George Xu (徐創越/Xu ChuangYue)
CEO, Hanchen Watch Group
Chairman & President, Tianjin Seagull Watch Group
Last month in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, Seagull Watch officially opened its new independent franchise flagship store. Within just a few weeks, the store achieved HKD 480,000 in sales. This performance was not the result of short-term market excitement, but rather a reflection of long-term technical accumulation and a brand narrative that is increasingly being understood.
George Xu (徐創越), who attended the opening ceremony, is both the leader of China's foremost watchmaking enterprise and a key figure driving Seagull Watch's systematic global expansion in recent years. On this occasion, we spoke with President Xu for an in-depth conversation, reflecting on the brand's recent product developments and exploring the watchmaking philosophy and long-term strategy behind them.
In recent years, Seagull Watch has gained increasing attention overseas. From your perspective, what is the biggest misunderstanding international markets have about Chinese watchmaking?
George Xu:
I believe the biggest misunderstanding lies in continuing to view Chinese watchmaking from the perspective of a "latecomer."
In reality, Seagull Watch has been deeply engaged in mechanical watchmaking for over seventy years, building a complete and systematic industrial capability rather than relying on isolated technical achievements. For a long time, however, Chinese watchmaking was primarily positioned as a manufacturing force, and its story was rarely told in a comprehensive way.
When overseas consumers truly hold a Seagull mechanical watch in their hands, examining the movement architecture, chronograph logic, and design proportions. The shift in perception often happens very quickly. This is why we are seeing more international collectors actively researching Seagull's history, rather than simply purchasing the watch itself.
In your direct interactions with overseas collectors, were there any responses that left a particularly strong impression on you?
George Xu:
What struck me most was a clear "leap in perception".
For many overseas consumers, Seagull Watch was initially almost a blank slate. At the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair last September, when they encountered our new collections in a systematic way for the first time, many developed a strong interest very quickly. Some even collected representative pieces across multiple Seagull lines and went on to explore the brand's history, movement development, and cultural context.
This further reinforced my belief that Seagull Watch has long been underestimated in terms of quality, cultural symbolism, and collectible value. This kind of spontaneous recognition from users is precisely what gives us the confidence to continue investing in R&D and remaining committed to mechanical watchmaking at its core.
The Seagull Rattrapante chronograph has attracted strong attention from enthusiasts. Do you see it becoming the next Seagull classic?
George Xu:
Seagull Rattrapante itself represents an important milestone in the history of Chinese watchmaking.
Developed from the ST19 movement used in the Seagull 1963, it marks a significant technical evolution with the ST1961. This is not merely the realization of a high complication, but a substantive breakthrough in China's chronograph system as a whole.
For me personally, its value goes beyond technical achievement. What matters equally is its overall sense of completion. The dial proportions, material finishing, and movement architecture all carry forward Seagull's established chronograph design language, while delivering the presence and substance expected of a high-end complicated watch.
On the wrist, it has a clear sense of presence without being ostentatious, naturally becoming a focal point of one's overall look. It is a chronograph I would recommend to friends without hesitation.
Frankly speaking, when viewed within today's high-end watch market, it is difficult to find a truly comparable piece that matches the Seagull Rattrapante split-seconds chronograph across aesthetics, performance, and price.
The Master Seagull collection represents the pinnacle of Seagull's high watchmaking. What core message does it convey to the world?
George Xu:
Master Seagull was never created to benchmark against any specific Swiss brand.
Its essence lies in combining Seagull's technical capabilities in high complications with the aesthetics and temperament of traditional Eastern culture. Whether it is the minute repeater, tourbillon, or automaton, our focus is always on how these complications serve a coherent and self-contained Eastern expression.
Seagull Watch is the first and currently the only Chinese brand to have mastered complex watchmaking crafts such as the minute repeater, tourbillon, and automaton. These breakthroughs in movement technology only gain their true significance when integrated with China's cultural heritage.
For example, the Master Seagull "3-in-1" tourbillon watch integrates a tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and minute repeater into a single refined timepiece, while the Nine Dragons Gold-engraved Double Tourbillon draws inspiration from classical Chinese painting and traditional metal engraving techniques. These watches are not technical demonstrations, but expressions of the art of time.
I am pleased to see that many watch enthusiasts outside China resonate emotionally with these distinct Eastern characteristics, and such emotional resonance is essential to success in the luxury watch market.
What kind of brand do you hope Seagull Watch will become in the minds of global consumers?
George Xu:
By 2025, Seagull Watch has reached a more mature stage in its global presence. Seagull official global website, en.seagullwatch.com, is now fully operational, the independent flagship store has opened in Hong Kong, and our products are reaching customers across North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. In parallel, we have been steadily building the infrastructure that matters: customer service, logistics, after-sales support, and local retail partnerships.
But these steps are only the beginning.
The next five years will be critical. While we deeply value recognition from watch enthusiasts and collectors, I hope Seagull Watch can be understood and worn by a broader audience. Mechanical watches do not belong only to enthusiasts, they also belong to anyone who respects time, craftsmanship, and patience.
If one day, when people think of Chinese mechanical watches, Seagull Watch becomes a natural choice rather than merely a symbol of "value for money" or historical significance, then I believe we will be on the right path.
