Today we will take a look at the Seagull 1963 ST19 chronograph movement. We’ve seen a rise of interest in the 1963 Seagull watch among connoisseurs. This rise prompted us to write an article about this movement. As you may know, the Seagull 1963 watch was one of the first watches to appear with the ST19 movement based upon a Swiss design. But how did it all came along? The first story begins with that in 1960, Switzerland there were three competing chronograph manufacturers: Lemania, Valjoux and Venus. Venus made the popular Caliber 175 chronograph movement used in many watches in the 1940s and ’50s.
Competition in the watch space is fierce and Venus needed new monetary capital to continue developing and promoting it’s own products. So they first tried to sell their Cal.175 design to the Soviet Union. However, the Soviet customers already had a Strela chronograph movement (similar to Venus’ Cal.150), which meant they were not interested. But the Chinese were interested and wanted to potentially claim the technology.
This period of time led Chinese watch distributors to import their only chronograph from Switzerland, the Venus to be precise. This growing presence in Switzerland didn’t go unnoticed with the Chinese. Especially after World War II and the rising international trade. During this war the world trade was put on hold for commercial goods, on top of that, it caused an increase in the demand for watches suitable for military needs. Military watches were and still are very important to time planned attacks and even calculate for example torpedo impact with it’s chronometer. Therefore, the Chinese military decided to test, develop and acquire a Chinese-made wristwatch for Air Force personnel, known as Project 304.
In 1961, project 304 commissioned the creation and production of this winding-powered chronograph at the Tianjin Watch Factory. This factory has made a name for itself in China partially due to it’s legendary design like the project 304. Tianjin bought the Venus’ Cal.175 machine and mechanism, they upgraded the original 17-jewel movement to its 19-jewel ST19 movement. The second revision of the prototype was completed in 1963, this is the year most of the non-Chinese enthusiasts refer to as being the watch named Seagull 1963. However, in China, the watch is still called the 304 Airforce Chronograph, after which it was originally named. By 1965, these watches had met all the requirements and passed all the tests of service needed to be implemented into the army.
A year later, the first 1400 watches were delivered to the Air Force. Fast forward to 1990 and Tianjin Watch Factory was upgraded to a national level enterprise, getting this recognization from the Chinese goverment is a true honour of which companies compete for. Together with this succes it has led to the establishment of Tianjin Seagull Corporation in 1992.
In 2003, Seagull revived the Project 304 movement, and by 2005 the first watches have returned back into the world after years of thoroughly testing the new manufacturing processes.
Now that we have discussed the history of the Seagull 1963, it is time to look at the maturation the watches have gone through, specifically of the Chrono Seagull 1963. Since the watch was introduced in 1963, the movement has grown in popularity and following in the watch sector. Some people will still argue that watches made in China are unreliable and/or of poor quality. This argument can basically be disregarded for the Seagull 1963 watches. It’s not the stigma surrounding a country that should influence the reputation of a brand, but the people that wear and make the watches. Tedious work goes into creating every Seagull 1963 watch. Although many still succumb to these wrong prejudices, many watch enthusiasts have come to the conclusion that Chinese manufacturers can produce more than good watches. Due to its growing popularity, the Seagull 1963 is one of the most sought after, vintage watches in the industry. The Seagull 1963’s are still relevant and affordable up till this day and are a perfect must-have for any (vintage) watch collector.
It’s popularity is not surprising, given its mid-century design, it’s true military roots and, of course, the fact that it’s a good watch for a fair price. Despite the high demand from enthusiasts, the price is not currently and will never be inflated, we want to provide good watches which are affordable for every watch lover within a budget. This is partly due to the Chinese roots of the watch and the shame of “made in China” products. The Seagull 1963 is a military chronograph that matches the likes of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Vostok Amphibian, as well as the Rolex Submariner and Omega Speedmaster. Like the 1963 Seagull watch, these watches have a military connection. But unlike those models, not everyone trusts the Seaull 1963 chronographs because of the stereotypical perception attached to everything beautiful made in China. However, the insult should be left for this watch, given how many people still believe in the appeal and performance of it. Many people may ponder the “not Swiss made” excuse, but this watch deserves to be treated differently.
Given the popularity of this watch, it is not surprising that many versions have been published. All restorations from the Seagull 1963 Chrono are unique in their own way. So let’s take a look at some of the many re-releases and hopefully decide which of them will be the best for your style.
What better restoration to start with than the so-called “first edition”? Enthusiastic watchers gave this watch its name because it was the time that sparked the 1963 SeaGull controversy. All in all, this watch can be considered as a very reasonable watch. This includes a good original design with a non-original color combination that will come to mind when creating a watch. However, despite the unique choice of colors, the overall design of the watch is beautiful. This timepiece refers to the Seagull 1963 chronograph in a unique way. Technically speaking, Tianjin Seagull 1963 does not sell this watch, because the production and marketing rights are given to third parties. Because of this, many different variations of the first edition of the Seagull 1963 are sold, one of the most common types of watches is the 1963 “Red Star”. The closest version to the original version is the 38 mm version of the 1963 seagull with acrylic glass. The markers are also placed, where the underside of the clock is painted, along with the inscriptions on them. The watch may have a cream or silver dial.
This clock, in particular, has a red star surrounded by yellow, hence the name Red Star. The movement of this watch has 21 or 19 jewels. The modern version, as you can imagine, has 21 jewels. The 19-metal model, however, refers to the historic ST19 movement. The words “China – Tianjin Watch Factory” or “Made in China” can be found below, and the first text is the best.
Building on the success of the original SeaGull 1963 Chrono reissue, a 42mm version of the watch was released. Along with this expanded size, came a few changes to the watch that made it another popular choice among watch enthusiasts. First, the 42mm offers a great balance between size and design. It doesn’t stick out when wearing it, it just fits on your arm. This model is also available in the panda dial version, and the reversed panda dial version, where the dial is black and the small dial is white. There is no reason, since it is not rooted in the history of watch. However, this seems to be a way to give the watch a modern look, as the current trend is to create a watch with a smaller dial, rather than the classic 1963 Seagull watch. If you like modern designs and see a lot of 1963 Seagull looking vintage, this might be the perfect print for you.
This watch features a beautiful combination of red, white and black. White and black where chosen because of the national symbol that is the panda. The red touches are referring to the “red” past of China. It was red as a communist state but still continious to carry these red roots in it’s national flag and in the communist party.
Final thoughts
The history and number of reissues made of the 1963 Seagull make this watch more than just beautiful; These moments have stories to tell. Many watch lovers around the world are interested in these 1963 Seagull Chronos, not only because of the history behind them, but also because of their excellent quality and value. these hours. However, the models offered in the first iteration of the Seagull 1963 ST19 were limited, with Seagull only offering a number for sale. Due to high demand, some watch manufacturers are producing replicas of the versions that come with the ST19 movement, so beware! At Seagull1963.com we have over 7 years of experience with these watches, so we can tell the fake ST19 movements from the real ones. Whether you like a watch that can be put into the best part of the watch category or a modern one that is perfect for everyday wear, I can guarantee that there is a SeaGull 1963 Edition that will suit your style.
Want to know more about these watches and their specifications? The Seagull 1963 is something we live and breathe, so be sure to browse our site to learn more about the fascinating stories behind some of these watches and, perhaps, how you can how to be your own proud owner. one of these watches!