Micmicmor Vintage Watch: 2007.04

4/25/2007

70's & 80's Shanghai watches purchasing coupon

From 60's~ earliest 80's, watches were listed to Expensive Consuming items and selling price were all under the control of Government. People should apply a designated coupon together with a recommendation letter issued from their employed unit (and of course RMB) before getting his watch. All watch shops were running by the Government with no exception. The said pricing control were released on 1986

Shanghai watches were selling at rmb120 fixed price on 60's which equitant to a normal worker's 15months salary. At the time being, Shanghai Watches was the number one band watch in China, represented to high quality and the symbol of wealthy! You may ask about those imported band watches? Sorry, they were all charged with a high import-tax and as a normal civilian, nobody would take the risk to wear imported watch during that red revolution period.

Here, I found the official coupons issued by the province Government for purchasing Shanghai watch on 70's, and a couple of coupon for purchasing Shanghai wooden clock and watch issued on 80's from Shanghai Department Store.

581's black dial identification

Since a lot of redone black dial 581's found in the market. My frined - Kent has raised-up a question about the identification of black dial 581's in the watch forum and I have made the following comparision:

There is so cheap for reprint a 581 or any Shanghai watch dials in Shanghai. I was told by a vintage watch seller, to reprinting a black 581 is cost about 20rmb and a white one is cost 15rmb. (It depends on the quantity). The reprinting shop are still using the same workmanship to print the dial as most of them are retiled SH watch factory workers. The only way to identify these dial are observing the mod and the dye for what they were using for print.

“A” is a redone 1120 dial which I bought a year ago.

“B” is a original 581 black dial.

“C” is a original (oxidized) 581 black dial

“D” is a original 1523 black dial.

“1” is a redone 24J military dial

“2” is a original 24J military dial

“Z” is a redone 1120 normal dial (you can find the black dye are still on the second -marker)

“X” is a original 1120 normal dial

-- Please compare the dye of A, B & D using on the dial, the original dye dial should be very dark and solid in color and has thickness dye layer. Since the factory painted the dial as the first step and then press the logo/markers onto the paint dial by the sequence of printing, so you can see the edges of logo and makers have extract dye floating on it (see sideview).

-- I have only found black dials on early 581, 611 or color dials on 1523,1524,7120 series, but never found a real thing on 1120 series as well as 623 or 1123 series. For the whole 1120 series, I am suspected the existing of its black dial.

-- Please have a look of the side view of ABCD and check the light reflection of each dial. You could find bunches of light beam reflection on the redone dial. I can only find latest SS4 24J military are using this method to paint their dial (see photos 1 & 2).

- Please check the following are the comparision of Kent provided watches dial