AMCHPR: vintage and modern Chinese watches and clocks
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    • Click HERE for detailed itineraries
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      • Trip 5 - April 17 2018 Xinmi last day
      • Trip 5 - April 18-19 2018 Shanghai 1
      • Trip 5 - April 21 2018 Shanghai/Suzhou
      • Trip 5 - April 23 2018 Part 2 Shandong Liaocheng Zhong Tai Watch
      • Trip 5 - April 22/24 2018 Pt 1 Shandong Langelo Clocks
      • Trip 5 - April 25th 2018 Jinan Day 1
    • 2018 Part 2 >
      • Trip 5 - April 26th 2018 Jinan Day 2
      • Trip 5 - Sunday, May 6 2018 Beijing
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      • TRIP 4 2015 PART I - SHENZHEN AND CWCF
      • TRIP 4 2015 - PART II: GUILIN/YAO MTN
      • Trip 4 2015 - Part II : Guilin/Yangshuo
      • Trip 4 2015 - Part III : Xinmi
      • Trip 4 2015 - Part IV : Xinmi and Luoyang
    • 2014 >
      • Beijing June 8/9 2014
      • Beijing June 10th
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      • Yantai June 13
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      • Shanghai June 18-21
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      • Guangzhou/Zhuhai June 24
      • Guangzhou 5 Goat more June 25
      • 25th CWCF 2014 June 26
      • More CWCF - June 27-29
      • CWCF Social Activities June 26-29
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    • 2013 >
      • Shanghai Apr. 3-7
      • Luoyang, Longmen, Zhengzhou Apr 8-13
      • Shijiazhuang w/Ma Rong Apr. 14-19
      • Tianjin Sea-Gull WF - Apr. 20-23
      • Beijing Lishi & Great Wall April 24-28
    • 2011 (First Visit) >
      • I Beijing
      • 2 Beijing w/Joel Chan
      • 3 Panjiayuan & more
      • 4 Shijiazhuang
      • 5 Whipping Top
      • 6 To Cangyanshan
      • 7 At Cangyanshan
      • 8 Shijiazhuang 2
      • 9 To Tianjin
      • 10 Tianjin Day/Dusk
      • 11 Tianjin at night
      • 12 Sea-Gull Watch Factory
      • 14 Beijing to home
      • 13 More Beijing
      • 15 - Extra Shots/notes
  • Curator: Ron Good
  • East Watch Review
  • TERMS/TRANSLATIONS
  • Acknowledgements
  • PEACE RIVER
  • ARTICLES
  • Atelier Wen Porcelain Odyssey "Hao" visits the AMCHPR
  • Ben Chee Celadon Imperial 100
  • AMCHPR Travel Tips
    • AviatorUSA Travel Jeans Review
    • Travel Vests
  • Watch Photography Resources
  • Additional Resources
  • HOME
  • EXHIBITS
    • Chinese Watches
    • Clocks
    • Ephemera
    • Parts and Tools
    • Non-Chinese Watches
    • Other Exhibits
    • Wrist Shots
    • Facebook Cover Photos
    • AMCHPR Desktop Backgrounds
  • CHINA TRAVELS
    • Click HERE for detailed itineraries
    • 2019 >
      • 2019 June 7 - Luoyang with Mr. Li
      • Fuxi Mountain Glass Bridge 06/08/19
      • June 9-13 in Fenghuang, Hunan
      • Shanghai 06/16 Shanghai Watch Factory
      • AMCHPR 06/18 w/Guo Ming (AHCI) and A.J.
      • Shenzhen CWCF2019 w RedStar Watches
    • 2018 >
      • Trip 5 - April 10/11 2018 Guangzhou
      • Trip 5 - April 12/13 2018 Shenzhen
      • Trip 5 - April 13/14 2018 Guangzhou
      • Trip 5 - April 15 2018 Guangzhou to Xian
      • Trip 5 - April 16 2018 Xian/Terracotta
      • Trip 5 - April 16 2018 Xinmi after Xian
      • Trip 5 - April 17 2018 Xinmi last day
      • Trip 5 - April 18-19 2018 Shanghai 1
      • Trip 5 - April 21 2018 Shanghai/Suzhou
      • Trip 5 - April 23 2018 Part 2 Shandong Liaocheng Zhong Tai Watch
      • Trip 5 - April 22/24 2018 Pt 1 Shandong Langelo Clocks
      • Trip 5 - April 25th 2018 Jinan Day 1
    • 2018 Part 2 >
      • Trip 5 - April 26th 2018 Jinan Day 2
      • Trip 5 - Sunday, May 6 2018 Beijing
    • 2015 >
      • TRIP 4 2015 PART I - SHENZHEN AND CWCF
      • TRIP 4 2015 - PART II: GUILIN/YAO MTN
      • Trip 4 2015 - Part II : Guilin/Yangshuo
      • Trip 4 2015 - Part III : Xinmi
      • Trip 4 2015 - Part IV : Xinmi and Luoyang
    • 2014 >
      • Beijing June 8/9 2014
      • Beijing June 10th
      • Yantai June 11/12
      • Yantai June 13
      • Shijiazhuang June 14
      • Shanghai June 18-21
      • Guangzhou June 22-23
      • Guangzhou/Zhuhai June 24
      • Guangzhou 5 Goat more June 25
      • 25th CWCF 2014 June 26
      • More CWCF - June 27-29
      • CWCF Social Activities June 26-29
      • Beijing July 1-5
    • 2013 >
      • Shanghai Apr. 3-7
      • Luoyang, Longmen, Zhengzhou Apr 8-13
      • Shijiazhuang w/Ma Rong Apr. 14-19
      • Tianjin Sea-Gull WF - Apr. 20-23
      • Beijing Lishi & Great Wall April 24-28
    • 2011 (First Visit) >
      • I Beijing
      • 2 Beijing w/Joel Chan
      • 3 Panjiayuan & more
      • 4 Shijiazhuang
      • 5 Whipping Top
      • 6 To Cangyanshan
      • 7 At Cangyanshan
      • 8 Shijiazhuang 2
      • 9 To Tianjin
      • 10 Tianjin Day/Dusk
      • 11 Tianjin at night
      • 12 Sea-Gull Watch Factory
      • 14 Beijing to home
      • 13 More Beijing
      • 15 - Extra Shots/notes
  • Curator: Ron Good
  • East Watch Review
  • TERMS/TRANSLATIONS
  • Acknowledgements
  • PEACE RIVER
  • ARTICLES
  • Atelier Wen Porcelain Odyssey "Hao" visits the AMCHPR
  • Ben Chee Celadon Imperial 100
  • AMCHPR Travel Tips
    • AviatorUSA Travel Jeans Review
    • Travel Vests
  • Watch Photography Resources
  • Additional Resources

AlbertaTime in China #3 - Beijing w/ Joel Chan & the Yonghe Gong Lama Temple
(Friday, Oct 7/2011)

I'm sure at least some of you are aware of the terrific Micmicmor Vintage Watch, and its owner, Mr Joel Chan. While I often say I just "love the pretty watches", Joel is a recognized expert being one of early collectors of VCMs and probably the very first to bring the subject to the attention of western watch collectors through both his posts at WatchUSeek and his groundbreaking website, a VCM landmark before I even started collecting and a major inspiration to me. Careful attention to Joel's detailed and comprehensive articles have, among other things, saved me from purchasing any number of "less-correct" pieces. As well, Joel was even written up in Time Magazine. :-*

Well, in another banner day for me, Joel was kind enough to spare time to meet me at my hotel, treat me to an astonishing vegetarian meal at a fine restaurant, show me a number of drool-inducing vintage Chinese grail watches, gift me with three fine pieces for the AMCHPR, and take me to the Yonghe Gong Lama Temple. It was a very full day and I'm learning lots., and about much more than just watches.

So, in order:

The meal and company were both utterly top-rate. Joel is a true gentleman, very knowledgeable and perceptive and it's almost impossible to exaggerate the quality and deliciousness (is that a word??) of Beijing food. If I stayed in Beijing, I'd be a very hefty guy within months instead of the bonerack I am, I'm sure of it.

In photo #2 Joel is showing me (among others) a very rare (and very valuable) 1970s 29 jewel Shanghai military diver, even rarer than the difficult to find 24 jewel version. I have a 22 jewel re-issue which is quite nice, but nowhere near the obvious quality of the original, an exceptionally rare Shanghai SS1 prototype that is 19 jewels instead of the production run 17 jewel model, two...two...early 1950s prototype DongFangHong (the East is Red) pieces that were never publicly sold and that pre-date the A-581 and that are numbered in the couple of hundreds...tops, probably less.

joelchan1.jpg

joelchan_watches.jpg

As I mentioned, Joel also presented the AMCHPR with three very notable exhibits. Please excuse the bad photos..I don't have my usual watch-shooting camera and the lighting I have available is badbadbad, so I'll shoot better and provide more details on these pieces (including movement shots) after I arrive home...but here's teasers:

Mid-1960s Shanghai 1120 - 301 (early) SS1 pie-pan

shanghai_ss1.jpg

shanghai_ss1_caseback.jpg

Shanghai 7621 - 802 quick-set day/date (quite rare):

shanghai_day_date.jpg

shanghai_day_date_caseback.jpg

1984 Sea-Gull Chinese Antarctic Expedition ST5D model (almost pure unobtanium):

seagull_1984.jpg

seagull_1984_caseback.jpg

Following the fine meal and watchaholic session, Joel took me to the Temple (fixed the link):

The entrance:

temple entrance.jpg

...just inside the first entrance...

other_visitors.jpg

...and an exhibition of ancient Tibetan Buddhist statues that's in a smaller building inside the temple grounds:

temple statues sign.jpg

temple statues.jpg

...a closer look at just one of the intricate gilded brass statues...

temple statues2.jpg

...inside the temple grounds

inside_temple_1.jpg

I had a wonderful time with Joel and I'm planning to meet with up again before I leave China as I'll be back in Beijing for a few days just before I return home.

After Joel and I parted ways, I took a long evening stroll around my new neighbourhood, including the Dongsi West main street and throughout the Lishi Hutong...

...a section of Dongsi West with a huge TV screen:

dongsiwest_tv.jpg

The Lishi Hutong...I mentioned yesterday feeling totally safe even in the darker alleys. The Lishi Hutong at night is a perfect example. The first photo is about 30-50 yards inside the main hutong alley:

lishi hutong entrance.jpg

but go a bit further and things lighten a bit and get busier with small grocers (everything you'd expect including very fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts) and local eateries (and the food's inexpensive, tasty and filling) and what are obviously small neighbourhood pubs..

lishi hutong 1.jpg

lishi hutong 2.jpg

lishi hutong 3.jpg

So, to end this post...many many thanks, Joel, for your generosity and hospitality, and also to the many other Beijing citizens who took a few moments this evening while I was wandering around to make a visitor feel welcome. I guess I don't look like I'm from around here ;)

Copyright © AMCHPR 2015 - 中国手表博物馆,皮斯里弗,艾伯塔省 - (no, of course it's not an official Alberta museum).