Why customers love Sea-Gull?

If the market is flooded with bronze models, I find that if only one had to use this material it should be this seagull which seems to come from ancient times. The patina accentuates its vintage aesthetic, the association of colors is perfect with its champagne dial. The only flaw is the nato with which it is delivered. It's simple, nothing goes on it. The pin is too small as are the loops. Changing the latter is simple since its width is 18mm.

I was looking for a mechanical chronograph, and after some research and videos, I fell in love with the Seagull 1963. This iconic watch, powered by the ST19 movement inspired by the famous Swiss caliber Venus 175, offers exceptional value for money. The Seagull 1963 is a must-have model for enthusiasts and collectors, combining fascinating history, vintage design and mechanical engineering. In 1961, the Chinese government gave the Tianjin Watch Factory a prestigious mission: to design a chronograph to equip the Chinese air force, the PLA Air Force. After two years of development, in 1963, the legendary ST19 chronograph was born. This movement, based on the Venus 175 acquired by China after its production ceased in Switzerland, demonstrates a perfect fusion of Swiss watchmaking know-how and Chinese innovation. The Seagull 1963 seduces with its retro aesthetic: a refined dial, delicately colored hands and remarkable mechanical precision, thanks to its manual winding. More than a watch, it is a true piece of watchmaking history, a tribute to an era when watchmaking was at the crossroads between tradition and innovation.

Watching Ivan on Xavier’s couch finally convinced me to buy the Sea-Gull International Edition 1963. Beyond Ivan’s comments, it was the iconic design of this watch that really appealed to me, including its red star, blued hands, and bright red chronograph. Its excellent value for money and its status as a modern reissue of a legendary chronograph originally designed for the Chinese Air Force also played a key role in my decision. Classic and elegant design: The champagne dial, with its subdials for the minute track and small seconds, evokes the military style of the 1960s. The blue hands and gold-tone indexes create a striking contrast, while the glass crystal adds a touch of luxury while preserving the watch’s vintage charm. The round 316L stainless steel case, with a diameter of 37.5 mm and a thickness of approximately 15.1 mm, offers a robust yet refined silhouette. ST1901 Manual Movement: Equipped with a ST1901 manual mechanical movement with 22 jewels, this watch is renowned for its reliability and precision. Its movement operates at a frequency of 21,600 A/h and offers an adequate power reserve for everyday use. Comfort and dimensions: With a net weight of only 60 g and a canvas strap with a length of approximately 28 cm and a width of 18 mm, this watch is comfortable to wear all day long. Personally, I am not a fan of the Nato strap supplied with the watch, so I opted for a green leather strap, whose stitching recalls the color of the dial. This allows me to admire the movement more easily while offering optimal comfort for everyday use. Modern finishes: This edition is distinguished by the use of quality materials, such as resistant glass. The transparent case back allows you to observe the movement in action, a real asset for watch enthusiasts. Military heritage and versatility: Elegant and functional, this watch can be worn in both formal and casual settings. Its water resistance of 3 bar (30 meters) makes it practical for everyday use. Conclusion: My Sea-Gull 1963 International Edition fuses military heritage with a touch of modernity. For fans of vintage mechanical chronographs, this is an exceptional choice. Its fascinating history and technical performance make it both collectible and practical, while offering excellent value for money.

I had been hesitating for several months, probably even years. The ultra vintage look and the historical (mythical? ...!) character had seduced me. As well as the general compactness for a chronograph. Finally, a promotional opportunity convinced me (yes, it's almost petty!). OK, the leather strap is much too long (therefore quickly changed), the whole thing does not exude foolproof robustness, and the diameter sold at 38mm actually measures 37.5 in diameter (a 38.5 would have been perfect), but the synthesis of this Chinese watch is still surprising. I also measured a lug to lug of 47.2, a thickness of 13.3 and a weight of 61 grams with strap. It is a pleasure to wear it, and the movement visible on the glass case back is particularly pleasant to look at! I opted for the sapphire crystal version and swan neck regulator supposed to provide better precision, we will see in the long run. Skeptical before purchase on the movement, I must admit a surprisingly satisfactory adjustment and regularity (the personal threshold of tolerance being naturally lowered, the opposite of the level of indulgence!). In short and in fine, the watch figures worthily in my collection, and I intend to alternate fairly without sulking, as for the others!

(Sea-gull 1963 (reissue); 40mm; sapphire crystal and open back). This mechanical chronograph is an icon and is very successful thanks in particular to its affordable price (paid €177 in 2021). The original model was developed in the early 1960s by the Tianjin manufacturer at the request of the Chinese government in order to equip its air force pilots. The on-board ST1901 movement is inspired by the Venus 175 which equipped Breitlings in particular. My model is a little different from the historical model because I chose it in 40mm with a domed sapphire crystal and an open back. On the other hand, the Kanji writing at 6 o'clock is on 2 lines (unlike the majority of recent models). This is one of the many reissues (cloning? Counterfeit?) from the land of the rising sun but I cannot certify that it really comes from the Sea-gull manufacture... With its champagne dial on which its applied gold indexes, its blue hands and its red second hand are placed, this watch has a deliciously vintage look. The show continues on the back of the wide open case with this magnificent ST1901 movement with its column wheel and blue screws... A treat!. Despite the plastic ring which is unfortunately quite visible around the movement and the minute hand of the chrono which wanders a little when it is engaged and I move my wrist too much (the defect of my model), I am rather seduced by the general aesthetics of this timepiece. If you choose this chrono, you must take into account the sometimes random quality and the risk of receiving a defective copy without any guarantee of real after-sales service (many testimonials on the net). Likewise, in the event of a mechanical problem, it will be difficult to find a watchmaker who will agree to plunge his hands into the engine...

A Chinese watch made exclusively for export… Typical of the late 1970s (Deng Xiaoping period, post Mao). A fun watch that could be found in the markets of major Chinese cities, sold to the rare tourists of the time for $1 US… and later (early 80s) in Europe and France for 50 francs… You can still find them on the internet for between €20 and €30. This watch has a dial on a red background and more “rarely” on a blue background. On the dial is Chairman MAO, with a photo so kitsch… that it is impossible to resist the great leap forward… to buy one. (This is just my opinion…) The blurry photo on the dial looks like a low-quality paper print… The arm swings and swings with a regular back-and-forth movement, this arm is also quite blurry and malformed like the main image on the dial. Chairman Mao's arm is therefore oscillating (a fun complication) and works independently of the seconds hand... The seconds hand ends with a red star! The hands look like those of old cheap diving watches... with a green lume. The movement of the watch is a 17 jewels from the ZLN factory (in business since 1957). Movement that has been modified specifically, to operate Chairman Mao's arm... ZLN is the watch factory of the Liaoning Peacock Watch Company, Ltd (still in business), in the city of Dandong, Liaoning province. This movement, with manual winding, works approximately 24 hours, variation of +10 minutes in 24 hours... The operation of the arm is very erratic, you often have to shake the watch to make the arm move... But it ends up working! The case is approximately 36 mm made of a kind of chromed metal, the horns are oddly shaped. The glass is slightly domed and has a slight greenish tint (on older models), perhaps the lume has evaporated... (Radium or Tritium, the latter being supposed to be less harmful to health...). In conclusion... As Chairman Mao said: A revolutionary recognizes his mistakes and repairs them immediately... Today, the Chinese watch industry has perfectly received the message... Finally, forgive my impertinence, to all lovers of fine watchmaking.

This sugess (belongs to seagull) carries with it a lot of complications for a mini price. It is sure that it is not very fine, nor very well finished but it allows to have a poetic moon phase. The dial is quite readable despite all the information present. The "blued" hands look very artificial and are the only really low-end elements at first glance.

Friends with a passion for watches piqued my curiosity and it was through a YouTube video that I discovered the Sea-gull 1963. Since the model was not patented, this watch is produced by many Chinese manufacturers. So I bought the model from Red Star on a famous Chinese sales platform for €133 including tax. At that price, I didn't expect much, but this watch exceeds my expectations. Its finishes are certainly simple, but well done: no brushing on the case but a flawless polish, a satin champagne dial, sub-dials painted directly on the dial in a very clean way, magnificent gold indexes, blue and red hands that fit well into the case. As for the movement, my ST1901 gives me a little over 48 hours of power reserve, and a drift of +10s/day (test watch placed flat for 24 hours). The chrono is great for monitoring the cooking of pasta. Finally, I find that a brown leather strap with a bund suits it better than the usual Natos.

HKED is a distributor based in Hong Kong. On the site, it is possible to buy "1963" models with increased quality control and TOP finishing. I gave this watch to my son for his 14th birthday. This HKED has a 40mm 1963 case, with an ST 1901 movement, derived from the Swiss Venus 175 mechanical chronograph movement, visible, thanks to the glass, which the case back is provided with. It has a "Swan Neck" setting. The emerald green sunray dial, with the two cream sub-counters is beautiful. The domed glass is made of plexiglass and gives a vintage look to this model. A good chronograph at a very low budget to start a collection!

Having been for a long time only attracted by mechanical watches without complications, 3 hands, no date; by dint of listening to the various influencers, I asked myself "and why not a chronograph" with an emblematic & very connoted finish, even caricatured, the PANDA. This type of watch not having a priority in my collection, I turned to an economical choice, the reissue of the Chinese chronograph from 1963, in a finish under contrasting dials, panda. The watch is nice, blued hands, red chrono second hand, we lose the great elegance, but the compromise is nice. A relatively endearing watch, mounted on a "racing green" strap to bring it back to the automotive world. I wear it little, the 30mn compax counter ultimately finds few concrete daily applications. It does have style, however, it could be replaced by an equivalent LONGINES or UNIVERSAL Genève, panda .... to be seen