Today, Sea-Gull has more than 2000 world-advanced machining equipments and testing instruments. By the end of 2007, 156 technology patents were owned by Sea-Gull, which embody the ability of innovation.( Left picture: checking movements)

Now, the group has more than 3000 staff, including nearly 200 secondary and senior professional technicians and specialists. 70% of them have worked in the company for more 10 years and possess extensive experience in watchmaking. (Right picture: workshop)

 

Tianjin Sea-Gull has been honored as the grade-A measurement enterprise in China, the Group also completed Quality Assurance System and acquired the ISO 9001.2000 certificate. (Left picture:Testing tourbillon movement; Right picture: Assembling tourbillon movement)

Currently, annual production of automatic mechanical watch movement has reached 5 million units. Also, there are a range of high-end mid-range and low-end multifunctional watches and movements nearly 100 kinds of products, such as tourbillon, quarter repeater and minute repeater.

The FIRST wristwatch made in China - Wu Xing Wristwatch

Four workers, Jiang Zhengying, Sun Wenjin, Wang, cimin, and Zhang Shuwen worked in a single small room on four simple apparatuses. With a budget of RMB 100 provided by the Tianjin Bureau of light Industry, the four craftsmen successfully produced "the first Chinese wristwatch" on March 24, 1955 after 100 days of work. "At 5:45 p.m on March 24, 1955, after the last part had been assembled, the four workers began to wind the spring; the watch's second hand started to turn and the watch ticked rhythmically at a constant speed...

The newly manufactured wrist watch is simple and tasteful in appearance. The dial featured three gilded Chinese characters which read "Made in China" and a golden star. This is the first domestically produced wristwatch manufactured by the Working Class, and the historic birth of this miracle was thus recorded for posterity. This small workshop is the predecessor of Tianjin Watch Factory.

The FIRST batch of wristwatch prodcuts in China - Wu Yi Wristwatch

Having developed the Wu Xing wristwatch, Tianjin watch factory then set production of the nationally-recognized Wu Yi wristwatch, which was based on the basic technology of the Wu Xing. Wu Yi wristwatches became a fashionable accessory in the economy which was at the time plagued by shortages, and had entered large scale batch production by October 1958. Wu Yi- named after the "Wu Yi labor day" which dedicated to the workers of the world. The Wu Yi wristwatch, China's first batch-produced wristwatch, fulfilled its historic mission in 1971, after which production was discontinued.

The FIRST China made aviator/chronograph watch

In April 1961, Tianjin Watch Factory initiated an aviator watch project to meet the specific needs of China's air force, in accordance to Mission 304 issued by the First Ministry of Light Industries. From September 1961 to October 1965, three batches of prototype watches were trial-manufactured, such that by October 1965, opinions on the tests conducted on the "China's first aviator watch" were issued. In December 1965, the aviator watch passed an appraisal run by 38 leaders and experts from 21 institutions including the then 08 institution, the PLA Force Headquarters, the Naval Air Force Headquarters, the Supervisory and the Navigation Guarantee Department of the Chinese Naval Headquarters. The design was thus finalized for batch production, and its movement was then named T3. In May 1966, Tianjin Watch Factory established a production plan, and at the end of October 1966, 1400 assembled watches were formally delivered to front line units of the Chinese Air Force.

The FIRST wristwatch designed and manufactured independently in China
- Dong Feng Wristwatch

From September 1969 to September 1971, the researchers developed a successive range of watch movements, from ST5B and ST5D, by adding further refinements to the ST5 movement, thus creating an entire series of Dong Feng wristwatches- a upgrade from Wu Yi wristwatch and the wristwatches were independently developed, designed and manufactured in China. The reliability of the Dong Feng wristwatch gradually ensured that it became one of the three basic necessities for a marriage ceremony. In 1987, Dong Feng wristwatches were withdrawn from production.

China's FIRST exported wristwatch - Sea-Gull wristwatch

In 1973, after ratification by State Council Vice Premier Li Xiannian, Dong Feng wristwatches began to be exported on the international market under "Sea-Gull". Early in 1974, Tianjin Watch Factory set up a committee to design the ST6 ladies' wristwatches, and watches were put into production next year. ST6 ladies' wristwatches became advanced products ranked just after Swiss and Japanese-made wristwatch products. Even at the time when China's horologe industry has been in the doldrums, the leadership status of ST6 ladies' wristwatch on the domestic market remained unshaken.

Sea-Gull double tourbillon watch: China's FIRST eccentric shaft/coaxial double toubillon watch

Having successfully launched the tourbillon watch, Sea-Gull succeeded in putting a technologically extremely complicated double tourbillon watch into production. The double tourbillon watch features two kinds of toubillon: an eccentric tourbillon (also called a non-coaxial structure, where the centre of the balance wheel and that of the tourbillon structure are not on the same axis) and a coaxial tourbillon (where the centre of the balance wheel and that of the toubillon structure are on the same axis). China' wristwatch industry, initially established in 1955, has undoubtedly faced extreme development challenges. Yes, Sea-Gull has proven that China can match the high-end technology which has taken years of continuous development and improvement abroad.

Sea-Gull quarter-repeater watch: China's FIRST quarter-repeater watch

On February 6, 2006, after incessant exploration, Sea-Gull has launched ten limited edition platinum quarter-repeater watches and 40 limited edition rose gold quarter-repeater watches. The release of repeater watches demonstrates that China's watch manufacturing industry has reached new heights in terms of both the level of craftsmanship and design concept.