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The Chinese Watch Brand That Beat the Swiss The New York Times

ciga design

At 12, one can even get a look at the mainspring within the barrel and observe as it coils up as the movement is wound. If this design speaks to you, you’re presumably open to something a bit unconventional and attention-grabbing, anyway. So perhaps it’s not necessarily a drawback for you that it can elicit a response along the lines of “What the heck is that? ” Despite its prominent globe motif, it’s also kind of got an extraterrestrial, flying-saucer-like vibe to it.

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The Series Z’s Steel Case

Since 1969, CIGA has helped thousands of consumers navigate the uncharted waters of insolvency and ensure their medical and financial security. These channels also contain two screws each that at first seem completely cosmetic but which act as hour indices (2, 4, 6, 8). Within one of these channels, one can also see the crown tube that has been presented in red, matching the accents on the hands. A substantial detail of this case are the bilateral channels cut into the case by the sides of the dial.

Recent CIGA Watch Releases & What‘s Next

Across two years of daily testing, my CIGA watches have remained scratch-free thanks to durable Sapphire crystal glass, surgical grade stainless steel and Grade 5 titanium cases. I also swim and shower with my watches regularly thanks to 100M water resistance ratings. Notably, they’ve harped on the fact that they have no intention of releasing future watches that are more and more expensive. This is key, as it has become all too common for smaller brands to double or triple the retail price of subsequent model releases after they gain a bit of traction among collectors looking for value at the lower end of the price spectrum. Unlike other watch brands that attempt to obscure the fact that their watches are manufactured in China or that they employ Chinese-made components in their movements, CIGA Design transmits no qualms about the origin of their timepieces.

The Art Of Movement

Earlier we covered CIGA‘s meteoric rise from their early Polygon series to globally acclaimed hits like Blue Planet in detail. So across enthusiasts, journalists and everyday fans alike – CIGA punches far above expectations. Now that you know the pieces, let‘s examine the remarkable horlogist behind the brand next. Of course, the most impressive horologists also understand art‘s subjective nature. So by the metrics that matter most – precision engineering, versatile aesthetics and durable craftsmanship over decades – CIGA definitely stands toe-to-toe with revered Swiss maisons. Founded in 2013 by chief designer Zhang Jianming, CIGA Design is the creative off-shoot from over 2 decades of manufacturing experience at parent company Fire Horse Workshop.

ciga design

What’s Not Ideal About the Ciga Blue Planet?

I scrutinized the dial from up close and found no rough edges; further, the entire dial surface has been satin finished. Watch movements will regularly leave the factory in unsightly conditions if they’re not going to be visible, but a lot of time (and money) has gone into making sure this dial and movement look the part. On to the highlight of the CIGA Design Series Z, the skeletonized dial. Indeed, most of the dial has been completely skeletonized which gives the watch its snazzy look. Additionally, many of the elements of the movement have also been skeletonized which allows for a largely unobstructed view into the inner workings. Overall, the case is solidly built and unique in its design, clearly offering a sleek sports look while also integrating with the skeletonized look of the watch.

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It’s not the “asynchronous” method of time-telling that makes this watch hard to read but, rather, basic principles of legibility. Due to the nature of this time display, it’s necessary to read the minute track numerals rather than see where they’re pointing on the dial — and their size makes that particularly difficult most of the time. Further, that compass rose doesn’t exactly stand out and orient the user’s gaze when checking the time at a glance. China — and Ciga’s home city of Shenzhen, in particular — supplies many respected watch brands with at least some components. The country is certainly capable of making high-quality products, but its own brands are underrepresented in the watch industry considering its contribution (not only to watchmaking but to watch consumption). Overall, the Blue Planet by CIGA Design is one of the most fun watches I’ve had my hands on in a long time.

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If the product has no quality problems, the cost of returning the product such as freight, customs duties and other costs shall be borne by the consumer. The dial, which could easily come across as corny, is really rather well done and attractive. The three-dimensional globe has received an intricate micro-carved decoration that reflects real-world topographic data, replicating the mountain ranges and terrain of different parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. The visible part of the globe display is clearly curved – Flat Earthers need not apply – providing a really interesting depth effect to the entire watch. "I want this watch to be a symbol for people who love the earth. I want to remind people to protect and love the earth."

ciga design

Speaking personally as collector who cherishes the heart behind gadgets – not just gears – CIGA‘s origin story gives special meaning to the pieces on my wrist. Each feels part of a living creative community versus another soullless branding exercise. Jianming recounts early memories gifting his first self-built watches to smiling village elders. The joy of elevating his community through artisanal craft stuck with him for life.

Does that mean I think the timekeeping display used on the Blue Planet is particularly practical? No, but it is a genuine, successful attempt at doing something different. And in a conservative craft like watchmaking, I think that should always be admired. The latest edition of the Blue Planet watch features a GPHG logo, promoting the watch's award-winning status, printed on the exhibition caseback. "Design plays the biggest role in the watch industry," Zhang says. "I'm influenced by Bauhaus principles, so I started thinking about what a watch means to the end-user, to the owner."

The double-X Switzerland Super-LumiNova features a luminous effect to create outstanding nighttime visibility that catches the spotlight. “I told myself, I will only wear this suit on the G.P.H.G. stage when I win the award,” Mr. Zhang recalled on a Zoom call earlier this month, speaking through his interpreter, Liu Rensong. Zhang's diverse skill set enabled him to work on many different projects, highlighted by helping to develop the guidance systems put in place by the Chinese government during both the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai Expo. After patiently waiting for around seven months, CIGA Design was finally able to ship me a sample of the GPHG Award-winning Blue Planet, all the way from the company's headquarters in Shenzhen, China. The CIGA Design Blue Planet, winner of the Challenge Watch Prize at the 2021 edition of the GPHG. Our quotes are based on historical sales and real-time market data allowing us to give fair prices without all the hassle.

But for an authentic pulse check, mass customer feedback trumps all. "At 40mm wide and 11mm thick, with a design this interesting, it’s going to get noticed. The watch feels dense, like there is more than you’d expect packed inside, giving it a sense of value." Here too CIGA brings a delicate balance of avant garde and versatile elegance across their collections. Signatures like the Blue Planet‘s engraved case and industrial multi-layer style play beautifully against conservative colors. Different from the traditional hard connection between watch movement and case, the patented structure is flexible to enhance the vibration resistance of the me-chanical watches. In the tight-knit world of Swiss watchmaking, China’s dual identity as a manufacturing center and a fast-growing luxury market is well understood.

The Blue Planet is a more detailed and intricate timepiece than anything Zhang had previously released, so there's the natural inclination to introduce it as a new "halo" product at a much, much higher price point. To many entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses, the sort of recognition that CIGA Design received from the GPHG would warrant a price increase, but Zhang is dedicated to keeping his watches accessible. I mean this completely sincerely – CIGA Design's Blue Planet is unlike any other watch I've handled before.

The impression uses actual topographical data for mountain ranges and islands as well, so it truly is stunning to look at. As something that could really look a little kitch, CIGA Design has killed it. CIGA Design won the award for combining an interesting design (the globe is engraved to provide topographic detail) with genuinely imaginative mechanical watchmaking, all placed in a relatively affordable package that starts under $1,000 USD.

CIGA Design's victory at last year's GPHG, however, is evidence that these older customs might be starting to change. For the first time in the GPHG's 21-year history, the show had a winner from outside the traditional horological meccas in Europe and Japan. Overcoming a crowded field of mostly Swiss-made timekeepers, a small company named CIGA Design became the first Chinese company ever to be recognized by the Geneva Grand Prix.

Yet his origins differ vastly from privileged Swiss and Japanese intuitional training. Jianming taught himself watchmaking from manuals and books over years tinkering in a small Chinese village workshop. However functional concerns around fit are vastly outweighed by stellar appraisals of CIGA‘s uniqueness and real-world performance exceeding its price category. Beyond admiring looks from their social circle, folks also highlight great timekeeping, easy wearing comfort and durable build quality across years of ownership. Thus far I‘ve shared my own enthusiast testing and experts‘ opinions on CIGA Design‘s watch achievements.

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