Every year, March and April mark the period when major watch brands unveil their new creations for the first half of the year. Compared to the new releases in September and October, the spring releases are generally considered more important. Since the introduction of the Black Hole model last year, the renowned Chinese watch brand Peacock has shown more maturity in its design. Their creations combine technical prowess with design skills and have gradually made their way into overseas markets.
The first new model I received this year is the Diving Tourbillon Sea Wing. This watch features Peacock’s self-developed non-index tourbillon movement with a four-weight balance wheel. Many people don't fully understand the advantages and requirements of non-index movements compared to traditional indexed ones, often just assuming that “non-index is more advanced” or “some watches can be identified by whether they have an index or not.” Although I am not a professional watch technician, here’s my layman’s summary:
The non-index structure, adjusted through weights and screws, not only allows for fine-tuning the daily rate but also makes more precise adjustments to the balance wheel's weight distribution and positional errors. Additionally, it can adjust the tension of the hairspring through its own gravity, making it easier to mitigate issues like hairspring adhesion or fatigue.
However, using heavier weights or screws demands more from the hairspring. With the same balance wheel size, a regular hairspring can drive a plain balance wheel, but not one with weights or screws. Each brand’s hairspring formula is a closely guarded secret. Even if you scan and copy the entire movement structure, without knowing the hairspring formula, you can’t replicate the balance wheel and hairspring structure of the original watch. Therefore, discussions about indexed parts often miss the core issue, which lies in the balance wheel and hairspring—key components in watchmaking.
This is one of the reasons I admire Peacock’s recent watches. Besides their more refined designs, they are meticulous about movement configuration. In addition to the four-weight balance wheel non-index movement, they have improved the movement’s shock resistance through structural adjustments (a topic that is complex and worth discussing in detail later).
The dial features a beautiful gradient color, transitioning from light to deep blue, with a grainy texture that complements the ocean theme. The case is made of 904L aerospace steel, which effectively resists corrosion from seawater and sweat, making it more durable. The unidirectional rotating bezel is also finely crafted.
With a thickness of 11mm at 300m water resistance, it’s an ideal everyday watch. Although the 44mm size might seem large, the relatively thin profile ensures a comfortable wear. Even with my 17cm wrist, it fits quite well.
