
While winning the Challenge Category at the GPHG put the brand in the spotlight for many watch connoisseurs, this certainly wasn’t the first time the company had won. The brand was founded by Zhang Jainmin in 2012, a designer by trade with over three decades of experience. Not only did the watch win the GPHG, but it is also an exemplary watch of the capabilities of CIGA Design. The Blue Planet most certainly sets the record straight, as it is, without a doubt, impressive. The Swiss use heritage as a market device, whereas Chinese brands lack the same notoriety, regardless of the quality of their components. While these watches may be assembled in Switzerland, many of their parts come from China. Even still, Chinese producers are an essential partner for many (Swiss) watch brands, particularly in the lower and middle price range. Nowadays, people associate the Middle Kingdom more with mass production and ‘hommage’ watches.

There was a time when the work of craftspeople from China was held in high regard around the world.
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A short instruction on how to use and read the watch compose the final chapter. A few pages further, we find the watch itself, presented on a blue strap made from food-grade silicon, which attaches smoothly in seconds thanks to quick-release spring bars. On the wrist, the watch is a constant reminder to do good to Mother Nature, as the illustrations inside the packaging show the effects of global warming and the possible results of the rising sea level. The packaging highlights both the beauty and the fragility of the Earth, intentionally chosen for the message CIGA Design seeks to communicate with Blue Planet. It triumphed over the other ambitious competition, including Anordain’s impressive Model 1, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five, and the Massena Lab Uni-Racer. This is the imaginative packaging of the CIGA Design Blue Planet, the watch that won last year’s Challenge Category of the GPHG, making history the first Chinese watch to do so. Its front cover artwork depicted a globe in beautiful relief, surrounded by two rings with numerals. So without further ado: Let’s get into it.Not too long ago, a beautiful box, about the size of a small book, landed on my desk. CIGA Design provided me the opportunity to review the Blue Planet during my time in the Big Apple, and for that, I’m grateful - Because I became a big fan. The Blue Planet ultimately won, and well, the rest is history. This was no small Category, as brands like Oris, AnOrdain, and Doxa all competed in the same field. In 2021, Zhang created the Blue-Planet, which was subsequently entered into the very competitive Challenge Watch Category in GPHG.

It won awards and garnered CIGA in International circles. It was a handsome watch, skeletonized, and didn’t break the bank while still feeling fresh.
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The Series Z is what really put CIGA on our radar, and actually trended the brand pretty deep into Enthusiast circles. CIGA was almost immediately recognized for creating pretty insane designs for not a lot of money. The 55-year-old Industrial Designer spent over 30 years working in the civic sector before ever turning to watches. In the world of Swiss Watchmaking, it’s almost expected that a Swiss or Japanese brand would win any or all of the GPHG Awards, but CIGA beat them at their own game with the lovely Blue Planet - And man do we love it.ĬIGA (short for Chinese International Great Art) was launched in 2012 with Zhang Jianmin at the helm. Imagine everyone’s surprise in 2021, when Chinese brand CIGA Design was announced the winner of the Challenge Watch category of GPHG - The first-ever Chinese watch company to win.
