FAO Cyberface: I know you'll know

FAO Cyberface: I know you'll know

Author
Discussion

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Wednesday 14th July 2010
quotequote all
What can you tell me about SHW please?

Other than they are (proudly) Chinese and seem to make some kind of tourbillon I don't know anything.

I picked one up a few weeks ago and just got curious.
You're the resident movement wpecialist and a fan of rare Chinese stuff so I'd be delighted if you could assist.

Many thanks.

This is (a poor pic!) of the watch in question:



Ikemi

8,452 posts

207 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Is it definitely a tourbillon movmement? It's not particularly clear, but it looks more like an 'open heart' arrangement, similar to the TAO 'tourbillon' watches ...

I can't seem to find much on SHW though confused Are there any model numbers or any indications as to what SHW stands for?

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
It's just a "standard" looking display-caseback. More like an open heart than a tourbillon.

I'll do some better pictures tomorrow if I can sort a camera out.

I wondered if SHW was Shanghai Watch or something?
On the back it's stamped "PRC" and the 5ATM WR marking and not much else.

A similar post to this on another watch forum threw up this link which is a start:

Info on SHW Tourbillons

Ikemi

8,452 posts

207 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Nolar Dog said:
I wondered if SHW was Shanghai Watch or something?
On the back it's stamped "PRC" and the 5ATM WR marking and not much else.
I thought the same, but to make things a little more difficult, there is already a 'Shanghai' watch manufacturer with a different logo!

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Yes but I also found this. An eBay seller selling Shanghai watches with the logo you're referring to, if it's the one I think you are.

But look at the first thumbnail on the last row:



Same SHW "branding" as mine.

ShadownINja

76,664 posts

284 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Interesting. Is that a second timezone?

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Sure is. smile

You set that by pulling crown out (only pulls out to one position) and turning it clockwise which alters both dials. So you set the 2nd time zone (at 12 o'clock position) to the desired time.

Then turn crown anti-clockwise. The 2nd timezone hour hand does not move so you turn the main dial back by however many hours time difference the time zones have between them. Then go clockwise again and both dials move to the correct time but keep the "GMT+ whatever" gap.

Hope that makes sense. smile

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
shout Cyberface where art thou?

Eggle

3,584 posts

238 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Nolar Dog said:
shout Cyberface where art thou?
He is probably buying one to pull apart as we speak, then will be back with all the answers.
Either that, or he is still trying to make his iphone4 work!

Ikemi

8,452 posts

207 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Eggle said:
Nolar Dog said:
shout Cyberface where art thou?
He is probably buying one to pull apart as we speak, then will be back with all the answers.
Either that, or he is still trying to make his iphone4 work!
He might be in the darkest depths of Paris, on a mission to find a Tudor Heritage Chrono for sale wink

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Friday 16th July 2010
quotequote all
Ikemi said:
He might be in the darkest depths of Paris, on a mission to find a Tudor Heritage Chrono for sale wink
As if that matters when I want to know about this watch. wink

Nice choice by the way Cyber. beer

ShadownINja

76,664 posts

284 months

Friday 16th July 2010
quotequote all
Nolar Dog said:
shout Cyberface where art thou?
I think you'll find he is still writing the reply.

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Friday 16th July 2010
quotequote all
hehe

cyberface

12,214 posts

259 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
quotequote all
Incidentally, I *don't* know…

Other than the fact that it's not a tourbillon for a start. It's one of Shanghai Watch Factory's 2L open-heart movements, which is decent enough. SHW *do* make tourbillons though - up to their incredible 'orbital tourbillon' which has multiple tourbillons on a carousel dial.

They *do* have a website - IIRC Shanghai used to be a single-brand business and sold only watches with their brand-name on them (which put them right up there with the top quality of Chinese watchmaking) but have, along with virtually all others, resorted to OEM production along with a confusing merger with the Shanghai ZuanShi Watch Factory - so the movements pop up everywhere. Notably a quick google finds that the Shanghai / ZuanShi 'Shanghai B GMT' movement is found in watches branded 'Alpha, Aeromatic, Tauchmeister and many others'… well we've all heard of those haven't we wink

The open-heart movement you've got there is considered one of Shanghai's 'premium movements' but it's not as good as Sea-Gull's, apparently. I'm just going on what's in the Chinese watch industry wiki, though, and am no expert biggrin

Shanghai's website is here and you'll find a lot of watches that look *awfully* like Swiss stuff there, unfortunately. But their movements are their own, mostly, from what I understand.


As to the Tudor…. wink

Nolar Dog

Original Poster:

8,786 posts

197 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
quotequote all
cyberface said:
Incidentally, I *don't* know…
Bloody great! Fat lot of good you were. wink

Only kidding... informative as always and well worth the wait.
I really like the watch, it's unusual and as I said, was very cheap (eBay).

Happy new Tudor by the way Cyber and thank you for the info/link.
smile

LukeBird

17,170 posts

211 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
quotequote all
cyberface said:
As to the Tudor…. wink
What?!

cyberface

12,214 posts

259 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
quotequote all
LukeBird said:
cyberface said:
As to the Tudor…. wink
What?!
As I said, wink

LukeBird

17,170 posts

211 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
hehe

Received your email chap, I'll get back to you tomorrow.
Have had rather too much Pinot Grigio to reply now... wink

Oh and, I want one, I want one!!

elster

17,517 posts

212 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
What's with all the gossip behind closed doors about the Tudor?!!!

That's just plain unfair.

LukeBird

17,170 posts

211 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
elster said:
What's with all the gossip behind closed doors about the Tudor?!!!

That's just plain unfair.
I think he'll be updating the Heritage thread shortly...!