Round-UpAward-Winning Watches, Made In China: How Stunning Designs By CIGA Design Compete With Swiss-Made Watches
With over a dozen design awards under their relatively new belt, Shenzhen-based China International Great Art or CIGA Design have also won a GPHG, the first Chinese brand to win the highest recognition in the watch world. Here’s a look at CIGA Design and their top watches
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At the GPHGs a few years ago, along with contenders from Europe, England and Japan, a little-known brand from China stood in the line-up for an award. Note that these are the ‘Oscars’ of the watchmaking world, historically dominated by Swiss, Italian, German, English and Japanese players. And this outlier from China walked off with the Challenge watch prize (awarded to watches priced under CHF 3,000, or INR 2,90,000). The brand was CIGA Design, an acronym for China International Great Art Design. The winning timepiece was the Series U Blue Planet, a sizeable watch with an innovative display and a finish that belied its price point. In their 13-year existence, the brand have already won 16 design accolades including multiple iF, Red Dot and Good Design awards.
Journey of a Chinese designer (watch)
Establishing CIGA Design
Designer Zhang Jianming’s background in industrial design and desire to make design a wearable personal expression led to the birth of CIGA Design in Shenzen, a city near Hong Kong. Although CIGA Design was established in 2012, it was only after winning a GPHG in 2021 that they truly gained traction in the horological world. Since then, they have proved their audacity time and again. Besides Zhang, nine other designers from seven different countries have been contributing to CIGA Design’s collections. These designers are guided by the Bauhaus school of design where ‘form follows function’. And the brand’s catalogue now includes multiple collections in varying case shapes and sizes, most of which feature skeleton dials. Without compromising on the quality of materials and finish, the brand manage to keep the price point accessible. Here are some of CIGA Design’s most noteworthy mechanical watch collections.
Earth’s rotation and revolution
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series U Blue Planet
Driven by a desire to change centuries worth of time-telling, Zhang and CIGA Design created the Series U Blue Planet. Its pebble-shaped case wears much smaller than its 46mm for the absence of lugs. A curved glass over both dial and caseback mirrors the curvature of the globe on the watch-face. Intricately carved, the globe displays the eastern hemisphere, with the Indian subcontinent and the Indian Ocean in focus. Surrounding this image of the earth, two concentric rings display the minute and hour tracks on the periphery. Rotating 390 degrees in an hour, the central globe corresponds with the minutes ring, which rotates in hourly intervals of 30 degrees. A lume-filled compass rose marked in the ocean indicates both hours (marked on the periphery) and minutes (via the rotating ring).
Iterations of the Blue Planet watch include the Gilding version with a black ceramic case and dial against which the globe is filled in golden relief. An Ice Age timepiece features a white ceramic case in 43mm, with the earth’s topography in silver against an ice blue ocean. The CIGA Design Mecahnical Watch Series U Blue Planet timepiece is fascinating for the globe’s topographical decoration, and rotation that innovatively tells the time.
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series U Blue Planet In A Nutshell
- Case: 46mm, pebble shaped, titanium/steel/ceramic
- Crystal and caseback: Curved sapphire crystal
- Dial: CNC engraved globe with intricate topographical relief; hours and minutes ring on periphery; compass rose indicator
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Movement: CIGA Design self-design automatic movement; 40-hour power reserve
- Strap: Rubber strap/single-link ceramic bracelet
The magician on the wrist
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series M Magician
The CIGA Design mechanical Watch Series M Magician is marvellous in its dynamic nature. Switching between geometrical case shapes—round, square, tonneau—is truly effortless, and this changes the nature of the watch from formal to sporty to trendy. A ‘floating’ automatic movement stays constant, regardless of the interchangeable case. And yet, even this CD-03 movement can easily morph between automatic and manually-wound calibres. The tonneau version is sized at 46mm, while the square case measures 44mm. Cases are crafted from titanium or steel, with or without a black DLC coating to enhance its robustness. Deep grooves along the profile of each of the cases highlight the quality of the finishes. An open-worked dial offers a view of rhodium-plated components, with luminous skeletonised hands, and a lume-filled rotating gear in the centre that acts as the seconds hand.
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series M Magician In A Nutshell
- Case: Interchangeable outer round/square/tonneau case; titanium/steel with or without black DLC; 46mm/44mm
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Open-worked; rhodium plated bridges, gears and other components; skeleton timekeeping hands filled with lume; central lume-filled gear as seconds indicator
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Movement: CD-03 automatic calibre; 40-hour power reserve
- Strap: Black rubber strap
The wild beast and the machine
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series X
Defined by its square case and skeletonised movement, the X series includes the Gorilla series, the Eye of Horus and the Machina collection. With an eponymous X-shaped bridge that connects four corners of the square case, the three-dimensional CD-01 movement takes centre stage. The CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series X Gorilla is named for its robust-looking aesthetics, reminiscent of an ape. Sized at 44mm, the case is crafted from steel or a titanium alloy, and boasts a height of 11.8mm. Some steel versions of the Gorilla are coated in black PVD to better offset contrasts such as purple or orange X bridge of the movement, and accents on the case and crown. A set of four ‘shock-absorbers’ on each corner of the case is what gives the Gorilla watch its outdoor adventure-ready vibe.
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series X Gorilla In A Nutshell
- Case: 44mm; steel with or without black PVD/steel and titanium alloy
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Skeleton; X-shaped central bridge; luminous tips on open-worked hands
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Movement: CD-01 automatic movement; power reserve of 40 hours
- Strap: Textured black rubber strap; additional black nylon strap
The Series X Machina watches feature the collection’s 44mm square case, only crafted in ceramic. Cool colourways and matching silicone straps give this series a vibrant and versatile feel.
To the edge and beyond
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series Z
Among CIGA Design’s award-winning collections is the Mechanical Watch Series Z Edge. Distinctive for its tonneau shaped case, the Series Z Edge watch features an open-worked dial with subtle design cues that elevate the watch’s bare-all aesthetic. These include the red arrow-tipped timekeeping hands with an inner arrow filled with lume, and an eye-of-the-needle counterweight for the seconds hand. The Seagull automatic movement that powers the watch is three dimensional and can be viewed through both dial and caseback in great detail. With its mechanical ticking sound, the Seagull automatic calibre offers an immersive experience. Sized at 40.8mm and a lug-to-lug distance of 48mm, the case displays angular edges, and hexagonal screws. Markings for indexes and the minute track are sort of integrated into the inside of the case. The Edge Exploration has an edgier case profile with a large crown and stylised guards. On this timepiece the hour and minute hands blend with the movement, while the Series Z Air Craft version features design cues inspired by aircraft on the hour hand and the rubber strap.
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series Z Edge In A Nutshell
- Case: Tonneau; 40.8mm by 48mm; steel/steel with DLC/titanium alloy
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Skeleton; red arrow-tipped hands with lume
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Movement: Seagull automatic; power reserve of 40 hours
- Strap: Textured rubber
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth!
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series C
A skeleton dial in a square-shaped frame, the CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series C won the Red Dot Award in 2017 and the German Design Award in 2019. Crafted from surgical-grade 316L steel, the square case features a smooth finish reminiscent of a digital smartwatch. Although, the dial tells another story. Deliberately round, the movement sits within a square frame. Here, the case represents the earth while the movement is symbolic of heaven. This theory is based on an ancient Chinese cosmic belief that guided architecture and urban planning in China for millennia. On the model with black PVD, components of the movement have also been blackened, which helps the timekeeping hands with their red arrowhead tips to stand out in contrast, along with a red seconds hand with a needle eye counterweight. The Seagull automatic movement is visible through both dial and caseback, as if protected between two slivers of scratch-resistant glass. The watch is paired with a Milanese bracelet in steel to match the finish of the case.
CIGA Design Mechanical Watch Series C In A Nutshell
- Case: 40mm, steel/steel and black PVD
- Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Skeleton; round movement; red arrow tipped hour and minute hands; red seconds hand with needle eye counterweight
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Movement: Seagull automatic; 40-hour power reserve
- Strap: Steel bracelet
CIGA Design may be an ideal first skeleton watch, or one that stands out from a collection of European watches. Either way, these bold timepieces are great conversation starters. For their price point, they are an incredible value proposition, as their materials and finishes may even be at par with several entry-level luxury watch brands even from Switzerland. For a brand born in a country not exactly known for quality or finish, CIGA Design are indeed an exception. And as their design accolades prove, CIGA Design offer some exceptional designs.
FAQs
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What is the purpose of a skeleton dial?
The skeletonised dial offers a glimpse into the intricate mechanics of the movement, celebrating the art of watchmaking and adding visual depth.
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What are the advantages of using a steel case in luxury watches?
Using a steel case in luxury watches ensures durability and high resistance to scratches and corrosion. Stainless steel requires minimal maintenance and is more reasonably priced than precious metals like gold or platinum, providing a luxurious feel for the wrist at a lower price. With polishes and finishes, the improved aesthetics make the steel case suitable for various styles and occasions.
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Why is titanium a good choice for a watch case?
Titanium is an excellent choice for luxury watch cases, as it is lightweight but also durable and highly scratch-resistant. The matt grey aesthetic makes titanium a high-performance, high-end timepiece, offering both quality and a visual appeal.
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What is so special about skeleton watches?
Skeleton watches are special timepieces because of their see-through design, which highlights the intricate movements inside. Often featuring various functions, they attract collectors and enthusiasts, given their meticulous engineering focusing on transparency. Their artistic appeal often makes them a stylish statement piece.
Shop The Story
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CIGA Design Series U
U031-TU04-W6U
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CIGA Design Series U
U031-SU02-W6U
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CIGA Design Series U
U031-BG01-W6B7B
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CIGA Design Series U
U032-WU01-W5W7W
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CIGA Design Series M
M051-TT01-W6B
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CIGA Design Series X
X021-BLGO-W25BK
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CIGA Design Series Z
Z031-SISI-W15BU
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CIGA Design Series Z
Z031-TITI-W15OG
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CIGA Design Series Z
Z031-TITI-W15BK
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CIGA Design Series Z
Z031-SISI-W15RE
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CIGA Design Series Z
Z031-SISI-W15BK
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CIGA Design Series C
Z011-BLBL-W13
