Founded in 1955, the Seagull 1963 legacy was born out of a dream and a modest budget in Tianjin, the oldest industrial city in China.

Originally called ‘WuXing’ (Five Stars), the manufacturing took about 100 days. Shortly after, the brand name was changed to Dong Feng (East Wind) during Mao’s rise of power.

The Seagull 1963 watches you see here in our collection, are reissued versions of the Chinese Air force Mechanical Chronograph or sometimes referred to as the Project d304, a unique and classic masterpiece now searched for by collectors nearly as much as the original, because it is an affordable and authentic Chinese aviation watch with vintage styling.

In 2003 Seagull resurrected Project 304’s movements and, by 2005, had reissued the first batch of commemorative aviation watches. Since the 1963 watch reissue, the movement has been gaining some popularity and following in the watch community.

However, some people still argue that Chinese-made watches are unreliable and/or of poor quality. However, this can be taken as an ill-considered statement, as China is one of the best modern watch case makers and in general manufacturers of watches.

Although many still fall for these unjustified prejudices, more and more watch enthusiasts have come to the conclusion that Chinese manufacturers are in fact capable of producing more than decent timepieces. Due to this rise in recognition, the SeaGull 1963 is one of the most sought-after vintage watches in the industry.

It’s a cult classic that remains important yet affordable to this day and an absolute must-have for every (vintage) watch collector. The Seagull 1963 watch is available in many different versions & variations. It has the original ST1901 movement. All the Seagull chronograph movements we use have 21 jewels and have a power reserve of 42 hours.

The column-wheel chronograph caliber ST19 is made by the Tianjin Watch Factory and is based on the Swiss Venus 175 movement from 1950. Although chronograph technology requires more robust maintenance and service, it is still a leading technology compared to Swiss, Quartz, or Chinese.

Furthermore, what gives the ST1901 movement its competitive edge is its detailed production that ensures reliability and durability. Special Gemini cases are used for the casing of the watches, and they undergo a 72-hour test in different positions to ensure that each watch has proper movement. The case back of all seagull 1963 watches is transparent with sapphire crystal.

In the watch world, history is arguably just as important as the components of the watch itself, and the Seagull 1963 lacks nothing in both regards. The association with the seagull stands for flying great distances: a symbol for the global export strategy.

The history and the sheer amount of reissues made of the Seagull 1963 make this watch into more than just an aesthetic item; these timepieces have a story to tell. More and more watch enthusiasts from all over the world are gaining interest in these Seagull 1963 chrono’s, not only because of the story behind them but also because of the extremely decent quality and affordability these watches come with.

However, versions that come with this original seagull 1963 ST19 movement are relatively scarce, as Seagull only makes a limited number of Seagull watch available for sale. Due to high demand, there are some watch manufacturers who’re producing imitations of the versions that come with the ST19 Movement, so beware!