These 12 brands prove Chinese watchmaking shouldn’t be overlooked

Borna Bošnjak

The word “cheap” has a lot of negative connotations, and for too many years it’s been heavily associated with Chinese manufacturing. This is quickly proven false, given that companies like Seagull make five times the number of movements ETA produces annually, microbrands like Atelier Wen strive to make craftsmanship affordable, and artists like Zehua Tan, Ma Xushu and Celadon HH push the envelope of haute horlogerie in the country. Chinese watch brands clearly have a place in today’s watchmaking world, regardless of the category that’s being talked about. Whether it’s microbrands with strict quality control or hand-made independents, the words “Made in China” are much more likely to be reassuring thanks to modern technology and working standards. Here are some of the best Chinese watch brands to prove it.

Seagull

Starting off in 1955 with just four watchmakers, Tianjin Seagull (or Sea-Gull) is now the world’s largest manufacturer of mechanical watch movements. In fact, it’s estimated that it makes a quarter of the world’s entire mechanical movement production. In addition to supplying movements to countless brands, the brand itself produces a wide selection of watches with varying styles and complications. By far the most famous watch and movement has to be the Seagull 1963 chronograph, originally issued to the Chinese air force and powered by the ST19. That movement has its roots in Switzerland, where the Venus company needed to sell the machines and patent required to build the Venus 175 column-wheel chronograph. Now, the 1963 can be found in plenty of collections as a historical and affordable chronograph, and the ST19 is used by hundreds of microbrands who want to offer the same. It’s no longer just about cheap fun, either, with Seagull has recently introduced a split-seconds chronograph priced at just US$3,500, showing that they can do complication, too.

Borna’s pick: Seagull 1963. Price: ~US$150

San Martin

San Martin cut their teeth on numerous homage pieces, but have risen through the ranks by their innovative design features and build quality. Nowadays, their catalogue boasts numerous original designs and continues making use of Seiko’s excellent third-party movements such as the NH34 GMT calibre. For a couple of hundred dollars (or less, if you catch an AliExpress sale), you get an exceptionally finished case for the price, and features like tooless micro-adjust that brands many times the price still don’t implement.

Borna’s pick: San Martin SN0116-G GMT. Price: US$320

CIGA Design

CIGA Design, or China International Great Art Design, started off in 2016 with all sorts of international artists collaborating, and it has since been collecting awards like nobody’s business. My first exposure to them was through the Series C, a playful, skeletonised parody of an Apple Watch and winner of the Red Dot Award in 2017. The brand hit its biggest stride in 2021 however, when the pebble-cased Blue Planet worldtimer won the prestigious GPHG Challenge Watch Prize. The current catalogue is hugely expansive, with loads of unique and pleasing designs across a range of affordable price points. If you’re looking for something cutting-edge on a budget, CIGA Design have plenty to offer.

Borna’s pick: CIGA Design U Series Blue Planet in titanium. Price: US$1,199

Atelier Wen

Although it started out with their neat and tidy Porcelain Odyssey, it’s the Atelier Wen Perception that has been a storming success. The case design melds Chinese architectural influence with steel sports watch trends, and although the prices are climbing, they still represent a value option compared to Swiss brands of similar craftsmanship. A lot of their popularity actually stems from one particular craftsman, being the master Cheng Yucai who produces all of their guilloché work. Having dedicated himself to the art of guilloché and even building his own rose engine, each Atelier Wen watch becomes a handmade work of art with astonishing precision.

Borna’s pick: Atelier Wen Perception. Price: US$3,288

Behrens

For reasons that are beyond me, I can’t figure out why Behrens is not on the radar of more enthusiasts, especially in the current climate of obsessing over everything high-tech and avant-garde. Watches like the Ultra-Light 20g perfectly embody the ethos of the brand, pushing the envelope of manufacturing possibilities, but not charging you an arm and a leg for the privilege of strapping it to your wrist. With the curved watch case weighing in at just 20 grams, with an in-house, double-retrograde movement strewn over the dial, making it one of the lightest watches in the world.

Borna’s pick: Behrens Ultra-Light 20g. Price: US$7,600

Lin Yong Hua

To be one of the greats, it’s not enough to be technically skilled. You also need creativity, and Lin Yong Hua has both aspects in spades. He’s an independent watchmaker based in Shenzhen, and each watch brims with personality. One of his latest developments is the LYH-6, with a handmade jump-hour movement, day/night indicator, power reserve, all resting on top of a mother of pearl dial. Plus, the exhibition casebacks show off some of the most beautiful movements in the game. The “No. 4” wristwatch is a celebration for music lovers, recreating a record player on the dial, and that watch earned him membership with the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants alongside the likes of Philippe Dufour, F.P. Journe, and George Daniels.

Borna’s pick: LYH Dragonfly Man. Price: US$10,000

Celadon

Benjamin Chee was born in Singapore and studied in London, but it was his Chinese heritage that called to him the strongest. Following passions for bespoke items and wristwatches, the natural progression ended up with him running three separate watch brands with incredible artisans involved. Celadon HH, the oldest of the three having been founded in 2012, focuses on traditional Chinese craftsmanship and styles. This brand has two avenues, with the main Celadon HH collection incorporating elaborate enamel artworks of Chinese scenes, and some references to Western art occasionally. Each one of these watches is made to order, with a movement made by Lin Yong Hua. The second collection is a much more affordable range called Maison Celadon, representing traditional designs in elaborate engravings and some beautiful colours. They’re powered by movements made by Beijing Watch Factory, remaining high-end and low-cost with extra decoration and testing for Celadon.

Borna’s pick: Celadon HH Century Cloisonné Peacock and Peonies. Price: starting from US$14,900

Qian GuoBiao

If you happen to be a high-end, Chinese collector, you might know Qian GuoBiao by his nickname – the Tourbillon Doctor, or the shorthand A.Biao. A trained engineer and self-taught watchmaker, he undertook repairs full-time starting in 2005, and alongside complicated European pieces, he also tinkered with his own inventions. A deadbeat seconds Lange or a reworked Omega 30T is one thing, but the latter models from his Opus series showed real watchmaking chops. Double balance wheels, complex regulating systems, and the above split-seconds chronograph are all stunning pieces of work, but for now remain just prototypes.

You might also have noticed Qian GuoBiao’s name in a 2024 collaboration with Behrens, doubling down on his work with regulators by incorporating the spear-like lever into the balance wheel assembly. The reverse side is just as impressive, with the highlight being the large ruby that secures the balance wheel, with a dramatically cut half bridge and curving gear train cocks.

Borna’s pick: Behrens x Qian GuoBiao Kung Fu. Price: US$17,700

Logan Kuan Rao

Whimsical design is not often found in the higher echelons of watchmaking, and it’s something that I believe is sorely missing in a space where we can often take ourselves too seriously. Certain brands have thrived on exploiting this lack of whimsy (think Moser and the cheese watch), but Logan Kuan Rao’s approach is a lot less edgy. Instead, for his first serially produced watch, the Orca, he neatly integrated the animal into the design of the movement. Mostly making his watches with hand tools, he is also beginning to push on in terms of technological achievements, patenting the Equal-Push escapement as an advancement of the Daniels co-axial system.

Borna’s pick: Logan Kuan Rao Iceberg. Price: TBC (for reference, the Orca was sold for ~US$19,000)

Tan Zehua

A member of the AHCI since 2019, Tan Zehua started training as a watchmaker under his father who ran a local repair shop in 1966, eventually establishing his own business in the 1980. Much like other watchmaking greats, he spent a lot of time restoring antiques, before focusing on watch production under his own name in the last decade or so. Mostly focusing on escapements, he has developed his own, the Di-Axial, which is under a pending patent, though he also produces his own precision tools that allow him to apply the high degree of finishing consistent across his watches.

Borna’s pick: Tan Zehua Melody Guilloché. Price: HK$232,000 (~US$29,800)

Neo Kung

Have you ever wondered what a Seagull 1963 would look like had it been extensively hand-finished, with custom-made components? Well, wonder no more, as that’s exactly what Neo Kung has done for his Orienta. The movement architecture is based on the Venus 175/Seagull ST19 calibre (with, according to Kung, both Swiss and Chinese components), but with pretty much every component finished by hand. While its movement origins and platinum construction (and resultant price) are at odds, having gained experience from his tenures with Seagull and Shanghai Watch Company, Neo Kung is one to watch for the future.

Borna’s pick: Neo Kung Orienta. Price: CHF 35,800 (~US$40,000)

Qin Gan

Having learned watchmaking from his father, Qin Gan began his career as an artist and graphic designer, dabbling in watches on the side. In 2014 he began his watchmaking career, as he launched a watch containing a dragonfly automaton, followed by a striking hour watch in 2017, the same year he became an independent watchmaker. The Pastorale model is the one that put Qin Gan on the radar of the more mainstream consumer, basing its movement design on the Longines 30L, with the majority of components bearing a beautiful hand finish. He has since upped the level of finishing, and introduced the second-generation Pastorale, with a cleaner dial and more refined case, albeit at an eye-watering price.

Borna’s pick: Qin Gan Pastorale II. Price: US$46,000

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Kiu Tai Yu

Introducing a tourbillon in 1990, Kiu Tai Yu was touted as the first watchmaker capable of producing a tourbillon in Asia, becoming the first Asian member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants the following year. Inventor of the Mystery Tourbillon, which used a sapphire disk in place of the upper bridge, the Hong Kong watchmaker left a lasting legacy after his passing in 2020.