Monochrome Watches iconMonochrome WatchesOct 17, 2026

The ABCs of Time – The History of Chinese Watchmaking, From Reverse Engineering to a Growing Indie Scene

China was very late to watchmaking, with its first wristwatch debuting in 1955, while Japan had a domestic pocket watch in 1895 and its first wristwatch in 1913 (respectively Seiko’s Timekeeper and Seiko’s Laurel). Both Swiss and British watchmaking go back to the 16th century, for context. That said, China now produce

The ABCs of Time – The History of Chinese Watchmaking, From Reverse Engineering to a Growing Indie Scene

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