In a quiet corner of Norway, a father held onto a memory.
It wasn’t made of gold or diamonds. It was a DongFeng ST5A—an old Chinese wristwatch with worn wheels, a cracked crystal, and a heartbeat long since faded. But in the eyes of Rolf Holten, this wasn’t just a watch. It was a time capsule. A story. A bridge between his son’s past and future.
This is a story that moved us deeply at SeaGull. It’s a story about heritage, fatherhood, and the enduring power of time—both as a measure and a memory.
The Journey Back to China
Rolf first reached out to us with a technical request. He had purchased an old DongFeng ST5A from a pawnbroker in Shanghai while traveling with his adopted son. They were visiting China—the birthplace of his son—for the first time since adopting him in 2010.
“I bought it on my 62nd birthday,” Rolf wrote. “Even though it may not be an exclusive watch, I think a restored vintage DongFeng ST5A would be a nice present to him, reminding him both of his Chinese roots, our trip back, and his old father’s birthday.”
We read the message once, then again.
This wasn’t just a repair inquiry. This was a father's heartfelt mission to preserve something intangible: identity, belonging, love.
The Significance of DongFeng
For context, the DongFeng ST5A movement holds a special place in Chinese watchmaking history. It was one of the first fully Chinese-made mechanical movements—a symbol of national craftsmanship and ambition.
To most, it may look like a modest vintage watch. But to those who know, it represents pride, resilience, and a turning point in China’s industrial evolution.
And to Rolf, it was the perfect symbol of his son’s roots—something uniquely Chinese to pass down, not just as a keepsake, but as a living, ticking tribute to heritage.
An Act of Restoration—and Recognition
Rolf’s watch had stopped working shortly after his return to Norway. He brought it to an Omega service center, but they couldn’t repair it. The teeth on the wheels were worn down. The crystal was cracked. The crown wobbled.
Still, Rolf believed in it. He reached out to us at SeaGull, hopeful we could help breathe life back into this vintage timepiece. Not because of its market value, but because of what it meant.
“We will try our best,” we promised. “If you trust us, send it to China—we’ll do everything in our power to restore it.”
What happened next moved our entire team.
When we shared Rolf’s story with our management, there was silence. Then there was action. Not only did we agree to attempt the restoration, we also made another decision: we would gift him a brand-new DongFeng Reissue Edition—a modern tribute to the original, meticulously crafted to honor the legacy of Chinese watchmaking.
We hoped that one day, this reissue might sit next to the old ST5A—both ticking side by side, two generations of timekeeping, connected by a father’s love and a child’s roots.
A Legacy Beyond Time
Rolf’s proposal was simple, almost poetic:
Send the watch.
Let us evaluate.
If it can be saved, we’ll repair it.
He’ll pay for the work—within reason.
And if not, well… he might come pick it up in person, “hopefully sooner than ten years,” he joked.
And he meant it. There’s a quiet hope in his emails—a wish that this watch could one day be handed to his son, not just as a birthday souvenir, but as a piece of history. A reminder: You are from China. You are part of this story.
A Message from SeaGull
At SeaGull, we’ve repaired and built thousands of watches. But stories like this remind us why we do what we do.
Time isn’t just about seconds ticking on a dial—it’s about the moments we keep close, the people we cherish, the histories we pass on.
To Rolf, and to all fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters finding connection through culture and memory—we thank you.
You inspire us to do better, to build stronger, and to keep time not just accurately, but meaningfully.
If you have a story like Rolf’s, we would be honored to hear it. If you’ve worn, gifted, or rediscovered a Sea-Gull or DongFeng watch that carries a piece of your life, let us know. Whether it’s a family heirloom, a symbol of reconciliation, or simply a memory captured in steel and glass—we believe every watch has a story worth telling.
Because time may move forward.
But some moments, like a father’s gift, last forever.
