made in England) is the obvious way to go, so wish me luck. And watch this space.

Ric


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Today, my Parnis PR


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon fellas!

Today I'll be wearing my Passion (by Celsus), it's a Portuguese brand with a Chinese movement in it, a Sea-Gull, I believe.


















































Have a great weekend, everyone!
Luís M


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

LaurentH said:


> Ok, I'm cheating... I will wear it tomorrow but it just arrived !
> And it is not MY watch, but my son's watch. I bought it for his 16th birthday. He is SOOOO happy on one hand. And SOOOOO disappointed on the other hand... He's only 8 ! Until then I have the usufruct of his beautiful Beijing BE44Q !:-d
> View attachment 1086731
> View attachment 1086732
> ...


You both have great taste - I see he is off to a good start !, that's a stunning Beijing BE44Q ! congrats


----------



## w4tchnut (Jul 7, 2009)

I will be in Shanghai in a couple of weeks and will be looking to buy my first Chinese branded piece.
Any recommendations as to what to look for and where?


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## LaurentH (May 1, 2013)

Xiexie !


----------



## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

My Beijing Watch Factory watch.


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## pinkits (Jul 8, 2012)

My stunning Sea-Gull 55th.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello fellow travellers.

It's sunny! So contrary to last night's drunken promises this ain't a Tianjin WuYi day after all. It's quite clearly the right day for the Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue. Note sunlight, deep shadow, rocks and photo contrast problems. Oh, and note the silver dial wot captured me heart the moment I unwrapped this little gem hot off the fast boat from Hong Kong.

Ain't got one yet? $200 for a handwind chronograph. What on earth are you waiting for? The next ice age?

Bit of a hangover this morning hence the late post. Getting to be a bit of a weekend habit to finish scoffing a decent bottle of plonk on my god once Frau Capucho's gone to bed. Surf surf surf on the iPad and slurp slurp slurp from me wine glass. T'ain't healthy, I know, but a man needs his hobbies to keep himself sane.

Update on the little one: he's decided not to let something trivial like a broken foot ruin a happy, noisy, active childhood. Photo taken after I managed to stop him running around the garden (step, clump, step, clump) one foot bare, t'other in plaster cast. At one point he made a wild jump onto our wooden decking and landed on the plastered foot with a crunch... then ran off like some manic peg-legged pirate captain stumping about his ship.

Things seem to be looking up.

Ric


----------



## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)

How about getting a Shanghai.
They sell many ranges for every budget.
Had mine on this morning (sent not bought in , unfortunately)









Over eleven days lost 50 seconds, don't think that's bad imo.
Two power reserve tests have given 39 hours 20 mins, and 39 hrs. 25 mins.
Very well made, great bracelet.


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)




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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Skitalets (Oct 22, 2008)

Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 1088984
> 
> 
> View attachment 1089072
> ...


1963 for me as well, here is a Vine showing the chrono at work:

https://vine.co/v/bEUjMmd2npL


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

arktika1148 said:


> View attachment 1089081
> View attachment 1089082


The white dial ZunJue's growing on me rapidly... oh dear.

Ric


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## Ed.YANG (Jun 8, 2011)

Gotta give some love to the gift which i had received 2yrs ago that i had been neglecting for the past few months...
Pcitures taken 2yrs ago...

























Pictures taken today...


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Shanghai 7120 on Shanghai nylon strap


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## Fomenko (Feb 27, 2012)

Living in China, I had to own a Chinese watch!
I went for this Sea-Gull, and it's very accurate...


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## LaurentH (May 1, 2013)

My turn to wear it !
Shanghai, Flower market.
Did not manage to change the month yet... My booklet is written in chinese ! Will ask tomorrow our Chinese teacher...



















I made a mistake : BE44Q is the movement. The name is 雅度
and the product reference is B061201207S. It appears only on the chinsese version of the Beijing Watch website. It exists also in brown.


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

My newly acquired Shanghai Watch


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## Y4BBZY (Jan 30, 2011)

M171S









Sent from my Potato using Tapatalk


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

Jinji SS7 thin model.


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## jose-CostaRica (Apr 18, 2011)

greetings!

This is my first participation here at f72 with my first Chinese watch as well and I'm very pleased, besides the good looks the watch is very comfortable to wear and the Seagull movement works great, excellent time keeping and accuracy, will bring more for sure!


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Handwind sterile pilot with a 6497 from the man bush on a two piece Zulu. This watch is beat and scratched and abused but still keeps amazing time. It's about two seconds fast per day.










My wife is wearing this lovely Parnis 28mm quartz. All solid links including the ends and sapphire glass. It claims to have a Swiss movement but I haven't opened it yet to find out. 









Sent from Tapatalk 2


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

jose-CostaRica said:


> greetings!
> 
> This is my first participation here at f72 with my first Chinese watch as well and I'm very pleased, besides the good looks the watch is very comfortable to wear and the Seagull movement works great, excellent time keeping and accuracy, will bring more for sure!
> 
> ...


Hi Jose!

Congratulations, that's a gorgeous timepiece! I have a few watches with that same movement (the ST3600, a clone of the 6497 Unitas), they are excellent, and extremely accurate machines!

You have done a superb purchase, enjoy it in good health!:-!

Regards,
Luís M


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Good day all ! Parnis fulfilling my day again


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## jose-CostaRica (Apr 18, 2011)

Luisão said:


> Hi Jose!
> 
> Congratulations, that's a gorgeous timepiece! I have a few watches with that same movement (the ST3600, a clone of the 6497 Unitas), they are excellent, and extremely accurate machines!
> 
> ...


Yes excellent movement in deed, thanks for your kind words Luis!


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## Unikagen (Feb 16, 2012)

jopex said:


>


VERY nice Jopex. Is that the stock bracelet?


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

It always feel good to put this watch on...


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## abo_hosni (Mar 4, 2012)

With a blue strap


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

My Seagull


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all, and I hope your Tuesday's already got off to a fine start. First day back at work after a *long* weekend, but all seems to be well.

Today I couldn't resist the inevitable any longer and reached for the Beijing ZhuFeng, otherwise known as the Everest. This remains the prettiest watch in the box, and I can't imagine any watch that's prettier, regardless of cost. This is it. Top model. The one that all the other models hiss at. And only $300 for a watch with an inhouse movement and domed sapphire and those *looks*, which makes me laugh and shake my head in wonder.

Erm, the long exposure shot of the small waterfall is a result of yesterday's experiments with my iPhone by the babbling brook. I took a moment late last night to clean up one of the less obvious throwaway shots, and after five minutes of post-processing came up with this. Liked it enough to add to this post, so there you go. If anyone asks tell 'em it's an atmospheric shot intended to evoke the guardian spirits of Qomolangma (the original Tibetan name for Mount Everest). You and I know the truth, of course.

And that thought brings us to the digression of the day: the western habit of renaming stuff that's had a perfectly good *local* name for millennia. The Empire-mapping Brits that came up with "Everest" didn't bother with using a local name, although their excuse would likely be that they came at it from the Nepalese side where a bunch of names were in common use at the time. To be fair, the same Brit cartographers named Kangchenjunga, Kangchenjunga and Dhaulagiri, Dhaulagiri, so they *did* occasionally bow down to local namings. But who on earth came up with K2? Seems a shame that the *second* highest mountain in the world's got no proper name at all.

And then we have Easter Island, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and a whole slew of islands, continents and lands that were allocated Anglo-Saxon names with nary a nod at local names. New Zealand's especially naughty as the Maori called it (and still call it) Aotearoa, so no one can use the excuse of the place having no established name. And methinks Aotearoa's a nicer name than New Zealand, especially as I have no idea where the old Zealand might be.

All this is a bit tongue in cheek, but it does make yer think a bit about the arrogance of 18th century explorers:

Cook: "Hello? Yoohoo, hello! You there! HELLO!"

Maori (stops walking on the beach): "Oh hi."

Cook: "Nice place. What's it called?"

Maori: "Aotearoa."

Cook: "Ater... erm, Atee..."

Maori (patiently): "Aotearoa."

Cook: "Yes, that's all very well. I hereby name these islands New Zealand."

Maori (shrugging): "Call it what you want, it's Aotearoa to me and my mates."

Cook: "Ah yes. New Zealand. Oh, and I hereby discover you in the name of King George of England."

Maori: "You discovered me? Mate, I was the one walking on the local beach wondering what the ocean'd washed up..."

Cook: "No need to thank me. Hell of a plight to be in. All undiscovered. Mended now. See you! And say hi to your fellow New Zealanders..."

Maori: "Aotearoa-ns."

Update on the wee boy and his broken foot: the crazed peg-legged pirate is stomping about on his plastered foot with a thunk thunk thunk that makes the floor shake and his parents wince. No obvious ill effects, so I'm wondering if it's all healed up already (unlikely, it's only been a week and a bit since he broke it).

Ric


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Today, going with Tao !


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## supineny (Sep 12, 2012)

ever since i got this $29 piece of oversized silliness i've had a hard time figuring out when to wear it. but yesterday it alighted on my wrist and felt good. it actually works pretty well so far -- the power reserve is minimal but a hand winding will keep it chugging through the night.


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## Miguelcarmor (Apr 12, 2013)

Ik colouring








10 days not even a minute late


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## muchacho_ (Feb 11, 2012)

Just came in, fresh out of the box 



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## Straight Banana (Dec 22, 2012)

Parnis 46mm

Got it last week.



















Heavy as hell but also more comfortable than I thought. Therefore I am wearing it more than I thought.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Shancheng


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## SCourt (Apr 23, 2013)

My Sea-Gull M185S arrived from Hong Kong yesterday. I really like the day complication in Chinese.


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello everyone.

My Chinese theme continues today with the Shuangling 20 Zuan, the sweetest of 'em all; which is saying plenty as I have quite a few watches that qualify as sweet. If anyone asks, the day quite clearly says "Wednesday". Oh yes, indeed it does. Oh, is someone *really* asking? Oh. Oh dear. Erm... Dunno why, but the little red jewel on the second hand looks far brighter to the naked eye than my iPhone snaps ever manage to capture. What this watch deserves is a proper photo session by someone who knows what they're doing.

Reno, for example. When it comes to photos, our Reno *really* knows his onions. It's a French thing, after all.

On another note: the formal Registrations for the WatchUSeek Affordables Forum Project Watch are progressing very well indeed. The numbers of people signed up have swollen by a further *fifty* in less than 48 hours so we're *way* above the half way mark already. From zero to a 120 registrations in only four days is unprecedented, and you only have to look at the similar registration threads for other project watches in other WUS forums to see. As a direct comparison, the 2013 Chinese project watch took a full *month* to reach the same number, so that gives you an indication of the support that this project has. I must say that the voracious appetite for this project watch has (nicely) shocked me, and I can only hope that the project can accommodate everyone that wants to join. Sure, we can make more watches up to a point; but if we try to make too many watches then the "special edition" nature of the project becomes rather diluted. A nice problem to have, in a way.

Ergo: don't mess about and sign up right now 'cos the door is rapidly closing on you. And I don't want to be the one sayin' "I told yer so" when you end up on the Waiting List mewling like a lost kitten.

Ric


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A very affordable 1960's Beijing BS-2 watch that I believe I paid 50 yuan RMB a few years ago, but now it could cost 10 times more if you can find one in this beautiful condition!|>


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)




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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon guys!

Today I'm using what some already called, "el cheapo". The Jaragar M24 homage.








Have a great day, everyone!
Luís M


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## OneMoreOnce (Apr 6, 2010)

_Automatic Tourby..._


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Wearing the Eyki model W8456G Hamilton homage today, this time on Timex Expedition leather. The yellow stitching works very well with the cream dial, not that you would know from my terrible photographs.


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

My black GOER skeletonized mil sub Homage on a light sand colored strap.


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Where'd you get this one?



watchcrank said:


> Wearing the Eyki model W8456G Hamilton homage today, this time on Timex Expedition leather. The yellow stitching works very well with the cream dial, not that you would know from my terrible photographs.
> 
> 
> View attachment 1094379


Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning watch fans.

Today I decided to go for the Beijing ZunDa, this one being the black-dialled version. For the Capucho Madness also justified the purchase of the white-dial, so one has a brace of ZunDas: a sports watch to match every leisure outfit bar swimming trunks. And why not at these prices? Yessir, buy now or regret it later... you know it makes sense.

On a more serious note there's some discussion on the Chinese Mech Forum that the latest generation of Beijing watches are already appearing at higher price points than we're used to seeing. For example, if my Yuan to Dollar mental conversion is working properly then the latest handwind SB18s (which have redesigned movements, so the third generation SB18s) are priced at just over $1,000. So as predicted by smarter people than myself, the gates are closing on the likes of the delicious ZhuFeng (Everest) priced at a mere $300 and of course the lovely BeiHai at what seemed a steep $500 or so.

So I'll make my own prediction: if Beijing tread carefully, they'll survive long enough to see their market (and profit expectations) gradually push them into the true high-end world. It'll take years, but it'll happen.

Why?

Watch manufacturers with in-house movements are rare outside of the Swiss ETA, Citizen (Miyota), Seiko or Sea-Gull mega-corporate worlds. And of the remaining small fry that can truthfully make the claim, how many of them concurrently offer a bunch of fundamentally different movements with different complications? Apart from Jaeger leCoultre and Glashütte Original at the very apex of the high-end market, I can't think of anyone other than Beijing. Nomos? Admirable, but not quite in the same league movement-wise (won't stop me buying one when I can finally afford it).

I've counted two handwind movements, one Tourbillon (I suspect there're two versions, actually), and at least *four* automatics. And someone'll correct me and point out the other 2-3 movements I've missed. And there're any number of date complications, moonphases, flying wheels, and lord knows what else. And more importantly Beijing (on evidence of the latest SB18, which is a complete redesign and owes little to the old movement other than the name) have the inhouse expertise to disappear into a back room for six months or so and then announce a fundamentally new movement *and* the latest generation of watches to put around 'em.

Beat that.

The weather? Don't ask, just look at the shot I made of my iPad's Weather app.

Ric


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Hello guys
today bagelsport on nato "ducati" 


i receptionned that jaragar today too, nice watch same the strap is "correct",better than others straps origine


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Newly arrived ST-5. Running a little slow, so I suppose I need to open it up and try to regulate it, but for the moment I'm simply enjoying the lovely blue dial:









(Ignore the fuzz on the dial. I'd just wiped it with an evidently not lint free cloth.)


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> Newly arrived ST-5. Running a little slow, so I suppose I need to open it up and try to regulate it, but for the moment I'm simply enjoying the lovely blue dial:
> 
> View attachment 1095424
> 
> ...


Hiya Stephen,

Just compared it, and it's identical. Very well done, matey.  And watch how the blue of the dial changes dramatically with the light.

Gonna try mine on a black strap too.

Ric


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Back from (& to) Shanghai... :-d










T.


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## cameron202105 (May 23, 2012)

Today it's my getat Pam homage it's my first chines watch since I joined wus !


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Wuhan


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Ric Capucho said:


> Just compared it, and it's identical. Very well done, matey.  And watch how the blue of the dial changes dramatically with the light.
> 
> Gonna try mine on a black strap too.


Ric,

Thanks again for the advice. Impulse buys are so much easier with enablers around. 

The dial is indeed fantastic.

The strap I have on it is actually a medium brown with yellow stitching, but I lose a lot of color nuance when I adjust the white balance of my dimly lighted indoor photos.


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)

Had a look at the manual, sorry to say only in Chinese, there are 19 pages showing different movement instructions, many pages are doubled up too.
Granted some are probably mods. to similar yet that's still wads.

Hope they don't price themselves out (


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## Takymoto (Apr 7, 2013)

*Parnis Today:*


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

Seagull with Chinese day/date today!

Love this watch.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Today vintage Dongfeng.

View attachment 1096286


T.


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## jopex (Jul 27, 2012)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning world.

Today I decided *not* to wear the Smiths Everest 'cos I fancied something brighter and vintage to light up an otherwise dreary day; so I went for the Tianjin WuYi. Yep, yet another obscure vintage Chinese watch brand and model. It's the smallest watch in my rotation at "only" 34mm, so the 18mm watch strap does seem to overwhelm it visually. But the small size also makes it very comfortable indeed as it seems to melt into my wrist. Am half-heartedly considering buying a bund strap to see if that scales it up a bit. But what I won't be doing is letting it go 'cos (a) it's a beautiful little thing and (b) it's basically a museum-grade piece of Chinese watch-making history and (c) 'cos it's older than me (likely very early nineteen sixties) so doesn't deserve to be tossed into the stormy seas of Ebay.

Gonna keep this short, today, but I wanted to raise the point about watch sizes; it's easy to see that the fairly recent rapper fashion for oversize watches has filtered down to just about everyone. I see thread after thread on WatchuSeek demanding this or that style of watch but with a size constraint of "nothing less that 40mm" or even larger. Some people won't be seen in public with watches smaller than 45mm! Anything less than 40mm is now an instant pass for half the current crop of WIS freaks, and I'd guess anything sub-35mm would turn off 95% of us. And isn't it strange that just fifteen or so years ago (about when I bought my Baume et Mercier 18 dress watch) a *33mm* watch was a medium size in the posh watch window? I remember seeing the likes of 40mm Breitlings and Omegas and wondering how on earth *anyone* could walk around with such a dinner-plate strapped to the wrist.

Swollen watch sizes gets enough copy these days, so I'll skip to the bit where I think I have an interesting point to make (wake up at the back!). Small watches have small movements. Small movements are a miracle of component miniaturisation, engineering ingenuity and assembly patience. Movements are expensive things to design, source components, and assemble, so it stands to reason that nobody (outside of Beijing Watch Factory, but let's ignore them for today) has the heart to produce a new and *larger* movement design every year just to keep pace with the increasing watch sizes. Therefore very many of our current crop of oversized watches are engined by sub-sized movements ticking their little hearts out within. I made the mistake of opening the Sea-Gull Sun Yat-sen a couple of months ago and saw that the 2824-clone automatic movement is so much smaller than the cavity of the 40mm case (by no means a *big* watch these days) that it needed a shockingly thick spacer ring just to stop it rattling about. Oh and the stem was much longer than you'd expect simply to get far enough from the movement to meet the outside world.

And then there's the fashion (nay, mania!) for exhibition windows so yer can behold the wondrous movement therein; many watches have windows built into the backs that look like undersized portholes simply because a larger window would show the world just how small the movement really is. And it's not just the 2824 automatic workhorse that's sub-scale; even chronos have spacers these days.

Exhibited movements are typically nicely decorated so presumably a larger movement would give more real estate for the designers to writ prettiness upon. Therefore I (unwisely) make this prediction: a new generation of bigger movements is like as not on its way. The political and commercial games being played by ETA and Sea-Gull (both of which are clamping down on selling their movements wholesale to external watchmakers) might be an obvious trigger for this as watchmakers who've relied on wholesale movements for years might be forced to produce their own movements (I really hope so, actually), and I'd wager a larger movement's a lot easier to design and build than a teeny-weeny movement. If I'm right then the movement junkies out there (actually, I'm one of 'em 'cos I *love* adding a new movement to my collection) will have a fine time coming.

Move over, Nomos. Your *baby* movement inside your *baby* 35mm Tangente won't be the unique selling proposition it once was. And the same movement inside the newly announced 38mm Tangente ain't fooling me. Well actually it is, 'cos I'd love one. But you and I know there's a whopping big spacer ring in there taking up most of the fresh air betwixt movement and case.

Where was I? Keeping it short, right?

Ric


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A crystally pure and most affordable Red Star DPRK's army commemorative watch for RMB 25 yuan.b-)


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning friends!

Today I'm wearing one of favorites, my Sub homage. I love sterile dials!







Have a great weekend, everyone!
Luís M


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

There's only one Chinese watch I reach for on the day the moon goes full:


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> There's only one Chinese watch I reach for on the day the moon goes full:
> 
> View attachment 1096624


Doesn't the hair that sprouts from yer fingers make it hard to pick up the watch?

Ric


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Ric Capucho said:


> Doesn't the hair that sprouts from yer fingers make it hard to pick up the watch?
> 
> Ric


Electrolysis. I'm the smooth-handed gent who ran amok in Kent.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Still stick to vcm with this vintage Jiefang. Have a shiny Saturday !

View attachment 1097457


T.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> Electrolysis. I'm the smooth-handed gent who ran amok in Kent.


Glut of werewolves in Kent now since the vampires gave up and moved away. Not enough virgins to sustain 'em.

Ric


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

This pilot...


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




----------



## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

My 6497 beater. Sitting in my favorite coffee shop reading Watch Time









My wife is wearing her Orient automatic. 









Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## imagwai (Feb 23, 2013)

Just arrived today...


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## supersong115 (Jun 15, 2011)




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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

Today I decided that I am going to wear my newly acquired vintage Shanghai MIL Diver #114.


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

Jinggangshan, a very rare watch with an unsigned ST5 movement. Jinggangshan is a beautiful mountain located in Jiangxi province, and it became famous as a base of Mao's Red Army in late 1920's.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

VCM again ! Today 'm wearing this old Suzhou.

Have a nice Sunday everyone !









T.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi All,

And a happy Sunday to the lot of yer.

Weather still rubbish, so another diver today; the Sea-Gull Dragon King. Found the only sun anywhere near Switzerland (in one of my boy's books) so that'll do as a backdrop. Kind of fits in (lamely) with the dragon theme, if anyone asks.

Gonna try and get out with my photo stuff later to see if I get any more joy (practice, mistakes, improvement) with long exposure shots. Shall update the post if it goes... better.

Ric


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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

This little Beijing will do nicely to get the week started...


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello World.

I'm starting my working week with the Beijing ZunJue 'cos I was missing it. It's easily the thinnest profile of any watch in the box; the 41mm case is just 9mm thick. Beat that with a stick, if yer can. And don't be showing me a bunch of quartz watches, 'cos you know they're not to be compared.

Anyway, it's shiny, innit.

So, as predicted (actually, it didn't take a Nostrodamus) supplies of certain Beijing watches that have become staples around here are coming to an end. It seems that production of the $300 ZhuFeng (Everest) has ceased at the factory and the remaining dealer stocks (on TaoBao only) are rapidly drying up. This particular watch, the similarly priced ZunJue, is only available from the more obscure TaoBao dealers these days. And there're hints that there're only a few BeiHai limited edition watches still up for grabs. More worrying for the bargain hunters amongst us is that the very latest handwind SB18-powered watches are more than a £1,000 a pop, and even the BeiHai replacement (with the far cheaper and arguably less attractive T18 auto movement, much to my surprise) is identically priced to the original handwind SB18 at $500.

Even as I write, those well-known bargain models are being phased out, and the prices of the replacement models are a clear step higher. It's being done carefully, but it's happening. And little wonder that Beijing have finally clued up as to the real-world prices that they can be charging for their beautifully design and beautifully executed watches. I also happen to hold Sea-Gull Tianjin in high regard, but don't think that their range of $500-$1,000 watches are in the same league as the Beijings available at half the price, 'cos they aren't. But that doesn't mean that Sea-Gulls are over-priced. It means that Beijings are dramatically under-priced.

And Beijing are *finally* doing something about it.

Shame for us 'cos the days of grabbing a bunch of stunning Beijing watches for a $1,000 in total are at an end. But them again good luck to 'em. An insolvent Beijing Watch Factory isn't good for any of us, so if the "price" that must be paid is an end to the bargains, then so be it.

If you want one, then move now whilst there's still hope. Better still, move last month.

Ric


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

T-Wan said:


> VCM again ! Today 'm wearing this old Suzhou.
> 
> Have a nice Sunday everyone !
> 
> ...


This is really nice!!


----------



## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

Just bought this over the weekend. Seagull


----------



## pacific17 (Aug 3, 2010)

Willy320 said:


> new watch buy today (buy a other member),
> 
> massive wow !!!,nice finition,i love it


where did you get one?


----------



## Unikagen (Feb 16, 2012)

pacific17 said:


> where did you get one?


Tao International.


----------



## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Today starting the week with this vintage ShuangLing/Beijing.

Have a great week everyone !










T.


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A dark brown dial, early 17 jewels tongji Double Rhomb (Shuangling) made in "PEKING"!


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon mates!

This Monday I'll be wearing my MM homage, by Parnis.








Have a great week, everyone!
Luís M


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Parnis on this day...


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Hongqi peacock


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

My Seagull seems perfect for a sunny day at shanghai bund


----------



## pacific17 (Aug 3, 2010)

Thank you. It does look like the cartier calibre de cartier? or is it just me?


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

dougiedude said:


> My latest aquisition, from Good-Stuffs. Shanghai multifunctional Moonphase (S506-5-12):
> 
> View attachment 1068497
> 
> ...


This is a nice watch. good one.. is it dual time?


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

T-Wan said:


> Today starting the week with this vintage ShuangLing/Beijing.
> 
> Have a great week everyone !
> 
> ...


What's the number of Zuan underneath that hour hand?

Ric


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A late 1960's Shanghai 1120 model watch with a SS1 movement that was Shanghai's first watch movement with a model designation, and the watch itself is a product of "catching up with the Swiss" movement. So it performs, looks, and cost about the same as a mid-range Swiss watch such as Enicar, or Roamer.
Now it is not easy to find one with original parts in this condition.b-)


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon all!

Today I pulled out my blue bezel PO homage, for a ride.







Have a very nice day, everyone!
Luís M


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## gigfy (Apr 13, 2007)

Sea-Gull M177s.


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Rockin' the sub gomage at work


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## gigfy (Apr 13, 2007)

Takymoto said:


> *Parnis Today:*


1st post on WUS! Welcome!


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## SCourt (Apr 23, 2013)

This Jaragar came today. I'll see how long it wants to stay.


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

I've been away a couple of days. Guess where I was? ;-)


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

large dial by thianwong1, on Flickr


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

In Shanghai today, and a fruitful trip as I managed to buy a couple of Shanghai Watches. Wearing the newly acquired Shanghai 7120 today.


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Had this one on for a while today; was feeling a little nostalgic...


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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

My 'new' ST5 today:









More about this here: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/finding-vintage-seagull-watch-switzerland-chinese-prices-868673.html


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

large dial by thianwong1, on Flickr


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

saskwatch said:


> Hongqi peacock


This is such a beauty!


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Parnis today, all day


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Ric Capucho said:


> What's the number of Zuan underneath that hour hand?
> 
> Ric


20 zuan IIRC. I'll check tonight and shoot more pics.

Today I'm wearing black Shanghai.










T.


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Martin_B said:


> I've been away a couple of days. Guess where I was? ;-)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice! Have you seen any gladiator, or the pope?

Regards,
Luís M


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon guys!

Another day, another trusty Parnis, this time my Big Pilot. This was my first Parnis...









Have a great day, everyone!
Luís M


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Luisão said:


> Nice! Have you seen any gladiator, or the pope?
> 
> Regards,
> Luís M


Thanks, actually I did see the pope :-! (from a distance, but still). But I had the impression that the gladiators I saw were not real gladiators, but dressed up Italians :think::-d


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Hey Ric, here is as promised another pic of the Shuangling.









Good night all !
T.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Today 'm wearing this vintage Qionghua...


















T.


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Winner automatic on a Modena strap


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

Today, my newly acquired shanghai 7120


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Wannian Qing


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Giving this special watch from a special friend a ride before May is done...


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Martin_B said:


> Thanks, actually I did see the pope :-! (from a distance, but still). But I had the impression that the gladiators I saw were not real gladiators, but dressed up Italians :think::-d


As opposed to dressed up Australians.

Ric


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

Giving my Seagull Skeleton a chance to see sun on the last day of May!


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all.

And an early one for me 'cos I'm off on a one day business trip to Paris. Sounds glamorous to those that ain't lived this business travel life; but it ain't, believe me.

I'd been advised that due to "these dark financial times" the firm no longer allows air travel betwixt Zürich and Paris. So I booked the TGV train and resolved myself to about 11 hours of total travel.

Found out yesterday (too late to change plans) that it ain't true. Coulda flown. Undecided whether this is a good or bad thing 'cos the only airport in the world I hate more than Charles de Gaulle is that soddin' embarrassment of a third world pit known as London Heathrow.

Anyways came home yesterday to see that this 'ere Yanan SHI-102 (yet another obscure piece of ancient Chinese mechanical history) had arrived from a dealer based in Blighty. Not sure if the dealer knew or cared what it was 'cos it cost me just £17.50 including shipping.

The hands are slightly misaligned and I think it's running about 15 minutes slow but I'll know later 'cos there ain't much else to think about on this train. Shall enjoy ambushing my tame (Swiss) watchmender with yet another totally alien watch and movement. I'll have the poor buggah in therapy before the year's out.

Ric


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Hello
Bagelsport sub'like on nato ducati today


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Today I'm wearing a rare vintage Haiou. 
As you can see on back case, "Haiou" (海鸥) is the chinese wording of Sea Gull.



















T.


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## bcy (Apr 26, 2013)

Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 1103859
> 
> 
> View attachment 1103860
> ...


This is a really nice vcm! Was looking for a Yan'an while in Shanghai but couldn't find a good one. Found a reasonable one but didn't buy it because the movement is faulty.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

This week ends with another vcm, today a nice old Beijing.



















T.


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## DrR (May 31, 2013)

Sorry, just noticed there's already june thread.


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## gigfy (Apr 13, 2007)

Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 1093972


I love this watch! When I first saw this post I was instantly smitten.

And a bit jealous. ... That is until I was rifling through my sock drawer and found mine!

I either have too many watches or I'm losing my mind.

Thanks again to Ron for helping me get one of these beauties.

cheers.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

gigfy said:


> I love this watch! When I first saw this post I was instantly smitten.
> 
> And a bit jealous. ... That is until I was rifling through my sock drawer and found mine!
> 
> ...


No photo? Didn't happen. We wanna see the evidence. 

Ric


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Parnis Jumphour today:


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## gigfy (Apr 13, 2007)

Ric Capucho said:


> No photo? Didn't happen. We wanna see the evidence.
> 
> Ric


LOL! Slightly different hour indices than yours.


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

gigfy said:


> LOL! Slightly different hour indices than yours.


You both have a super rare and super clean watch. Congratulations!:-!o|


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## Zilladon (Jan 17, 2013)

I love this one! If you ever come across something else like this one, maybe you could let me know. On my list to get is a red watch, and as I haven't really seen too many modern "reds" that strike me, I think finding something older is going to be the ticket - and the Chinese really "do" a good red; what I mean is I want *red* - not burgundy, or kind-of-sort-of red, but RED like this one you have here. 

=Patti



Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 1068348
> 
> 
> View attachment 1068349
> ...


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