Feature: The best Chinese watch brands

The Chinese famously invented fireworks, paper and, er, Tik Tok, among many other things. But when it comes to watchmaking they have imitated more than innovated. Things are, however, starting to change in this vast country as many of its watch brands begin to forge their own identity, as opposed to blithely copying the Swiss.

Chinese movements may still power a number watches at the lower end of the price spectrum and no one is denying that a huge percentage of fake watches are still made in China. But from Guangzhou to Hong Kong there are the stirrings of wonderful things to come from this nation of passionate watch lovers.

Here are five Chinese brands who between them offer a diverse horological menu encompassing the crazy to the conventional—none of which you need to re-mortgage your home to purchase.

Atelier Wen

We love that Hong Kong now has its very own watch brand. The city has long been considered one giant Aladdin’s cave for vintage watches—especially Rolex—and it’s home to some of the Far East’s most discerning collectors. That said, Atelier Wen’s founders are not actually Hong Kong natives, nor are they even Chinese. Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron are French citizens with an affinity for Chinese culture having spent time studying in Beijing.

Founded by two French nationals, Atelier Wen operates out of Hong Kong

Dismayed by their peers’ dismissive reception towards Chinese horology, they founded Atelier Wen via a Kickstarter campaign in 2018 with the goal of creating quality watches with a “Chinese soul”. Their first efforts sold out, but they really put themselves on the map in 2022 with their Royal-Oakesque Perception model (pictured), the initial batch clearing the shelves in just 16 hours.

Sugess

Take a good look around the Sugess website and you’ll find an endless range of shameless doppelgangers. From the Rolex Daytona to the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, this Chinese brand has left no watch dial unturned in its quest to replicate Switzerland’s finest. While Sugess will win no prizes for originality, it does offer those dipping a toe in mechanical watchmaking a chance to own a nice-looking watch for the price of a pair of Ray-Bans.

If it's a budget tourbillon you're seeking, check out Sugess

Sure, it cuts corners on materials, but Sugess gives shallow-pocketed watch lovers the opportunity to own timepieces with complications that are usually way beyond their budget. Their tourbillons, for example, cost less than a thousand dollars, and their manual-wind chronographs can be picked up for a fraction of that.

Maen

Maen was founded by Dutchmen, Sebastiaan Cortjaens and Jules van Helvoort in 2017. Inspired by their roots, they used the old Dutch spelling of “moon”—Maen—as the name of their brand, regarding the moon as the ultimate symbol of time. Both Cortjaens and Helvoort share a passion for watches and watch collecting, sparking the partnership. Maen has grown to house several different collections, its most notable being the Manhattan 37 with its 70s-inspired angular design and integrated bracelet.

A Chinese alternative to Patek Philippe's Cubitus?

Each Manhattan model is available with or without a date window and comes in a range of colours from midnight blue to salmon. Interestingly, although it’s a Chinese brand, Maen mainly relies on Swiss movements from popular supplier, Sellita, as well as those from Japanese brand Miyota.

Behrens

Although it’s a Chinese brand, Behrens takes its name from the late German industrial designer, Peter Behrens, and looking at its creations his influence on the watchmaker and its timepieces is clear. Behrens already has a solid selection of watches under its belt—from the Orion to the Perigee—and its lineup boasts a range of innovative, futuristic timepieces that are sure to excite those who enjoy the avant-garde.

Behrens are making some of the most distinctive Chinese timepieces

We particularly like the Perigee with its ruby chain-driven hours display system, retrograde minutes and 24-hour indicator in the shape of a domed globe. These are features you’d expect to pay up to six figures for, yet Behrens offers them for under £11k. The Perigee also marked the first time Behrens used an in-house manual-wind movement in one of its watches, the Caliber BM01.

CIGA Design

Founded in 2016, CIGA Design has caught the attention of watch enthusiasts worldwide. Its standout model is the eye-catching Blue Planet, with its Earth-inspired dial and innovative time telling via two orbiting rings—one for minutes, one for hours—and a single pointer. It went on to become the first Chinese brand to win the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Challenge Award in 2021, making it a milestone moment not just for CIGA, but the nation’s watchmaking scene.

Easily among the more interesting Chinese brands is Shenzhen-based CIGA Design

At just $1,199, you can have “the world on your wrist” and not break the bank in the process. If you’re a fan of unorthodox watches from the likes of Jacob & Co., and MB&F, but don’t have pockets deep enough to get one, CIGA Design is just the ticket.