Watchmaking in China

Watchmaking in China

THE WATCH FILES

Watchmaking in China

A 360° watch report on the watch industry in China. From the dawn of Chinese civilisation to the emergence of Chinese millennials, this is a tale about the most important place for watches in the world, outside of Switzerland.

Master Cheng, China's first guilloché emperor

Master Cheng, China’s first guilloché emperor

Working from a studio set in a mountainside, away from the disturbances of the outside world, China’s one and only guilloché master craftsman supplies dials (...)

CIGA Design, a different path for Chinese watchmaking

CIGA Design, a different path for Chinese watchmaking

CIGA Design, the first Chinese watch brand to win a GPHG award, was created by a specialist in urban design, heir to the key precept of the Bauhaus school: (...)

Behrens, new-generation Chinese watchmaking

Behrens, new-generation Chinese watchmaking

Aside from mass production, the Chinese watch industry has long relied on the industrial clout of some of its conglomerates and flagship companies to (...)

An introduction to Atelier Wen's Perception series

An introduction to Atelier Wen’s Perception series

The dials in this new collection will be handmade guilloché using a rose engine by China’s (and probably Asia’s) sole guilloché master craftsman. The artisan’s (...)

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China: what is at stake for luxury watchmaking in Hainan?

China: what is at stake for luxury watchmaking in Hainan?

MARKETS

The rise of Hainan, the tropical island in the South China Sea, as a hub for Chinese mainlanders’ luxury offshore shopping – in the works since 2011 – has (...)

Hong Kong: a “crucial, life-and-death moment”

Hong Kong: a “crucial, life-and-death moment”

RETAIL

Retail sales of watch and jewellery in specialized stores and department stores in Hong Kong continued to free-fall in April 2020 (-74.5% year-on-year), (...)

China: “Revenge saving, not revenge spending”

China: “Revenge saving, not revenge spending”

GUEST COLUMN

A cofounder of the well-known Chinese horological club, the Shanghai Watch Gang, Kelvin Sa shared with us his personal notebook, shedding some light on the (...)

In the labyrinth of counterfeit watches

In the labyrinth of counterfeit watches

CHINA WATCH REPORT

It’s a very closed world, but we were able to follow the field work of a company specialising in intellectual property, which collaborates with the Chinese (...)

“We are only at the beginning of business in China”

“We are only at the beginning of business in China”

JULIEN TORNARE

In our latest report about the transformation of the watch world, we selected six major issues which are having a profound impact on the industry’s present (...)

The Chinese independent watch scene

The Chinese independent watch scene

ARTISANS

Beyond mass production, an ecosystem of independent watchmakers has emerged in the Shenzhen area. Several of these craftsmen have joined the renowned (...)

Chinese fashion: breaking the curse?

Chinese fashion: breaking the curse?

ANALYSIS

Some big names in luxury have already tried to launch Chinese avatars and had their noses bloodied. The obstacles are formidable. Startup Atelier Wen is (...)

Titoni, the most Chinese of traditional Swiss watchmakers

Titoni, the most Chinese of traditional Swiss watchmakers

INTERVIEW

No other Swiss watch brand has a history in China comparable to that of the independent family company Titoni. Having conquered the hearts and minds of (...)

FIyta: The horological side of Chinese soft power

FIyta: The horological side of Chinese soft power

PORTRAIT

As part of a group that controls a large proportion of China’s watch distribution, Fiyta represents the best of what the local industry has to offer in (...)

“Logistics is the ‘killer app' of the Chinese e-commerce giants”

“Logistics is the ‘killer app’ of the Chinese e-commerce giants”

INTERVIEW WITH DIGITAL LUXURY GROUP

WeChat or Weibo, Tmall or JD: which platform is most likely to align with the strategies of Swiss watch brands? Geneva-based Digital Luxury Group (DLG) was (...)

JD: Operation “seduction” in the watch world

JD: Operation “seduction” in the watch world

E-COMMERCE

China’s JD has over 300 million active users, making it the largest retailer in the country (it actually works as both a marketplace and a retailer), from (...)

Alibaba: a game-changing alliance with Richemont

Alibaba: a game-changing alliance with Richemont

E-COMMERCE

Tmall is hoping its strategic cooperation with Yoox-Net-APorter will attract distribution and increase sales of watches on its dedicated luxury platform. (...)

The Chinese watch market seen by key players

The Chinese watch market seen by key players

QUOTES

In this article, we selected a number of quotes from various voices on the Chinese watch market, that helps to understand the main trends and upheavals in (...)

China: introducing the dominant players in watch distribution

China: introducing the dominant players in watch distribution

RETAIL

Often originating from Hong Kong, the continent’s watchmaking hub, giant groups have formed to organise the emergence of multiple points of sale in the (...)

The Chinese names of the main watch brands

The Chinese names of the main watch brands

WATCH CULTURE

Symbolizing vitality and intelligence, the rat will take over from the pig at the Chinese New Year on January 20th 2020. Beyond the Zodiac signs, did you (...)

The Chinese watch market in 3 key concepts

The Chinese watch market in 3 key concepts

ANALYSIS

A cornucopia of contemporary consumption: this is how we could aptly describe the Chinese market, which today combines hyper-consumption with oversupply of (...)

How China fell in love with watchmaking

How China fell in love with watchmaking

HISTORY

How did the watch achieve such an exalted status in China? The answer also raises some questions about the future of what has become a highly symbolic (...)

Our special report in China

Our special report in China

EDITORIAL

What explains the country’s “watch fever” over the last two decades? In our new issue’s feature on China, we attempt to provide keys to understanding the main (...)

Report on unrest in Hong Kong

Report on unrest in Hong Kong

DEMONSTRATIONS

Since the beginning of the year, we’ve heard nothing but bad news from the watchmaking metropolis, the historic hub of Swiss watches in Asia. The trade (...)

Pilo & Co: a case study in China

Pilo & Co: a case study in China

PORTRAIT

Active in the challenging segment of affordable Swiss watches – unlike the majority of independent watchmakers, who go for the high end – the brand founded (...)