It seems to be the go-to for journalists these days to comment on the meteoric rise in quality and quantity of goods coming out of a country that has felt so foreign to the West.
I don’t know why they do it, maybe it’s to try and ease their readers into appreciating a Chinese brand that in their mind, shouldn’t be getting attention. Or maybe it’s to pacify some strong emotion that they think will arise in the comments when they mention ‘Chinese made’.
My first line of this article was going to be “Chinese companies have worked hard to change your perception of them”.
It’s as if I needed to point out an elephant in the room and ease some unspoken discomfort. I was shopping in an electronics store a few years ago and I overheard an older man mention that he didn’t want a TV because it was made in China, instead opting for one from a Korean brand.
To skip over the obvious, that all of the TVs in that store were probably made in the same place, I think it’s important to mention the prejudice here. This man wasn’t talking about TVs, he was flexing his bigotry to the detriment of himself, or his wallet at least.
We’ve come a long way from this, sure, but we can still get caught in the trap of trying to justify a product or at least defending it because of the place it was made. Brands deserve respect (or criticism) regardless of the perception we place on their country of origin. This includes watches from Switzerland by the way.
I know I’ve just done the very thing I wanted to avoid - talk about the geographical location of a band like it’s more important than the watchmaking. Yes, I’m a hypocrite but I just needed to talk it through. Thanks for listening I guess. Who needs therapy when you have The Subdial?
From now on, no more perpetuating tired stereotypes, let’s just talk about the watches.
Mechanical Enthusiasm And The Philosophy Of Behrens
You might think that if you’re reading this article you consider yourself full of enthusiasm. I would beg to differ, however. You may just be here because you think you should be, or maybe you’re my wife and you’ve been forced to read it to boost my ego (thanks Katie). There’s enthusiasm and there’s true enthusiasm.
When I saw the term 'Mechanical Enthusiasm' on the Behrens website, I understood the brand and its motivations beyond what I had seen on Instagram and the limited coverage they have. Mechanical Enthusiasm seems to embody their approach to watchmaking and design more than other brands that focus on historical accuracy or serious technicality. Their watches have an element of playfulness, a sense of balance between the serious world of Horology and the enthusiasm of the team and founder. There's an inner world and an outer world, a philosophy their founder, Mr Lin Bingqiang explains well…
What drove you to start Behrens in 2012, and where did the name come from?
Firstly, I have an immense passion for mechanical art and fine watchmaking culture, which stems from the deepest part of my soul. Secondly, thanks to the development of China's basic industries, we are able to realize our various imaginative ideas. Finally, I really enjoy sharing my watch artworks with watch enthusiasts from different regions, which makes me feel meaningful and happy.
This name is used to pay tribute to the pioneer of modernist industrial design - Peter Behrens, while also indicating our determination to adhere to the original path.
In 1907, after a mediocre (allegedly) career as a painter, Peter Behrens became the Artistic Advisor of Allgemeine Elektricitäts Gesellschaft (AEG), one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world at the time. He went on to create a hexagonal kettle (it’s more interesting than it sounds), among other things. This is the kind of nerdy naming tribute I live for.
AEG is still around, by the way, they make kitchen appliances I can’t afford. There’s always an interesting connection in this industry.
What was your professional background before starting Behrens?
Before founding Behrens, I worked in high-end jewellery design. Turning imagination into tangible products, this precise creation fascinates me.
There are many ways to satisfy your desire to create. Painting, product design, music. To choose watchmaking to fulfil this desire is taking the hard road. It’s a difficult thing to turn your thoughts into tangible products, I’m just doing it with words and it’s excruciating. You have to be a bit nuts to think it’s a good idea but you can see part of this attitude in the watches Lin creates.
The Behrens Kung Fu
Alright, let’s talk about watches.
As a reformed martial arts obsessive, I was immediately drawn to the Kung Fu by Behrens. Chinese martial arts was always my go-to in terms of childhood influence. I was absolutely shaped by the works and philosophy of artists like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen. Some of Bruce’s quotes have guided me in my life more than I care to admit.
“Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Bruce Lee
The watch that Behrens has created here is subtle enough with its Kung Fu references that any watch lover can appreciate it, even those who didn’t grow up in front of the TV practising their one-inch punches will enjoy it. When you look closer and through the lens of a martial artist, however, you can see the inspiration clearly.
The hands of the Kung Fu reference crossbows from the Qin Dynasty and the rising power reserve display takes its design from the ‘plum blossom stakes’ used by martial artists to train balance and control. It’s great to see that there’s proper watchmaking going into representing the theme, not just a colour scheme, case back engraving or Bruce Lee's face.
How do you approach technical innovation and how do you see yourself maintaining it at a high level?
For us, we are making technological innovations every day. We believe that only continuous innovation can reflect self-worth.
Speaking of watchmaking, the Kung Fu is made in collaboration with Mr Quan Guobiao, an independent watchmaker known for his ornate finishing and interesting complications. It’s clear that the Kung Fu is a level above the other collections from Behrens but it still maintains the playfulness they are known for. Thank god! Often a brand will start to take themselves more and more seriously the higher up the Horological ladder they climb.
There’s an element of Kari Voutilainen and MB&F about the watch, two legends working together to make something great. I hope Mr Quan Guobiao and Mr. Lin Bingqiang can receive the same level of appreciation and respect as their Swiss counterparts.
The Kung Fu is a watch that is incredibly well thought out in terms of its Martial arts theme. Do you have a personal history with Chinese martial arts? If so, how do you think it has shaped your life and therefore your design principles?
Kung Fu is an art that is closely related to other arts. Our designs mostly come from life, capturing creative sources through daily life observations, which is the direction we have been persisting in moving forward.
In martial arts, there is no opponent more worthy than yourself. The rigorous training students dedicate their lives to is not in the pursuit of combat superiority, but in finding balance between their inner and outer worlds. Both of these qualities are present in Kung Fu, the art and the watch.
I want to leave you with one more detail that I feel represents the care and design sensibilities of Mr. Lin Bingqiang and the team at Behrens very well.
The layout of the main pivot points on the dial, the hand spindle and the centre of the balance wheel make an equal square. This square in the centre and circle on the outside (the case) evokes an image of the Half Liang coin of the Qin Dynasty, another reference to the culture of ancient China and something so subtle the average person won’t notice. More importantly, however, it once again demonstrates the importance of combining the visible and invisible, strength and softness, inside and outside, Yin and Yang. All things that represent Chinese culture, Kung Fu, Behrens and Mr. Lin Bingqiang.
武术 抱拳 礼
See you in the next one.
