Fiyta

Founded in 1987 as Shenzhen Feida Watch Company, Fiyta are now China's most successful domestic watch company.

Fiyta was an early pioneer of the Hong Kong influenced horizontal business model that characterizes the watch industry in Shenzhen, wherein parts manufacturers, assemblers and brand owners exists as independent entities in a dynamic relationship with each other. This is in contrast to the traditional watch manufacturing enterprises such as the watch factories of Beijing , Liaoning , Shanghai , and Tianjin , who built and branded the entire watch.

Other pioneering activities of Fiyta include the use of exotic case materials (tungsten, ceramics) and sports sponsorship (2000 Olympics Chinese gymnastics team).

Fiyta watches are predominantly quartz, using imported Japanese movements. Fiyta have been exclusive suppliers of watches to the Chinese manned spaceflight program. The first watches were quartz chronographs powered by movements imported from Miyota, Japan. For the first space-walk in 2008 the massive Spacemaster mechanical watch was developed, using what appears to be a heavily modified Shanghai 3L chronograph movement.

2008 also marked a shift in focus towards a much greater use of mechanical movements in Fiyta's premium and commemorative watches. these range from the simple skeletonized imported Miyota automatics of the Phtographer and Heart of City line, through the high-grade Swiss automatic of the Gold Buddha, to the exotic Chinese tourbillon of the 60th National Anniversary and Square Tourbillon models. The Square Tourbillon is described as having a 'Fiyta tourbillon movement', however it is unlikely that Fiyta have the in-house resources to develop and manufacture such a device. On the other hand, there is no doubt that this movement is exclusive to Fiyta watches.

Fiyta took over ownership of the Beijing Watch Factory in October 2016, which gives them access to their range of high end movements.

External links

• Official website: http://fiyta.com/