The Birth of Shanghai Watch (上海手表) and Early Innovation (1955-1957)
In pre-1950s China, Shanghai’s horological scene was defined by small repair workshops rather than true manufacturing capability. There were craftsmen, but no industry—only scattered expertise without the infrastructure to produce watches at scale.
Following directives from the State Planning Commission (国家计委), and in response to growing calls from within the clock and watch trade, the Shanghai Municipal Committee (上海市委) made a decisive move: the task of trial-producing domestically made watches would be assigned to the Second Light Industry Bureau (第二轻工业局).
On July 9th, 1955, the foundation of Chinese watchmaking was laid. The Second Light Industry Bureau, working alongside the Shanghai Clock and Watch Trade Association (上海钟表同业公会), assembled a team drawn from more than ten small and mid-sized workshops. These included names such as China Clock Factory, Wenhua Clock Factory, Huacheng Industrial Society, and the Sino-Soviet Industrial Society.
Fifty-eight individuals were selected—among them, seven highly skilled civilian watch repair masters. Together, they formed what would become known as the Lever Escapement Watch Trial Production Team (细马手表试制小组).
Their workshop was humble: a small, enclosed room fitted with soundproof panels, where every stage—assembly, testing, and inspection—took place side by side. Resources were scarce, and experience in watch manufacturing was nonexistent. Their only machinery was a basic clock repair lathe.
They began by fully dismantling a Swiss Selca watch into approximately 150 individual components, studying each part in order to replicate it from scratch. Ordinary machinery was modified into specialized tools. Electric fan heads were repurposed as transmission devices. Precision tools were improvised from unlikely materials—drill bits fashioned from embroidery needles, and watch axles crafted from umbrella spokes, wool needles, and even bicycle wires. Heat treatment processes were developed using nothing more than alcohol lamps.
Just ahead of National Day in 1955, the team successfully produced 18 prototype watches. These were promptly sent to Beijing for evaluation by central leadership—marking a pivotal moment not only for the project, but for China’s industrial future.
By 1957, this early success culminated in the establishment of the Shanghai Watch Factory, China’s first fully fledged watch manufacturing facility, and the true beginning of its modern horological industry.
