Ancient timekeeper

Zhang Shuyang, watchkeeper. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese watchmaker Zhang Shuyang heads to Baselworld with the mission of bringing world attention back to the masters of porcelain. Wang Kaihao reports.

Zhang Shuyang, a Shanghai-based veteran porcelain collector but a relatively new watchmaker, will unveil his new watch designs at this year's Baselworld－the world's leading watch and jewelry show that is expected to be held in Basel, Switzerland, in March.

Although in his 60s, Zhang, only a year after launching his own watch brand, comes across as a maverick. His timepieces include porcelain watch dials in shining colors and watch hands carved in oracle bone script, the oldest Chinese characters dating back to around 3,000 years ago.

"If I want to enter such a mature industry, how would it work if I am not brave?" he asks.

As a collector, Zhang has looked at the outside world for items, but his main focus has been China, where he's able to find a great variety of ceramics, watches and ancient coins.