Hangzhou Watch Company

Hangzhou Watch Company is a Chinese watchmaking business based in Hangzhou. Established in 1972 as the Hangzhou Watch Factory, it entered production during the formative period of China's modern watch industry and received export rights from the beginning. Its early product was the Standard watch, a 19-jewel movement and watch sold under the Xihu name. Xihu, meaning West Lake, referred to Hangzhou's best-known landmark and gave the company's first major brand a strong local identity. The Xihu watch was reportedly recognized with China's highest national quality award at one point in its history. The company expanded beyond its initial standard model as manufacturing resources and technical capabilities developed. It designed and produced a smaller ladies' watch using an in-house small calibre, also marketed under the Xihu name. The Xihu designation was engraved on the movement as well as used on the dial or case, linking the finished product to its movement manufacturer. During the 1980s, Hangzhou introduced an automatic Xihu watch for men. Its automatic system was derived from the company's small Xihu calibre, adapted with an enlarged dial plate and a relatively simple self-winding module using a large rotor. Changing market requirements later led the company to develop a higher-grade family of automatic movements known as the Series 2 or 2xxx calibres. These movements were based on the general design approach of the Seiko 7009, but incorporated Hangzhou-specific details, including a smaller balance wheel. The Hangzhou versions are not generally interchangeable with Seiko 7009 parts. The Series 2 family has included basic date and day-date versions as well as more specialized configurations such as skeleton, triple-date, dual-time, and jump-hour movements. These calibres have been used by a number of outside watch brands, including Orion of Russia and Stuhrling, which has marketed some versions under the Lexus calibre designation. In addition to supplying complete watches, Hangzhou's business has therefore included movement manufacture and component production. This combination gives the company a role both as a finished-watch maker and as an original equipment or movement supplier. The company has been associated with the Xihu and Farrere names; watches manufactured by Hangzhou are described in the reference material as being branded Farrere in its current or later business context. Hangzhou Watch Company is partnered with PTS Resources of Hong Kong. According to the available reference material, the partnership brought investment into new PTS movement designs and helped broaden Hangzhou's customer base. The partnership also reflects the company's position in a more internationally connected supply chain, in which Chinese movement makers serve both domestic production and overseas watch brands. Publicly available information about its current corporate structure, leadership, sales, production volumes, and retail distribution is limited. Its documented identity is primarily that of a Chinese manufacturer whose capabilities span mechanical watches, automatic movements, and related components.

Hangzhou Watch Factory was established in Hangzhou in 1972. The factory was granted export rights from its outset, indicating that its business was intended to serve markets beyond the local and domestic environment. Its first documented product was the Standard watch, using a 19-jewel movement and carrying the Xihu brand. The name Xihu refers to West Lake, the landmark associated with Hangzhou. The Xihu watch later received the highest national quality award mentioned in the available historical account, helping establish the product's reputation within China's watch sector. As the factory's resources and technical abilities expanded, it developed a smaller watch for women around an internally designed small calibre. This product continued the Xihu branding, with the brand name also engraved on the movement. The practice connected the identity of the finished watch with the factory's own movement production rather than treating the movement as an anonymous component. In the 1980s, the company introduced an automatic Xihu model sized for men. The automatic mechanism was based on the earlier small Xihu calibre, modified with a larger dial plate and a basic self-winding module using a large rotor. The evolution of consumer demand led Hangzhou to pursue a more advanced automatic movement family. The resulting Series 2, commonly identified through 2xxx calibre numbers, was developed from the design of the Seiko 7009. Although the family shares a broad design lineage with that well-known Japanese movement, the Hangzhou calibres contain distinct details, including a smaller balance wheel, and parts are generally not interchangeable between the two systems. The Series 2 range extended beyond conventional date and day-date movements. Documented variants include skeletonized movements, triple-date movements, dual-time movements, and jump-hour versions. The movement business expanded Hangzhou's relevance beyond watches sold under its own associated names. Series 2 movements have been used by external brands, including Orion in Russia and Stuhrling. Stuhrling has used the designation Lexus for some of the movements supplied or based on Hangzhou production. This made the company part of the broader international mechanical-watch supply chain, where movement manufacturers provide the technical base for watches marketed under other brand names. The company has been associated historically with Xihu and later with Farrere. The available account describes watches manufactured by Hangzhou Watch Company as being branded Farrere in its later business context. Its production scope includes watches, watch movements, and components, making it both a finished-product manufacturer and a supplier to other watch businesses. Hangzhou subsequently entered a partnership with PTS Resources, a Hong Kong company. The partnership is described as supporting investment in new PTS calibre designs and expanding Hangzhou's customer base. This relationship appears to have strengthened the company's technical and commercial connections with international customers. Beyond these documented developments, public information is limited: the available references do not establish a current chief executive, detailed ownership structure, production scale, financial performance, or a current official corporate website. The company is nevertheless documented as an active Chinese watch manufacturer with a history extending from standard watches and the Xihu brand into automatic movement development and international supply.

• 1980

  Automatic Xihu watch introduced

  [1]Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1980s, Hangzhou introduced a men's automatic Xihu watch using an enlarged version of the small Xihu calibre and a simple self-winding module.

• 1972

  Hangzhou Watch Factory established

  [1]Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The Hangzhou Watch Factory was established in Hangzhou and received export rights from the beginning of its operations.

• Xihu Standard watch introduced

  [1]Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company's early Standard watch used a 19-jewel movement and was sold under the Xihu name, referencing Hangzhou's West Lake.

• Small Xihu calibre developed

  [1]Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Hangzhou developed a smaller in-house calibre for a women's watch and continued to identify both the watch and movement with the Xihu name.

• Series 2 automatic movement family developed

  [1]Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company developed the 2xxx Series 2 family of automatic movements, with date, day-date, skeleton, triple-date, dual-time, and jump-hour variants documented.

• Partnership with PTS Resources

  [1]Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Hangzhou partnered with PTS Resources of Hong Kong, supporting investment in new movement designs and broadening its customer base.

A Chinese watch manufacturer and movement supplier combining finished-watch production with mechanical calibre development for domestic and international customers.

• Mechanical watch

  Xihu Standard watch

  One of Hangzhou's earliest documented products. The Standard watch used a 19-jewel movement and was sold under the Xihu name, which references West Lake in Hangzhou. The model represented the company's initial watchmaking output and was reportedly recognized with China's highest national quality award.

• Mechanical watch

  Xihu small-calibre women's watch

  A smaller watch developed as the factory's resources and technical capabilities grew. It used an internally designed small calibre, and the Xihu identity was applied both to the finished watch and engraved on the movement.

• Automatic watch · 1980

  Xihu automatic watch

  Introduced during the 1980s as a larger men's automatic watch. Its movement was based on the company's small Xihu calibre, with an enlarged dial plate and a simple automatic-winding module built around a large rotor.

• Automatic watch movement

  Series 2 (2xxx) movements

  A family of Hangzhou automatic movements developed from the general design of the Seiko 7009 but modified with Hangzhou-specific details. The range includes standard date and day-date versions as well as skeleton, triple-date, dual-time, and jump-hour configurations. Parts are generally not interchangeable with Seiko 7009 movements.

• Watch brand

  Farrere watches

  Watches manufactured by Hangzhou Watch Company are described in the available reference material as being branded Farrere. Detailed model-level information is not provided.

1. 1Hangzhou Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2PTS Resourcesptsresources.com