CIGA Design, established in 2016 by Zhang Jianmin, a distinguished figure in Chinese industrial design, emerged from a vision to revolutionise traditional watchmaking. Disappointed by the lack of originality and innovation in the timepieces he encountered while serving as a judge at the Clocks and Watches Fair in Shenzhen, Zhang set out to create a brand that would embody modern mechanical artistry. Thus, CIGA Design were born, with the name reflecting the brand's parent company, XIJIA (玺), which translates to "amazing" in Chinese—a fitting aspiration for the brand's trajectory.
