Koncise Beauty
/More often than not I'm a simple-watch kind of guy. When thinking about making a purchase, I'm going to naturally gravitate toward watches that are versatile and practical, sturdy, legible, and not over-designed. That's just me. With that said…a big part of the reason for my taste is because, quite simply, that's all I can afford.
Since I started this little project I've met some awesome people and been able to wear some watches that I otherwise could only dream of. Rarely do I have the opportunity to sit down and really enjoy the beauty and the craftsmanship that goes into creating something as elegant as a Koncise watch.
Koncise is a luxury watch brand from Beijing founded by Mr. Kong Ling Jun. His watches are known for their exquisitely detailed hand-painted enamel dials. Since being introduced to China in the 17th century (facts according to the Koncise website), enamel was immediately embraced by the elite and became a symbol of status and nobility. Mr. Kong proudly incorporates traditional Chinese cultural references on his dials, each of which takes over three months to complete by one of his highly skilled enameling team members.
Koncise watches may be proudly Chinese on the outside, but they also stay up to par where the time is concerned using ETA 2824 movements in their men's watches, and ETA 2671 in the women's.
The 1963 Seagull Chronograph (or ‘Project 304’ as it is known in China, which I encourage you to read about in Li Wei's fascinating historical piece found here) is perhaps one of the most iconic and recognizable watches ever to come from China. As Li Wei stated, "Because the 304's production quantity was so small, and because it was a daily-wear watch, original pieces are not easily found today. The Seagull watch factory and watch enthusiasts have been duplicating this watch in a variety of versions in recent years, attempting to satisfy the desires of 304 enthusiasts."