Tianjin 天津 ST5 Dongfeng 东风 (East Wind)


Model : Dongfeng 东风 (East Wind)
Manufacturer : Tianjin Watch Factory 天津手表厂
Year of Production: 
Case Diameter : 
Weight w/o strap: g 
Movement Model : ST5A ( 19 jewels) 
Type : Hand Wind 
Anti-shock (Fang Zhen) : Yes


Tianjin Watch Factory 天津手表厂 is the predecessor of the current Tianjin Sea-Gull Watch Factory (天津海鸥手表集团公司) which is one of the major watch producers in China. See my post for a Sea-Gull ST5B also produced by the current Tianjin Sea-Gull Watch Factory here.

This Dongfeng is with pie pan dial with fine texture radiating from the centre of the watch. Dongfeng was produced in the era of Cultural Revolution and therefore its name "East Wind" was not without political influence. It was said that the characters "东风" on the dial is the handwriting of Chairman Mao. "East" is in the context of "Eastern" and "Western" worlds; the "Western" worlds referred to mainly meant the US and the UK as at that time the whole world was only divided into two blocks. It was such a simple world then. Wind" could mean influence, force, change or momentum. Put together, it means the force from the East is blowing against the West.
 
Now, lets return to the hard part; the movement, ST5A, is a 19 jewels slow beater at the rate of 18,000bph; to quote from Chinese Watch Industry Wiki:
"Meanwhile also in 1966, the factory successfully developed the first 100% Chinese designed and built wristwatch, the Dong Feng (East Wind). The calibre ST5 was modern, thin, accurate and of high quality. It had 19 jewels, including jewels for the mainspring barrel..."  (see link here)
I also stumbled upon this little but fine chronology:
  • 1966 - Design finalised and trial production started in small batches;
  • 1967 - Trial production in larger scale;
  • 1969 - On the National Day of the PRC, the proper production lines began;
  • 1970 - Transition between Wuyi and Dongfeng and all lines were finally for Dongfeng
  • 1971 - Dongfeng with calendar was produced
  • 1987 - Production was terminated 
Accidentally come across this movie entitled East Wind and Rain (东风。雨) with the story took place during second world war and of course not related to this watch at all. For your information, the wacth industry had not started until 1950s. The clip is here.

For those who like to have further look on the watch, see the links here:


The Watch
Movement
Movement & Caseback

Other watches produced by the same factory which I own;
1 Tianjin 天津 ST2A Wuyi 五一 (Five One)
2 Tianjin 天津 ST5 Dongfeng 东风 (East Wind) - Black 
3 Tianjin 天津 ST5 Dongfeng 东风 (East Wind) - Green;
4 Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 I
5 Tianjin 天津 ST5 Sea-Gull 海鸥 II;
8 Tianjin 天津 ST19 The First Chinese Air Force Chronograph 1963 (Reissue) 中国空军第一只航空码表1963(复刻版)