Horology Planet Exhibition Series — 20
In October 2026, Beijing becomes a meeting point for Chinese imperial aesthetics, traditional craftsmanship, and contemporary design. Held at the National Foreign Cultural Trade Base (Beijing), the “Forbidden City Divine Craft” Chinese Imperial Aesthetics & Contemporary Creation Exhibition and the “Horology Planet” International Creative Exhibition bring together a range of creative works that explore the connections between Eastern cultural heritage and modern craftsmanship.
The exhibition is about more than the objects on display. It also asks how traditional art forms can continue to evolve, finding new relevance through modern materials, innovative design, and precision engineering. From decorative techniques rooted in imperial workshops to the intricacies of independent watchmaking, the works on show offer different perspectives on how the past can inform the present.
As part of this exhibition series, Horology Planet takes a closer look at the participating watch brands and the ideas behind their creations.
Watchina: Keeping the Stories of Time Alive
For Chang Wei, the founder of Watchina, a watch is never just an instrument for telling time. It is also a record of history, craftsmanship, and the people who have shaped the world of horology.
Through books, translations, lectures, and cultural commentary, Watchina has spent years bringing the history of clocks and watches to a wider audience. Its work spans both Eastern and Western traditions, helping collectors and enthusiasts understand not only how timepieces work, but also the stories behind them.
One example is Ziming Zhongbiao Tufa, an important early Chinese text on clocks and watches that Watchina helped bring back to public attention. Chang has also devoted considerable time to documenting the development of China's watch industry and the people behind it, becoming a familiar voice in the country's horological community.
His interest in timekeeping extends beyond mechanical movements and historical records. He has a particular appreciation for the traditional Chinese system of the twelve shichen, which divided the day and night into twelve two-hour periods. Long before modern clocks became part of everyday life, this system offered a way of understanding time through the movement of the sun, the rhythms of nature, and the routines of daily life.
That interest eventually led to a collaboration with FARASUTE, a watch brand with a strong appreciation for vintage aesthetics and Chinese cultural influences. Together, they created the Huaxia Time Watch, bringing this centuries-old concept of timekeeping to the wrist in a distinctly contemporary form.
Huaxia Time Watch: An Ancient Sense of Time, Reimagined
In traditional Chinese timekeeping, a day was divided into twelve shichen, each lasting two hours. More than a practical way to mark the passing hours, the system reflected a close relationship between human life and the natural world.
Each period had its own character. Zi marked the hours around midnight, while Chou belonged to the quiet stretch before dawn. At Mao, daylight began to emerge in the east and the world gradually came to life. Wu marked midday, when the sun stood high overhead, and You signaled the approach of evening. Time was understood not simply as a series of numbers, but as part of a larger cycle of light, rest, work, and renewal.
The Huaxia Time Watch takes this traditional understanding as its starting point. Its design draws on the distinctive silhouettes of classical Chinese architecture, particularly the sweeping lines of roof eaves and the intricate, interlocking dougong bracket systems found beneath them. These architectural details are reinterpreted in the watch's form, bringing a sense of structure and quiet elegance to the wrist.
The dial continues the theme without overwhelming it. Finished in a soft white-grey tone reminiscent of traditional Chinese rice paper, it provides a calm backdrop for the twelve shichen, which take the place of the familiar Western hour arrangement. Geometric patterns inspired by traditional Chinese decorative motifs frame the display, adding detail while keeping the overall composition balanced.
Red provides the strongest visual accent. The vermilion numerals and central seconds hand stand out clearly against the pale dial, lending the watch a touch of energy and warmth. In Chinese culture, red has long been associated with celebration, vitality, and good fortune, making it a natural choice for a design rooted in cultural heritage.
Only 88 individually numbered pieces have been made, giving the Huaxia Time Watch a distinctly collectible character. Yet its appeal goes beyond limited production. At its heart is a simple idea: the way we measure time can also express how we understand it. By bringing the twelve shichen back to the wrist, the watch offers a fresh perspective on a tradition that once shaped the rhythm of everyday life in China.
First unveiled at the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, the Huaxia Time Watch brings Watchina's work in horological history into a physical form. It is a fitting collaboration between a cultural institution devoted to preserving the stories of watchmaking and a brand that draws inspiration from China's design heritage. For collectors interested in the meaning behind a timepiece as much as its mechanics, the watch offers an engaging encounter between traditional Chinese culture and contemporary watchmaking.
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Exhibition Guide
- Exhibition Name: “Forbidden City Divine Craft” Chinese Imperial Aesthetics & Contemporary Creation Exhibition, and the “Horology Planet” International Creative Exhibition
- Opening Date: October 23, 2026
- Exhibition Dates: October 23, 2026 – December 16, 2026
- Venue: 3rd Floor Art Space, Building D7, National Foreign Cultural Trade Base (Beijing), No. 3 Jinhang East Road, Shunyi District, Beijing
- Organizer: National Foreign Cultural Trade Base (Beijing)
- Academic Support: Research Group on Qing Dynasty Court Craftsmanship Inheritance Examples, The Palace Museum; Watchina
- Executive Curator: Horology Planet
