Chinese watchmakers won't stop ticking

However, the entry of Swiss-made watches into China changed the market. The development of quartz-movement watches also affected Chinese watchmakers, who were manufacturing mechanical watches at the time.

Japanese watch factories industrialized quartz technology in the 1980s, heavily influencing the manufacture of mechanical watches, Miao said.

Subsequent sales declines forced the Beijing Watch Factory to sublet most of its plants to neighboring factories. The company could not even afford to pay its workers.

The watchmaking degree offered at Tianjin University was removed due to limited interest in the subject.

"Younger students couldn't see a future in the career, so why apply for the major?" said Su Wenbin, a 71-year-old technician at the Beijing Watch Factory.

Although he is about to retire, Su will work for the factory, explaining that there are few people who can take his place.

"We can't expect an uncompetitive monthly salary of 2,000 yuan to attract young people," he said.

Chinese watchmakers are still doing their best to get by, however. Sea-Gull remains a state-owned company and is working to narrow down its product range and tailor it to a new audience.

Many Swiss and Japanese brands have celebrity spokesmen, Lu said. But Sea-Gull expects each Chinese to represent the brand.