Dandong vs Shangai 3235 – Technical Evaluation

In DD vs SH 3235 comparisons, making a decision based on photos taken from a single angle can often be misleading.

At first glance, the SH side may appear to offer cleaner polishing, more defined surface finishing, and a more complete overall presentation. However, there is a critical detail here:
Dandong (DD) movements are delivered to factories undecorated — in other words, “naked”.

Afterwards, manufacturers such as VSF, ARF, and similar factories apply their own engravings, polishing, surface finishing, and visual craftsmanship.
For this reason, most comparisons are effectively in the following format:

Finished SH + Unfinished DD

At the final production stage, fully finished DD platforms are still considered a benchmark by many users, especially in terms of bridge finishing, gear surface quality, jewel placement, and long-term stability.

Although SH has made significant progress visually, our technical preference still leans toward the DD platform.

🔬 Technical Details

Recent improvements observed on the SH side:

• Escapement shock setting has been noticeably improved
• Escape wheel and pallet fork geometry are now closer to DD / genuine specifications
• The jewel architecture under the automatic bridge is now also present on SH
• Surface finishing, including brushing and radial polishing, has been significantly refined
• Gear finishing appears more consistent compared to previous SH batches

⚠️ However, key differences still remain:

• DD still leads in long-term amplitude stability
• Gear tolerances and winding smoothness are more mature on DD
• Rotor feel and automatic bridge durability are generally better on DD
• It is not a coincidence that top-tier manufacturers (such as VSF) continue to rely on DD platforms

🏁 Conclusion

SH has made a significant leap in recent batches.
However, in the premium segment, the technical benchmark remains the DD platform.