Seagull 1963 Official Chronograph Watch
When discussing iconic pilot timepieces, the Seagull 1963 chronograph emerges as a leading choice for aviation enthusiasts. In 1961, the Ministry of Light Industry in China entrusted the Tianjin Watch Factory (now Sea-Gull) with a confidential mission: to manufacture the country's inaugural chronograph watches for the Chinese Air Force. Dubbed "Project 304," this endeavor spanned over two years, culminating in the creation of China's first domestically produced aviation chronograph in 1963. Seagull officially introduced two variations of the 1963 chronograph watch: the Original Limited Edition and the 60th Anniversary Times Edition.
1963 Movement
The Seagull 1963 runs on a manual-wind ST19 chronograph movement. This mechanical caliber boasts 21 jewels for the Seagull 1963 Original Limited Edition and 22 jewels for the Seagull 1963 Times 60th Anniversary Edition.
It's a direct descendant of the original ST3 found in the first 1963 chronographs.
Give the crown a wind, and you're setting the mainspring, providing a power reserve of over 40 hours. Running at a vibration frequency of 21,600 vph (3 Hz), it ensures high stability. The chronograph, operated by a column wheel, allows time measurements up to 30 minutes.
What's cool is the flyback function. With a single push of the reset button, the chronograph can be reset and restarted without the need for separate steps, making timing sequences faster.
The Original
The Seagull 1963 series features the ST1901 movement, continuing the heritage of the Seagull 1963 Original Edition. The transparent caseback showcases the intricate mechanics of the ST1901 movement and bears the engravings "天津手表厂" (Tianjin Watch Factory) and "中国空军" (Chinese Air Force), solidifying its status as a timeless piece. Inspired by the flight watch designs from the Seagull Watch Museum's archives, it embodies the aviation spirit of the original 1963.