Waking up to high quality made-in-China

Pride of ownership has become a cliche frequently cited to explain aficionados paying big money for something that's as unnecessary as an ornate wristwatch or as obsolete as a mechanical range-finder camera. But behind this cliche lies a passion that we can all share, a deep respect for, and appreciation of, excellence in workmanship. It is manifested in the uncompromising quality of the product, which may seem to others outrageously overpriced and laughably impractical.

At a camera market in Shanghai one Saturday afternoon, I was introduced to pride of ownership in the form of a $200 ball head for a tripod mount, which was satiny in both touch and operation. An experienced photographer would certainly appreciate the precision of its movements and the rigidity of its locking mechanism.

Assuming that it was an import, I enquired about its country of origin. Pointing to the "Made in China" engraved on the rim of the metal base plate, the shopkeeper, a middle-aged man, said blandly that the product was fabricated in a small Shenzhen factory well-known in the industry for its meticulous attention to quality.