Affluent Chinese of the 70's and 80's

[Randy W]

An interesting article from the SCMP - China was a much different place in the 70's and 80's

 

From Feiyue plimsolls to the Shanghai watch worn by premier Zhou Enlai: how 3 made-in-China luxury items rose to fame

Do you know about these Chinese-made products and brands – from before and after Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms in 1978 – that were once regarded as luxury items in China?

 

 

 

 

 

A wristwatch was one of the “four big things” – along with a sewing machine, a bicycle and a radio – that people aspired to own in the period between the 1950s and the 1970s in China. At that time, not long after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (in 1949), economic development was slow, resources were scarce, and most people lived in poverty; therefore, owning the “four big things” was the preserve of the affluent.

 

A commonly-held belief of that time was that no girl would marry you if you didn’t have a watch. And the watch that everyone wanted was a Shanghai watch.

 

 

[Randy W]

from Goldthread on Facebook

The Shanghai Watch

 

Published on Jul 29, 2020

The Shanghai watch was the first mechanical watch completely designed and made in China. It was so prized that it was that no one would marry a man without a Shanghai watch. The timepiece was worn by Chinese leaders like Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Zhou Enlai. We went to the factory in Shanghai to see how these historical watches are made. 0:00 Introduction 0:21 Meet Master Feng 0:39 Why was it so valuable? 1:57 How was it made? 2:38 Why haven’t I heard of it before? 2:50 Meet Lin Lin 3:52 Bringing the watch into the 21st century

 

 

 

 

https://m.facebook.com/goldthread2/videos/1248110592205731/

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/goldthread2/videos/1248110592205731/

 

 

. . . and YouTube