Sunday, March 10, 2024

Peacock Watch 1957

 Peacock is a renowned brand in the watchmaking industry, particularly known for its high-quality timepieces and innovative mechanical movements. Established in 1957, Peacock has a rich heritage and a commitment to excellence in craftsmanship and design.

Key features of Peacock watches include:

  1. Precision Engineering: Peacock watches are crafted with precision engineering, ensuring accurate timekeeping and reliable performance.

  2. Innovative Movements: Peacock is known for its innovative mechanical movements, including tourbillons and other complex complications, which showcase the brand's technical expertise and dedication to horological innovation.

  3. Distinctive Design: Peacock watches often feature distinctive designs that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, making them both stylish and timeless.

  4. Heritage and Legacy: With a history dating back to 1957, Peacock has a rich heritage and legacy in the watchmaking industry, which is reflected in the quality and craftsmanship of its timepieces.

  5. Collectibility: Peacock watches are highly sought after by collectors due to their quality, craftsmanship, and limited availability.

Overall, Peacock watches represent the pinnacle of watchmaking excellence, combining precision engineering, innovative design, and a rich heritage to create timepieces that are both beautiful and functional.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Peacock Watch

 


The craftsmanship of a peacock watch typically involves exquisite design, manufacturing, and decorative techniques aimed at capturing the beauty and mystique of peacocks. Here are some craftsmanship aspects involved in creating a peacock watch:

  1. Design: Designing a peacock watch is crucial and involves incorporating the features and aesthetics of peacocks into the watch's appearance. This may include peacock feather patterns, silhouettes, or images.

  2. Engraving and Casting: Some peacock watches may feature engravings or castings of peacock motifs on the dial, case, or bracelet. This often requires skilled engraving or casting techniques to render details on a small scale.

  3. Gemstone Setting: Gemstones may be used to simulate the colors and luster of peacock feathers on certain peacock watches. This demands expertise in gemstone setting to precisely mount stones onto the watch's dial, case, or other components.

  4. Cloisonné Enamel: Cloisonné enamel is a decorative technique capable of adding rich colors and textures to a watch. Some peacock watches may utilize cloisonné enamel to depict peacock feather patterns or colors, creating a unique and eye-catching appearance.

  5. Mechanical Movements: Beyond exterior decoration, peacock watches require finely crafted mechanical movements to ensure accuracy and reliability. Some high-end peacock watches may feature complex mechanical movements, such as a tourbillon, showcasing the skill of watchmakers and their pursuit of precision.

In summary, creating a peacock watch involves combining exquisite design and craftsmanship techniques to showcase the beauty of peacocks and the high quality of the watch. These watches are not only timepieces but also works of art and valuable collectibles, bringing unique charm and enjoyment to the wearer.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Watch Geek Review: THE MOST EXPENSIVE Chinese Watch I Ever Featured




Today we are reviewing THE MOST EXPENSIVE Chinese watch I ever featured on the channel!! Peacock Black Hole with a central Tourbillon complication, something only a few brands offer and with prices STARTING at $40,000 and way up from there, this Peacock with a pricetag of $3,750 all of the sudden seems affordable, as weird as it may sound.

Powered by their in-house made movement that comes with 120 hours, or 5 days of power reserve and with a very unique way of showing time as well as the overall design, it is an interesting watch, even though the price is hard to swallow.

My favorite part is the sapphire that wraps around the case in the upper half forming a cap.

The watch comes in a luxurious packaging as expected at this pricepoint and on one of the best rubber straps I ever tried.

Even though it is 46mm in diameter it wears more like a 39mm watch as it is a lugless design.


 

Saturday, January 27, 2024

The Peacock Tourbillon

 


The Peacock Tourbillon, introduced in 2003, marked a significant milestone for the brand, adding features such as a calendar, power reserve display, and automatic movement, enhancing its aesthetic appeal and collectible value. A decade later, Peacock developed a proprietary double tourbillon movement with independent intellectual property rights, featuring twin tourbillons positioned at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock, resembling the large eyes of an owl. Peacock is recognized as one of the few brands globally, alongside Roger Dubuis, capable of producing a double tourbillon watch with this specific placement.

Key characteristics of Peacock Tourbillons include uniqueness, exquisite craftsmanship, skeletonization, and precision:

  1. Uniqueness: Peacock Tourbillons are unique in the field of tourbillons, owing to the brand's self-operated movement factory, a strong R&D team, and the influence of having independent intellectual property rights in the movements.

  2. Exquisite Craftsmanship: These watches emphasize the beauty of "both inside and outside," with meticulously crafted internal components and fashionable, eye-catching external designs.

  3. Skeletonization: Peacock Tourbillons showcase skeletonization, allowing the movement and internal structures to be exposed. This design reveals the unique "rotating escapement speed regulation mechanism," providing a glimpse into the coordination of this mechanism with other components inside the watch.

  4. Precision: Tourbillons were invented to minimize the errors in the "escapement system" of mechanical watches, aiming to improve timekeeping accuracy. Precision is a crucial attribute of Peacock Tourbillons, distinguishing them from other mechanical watches.

Development History:

  • 2003: Development of the first tourbillon movement wristwatch.
  • 2011: Introduction of the proprietary Peacock double tourbillon movement with independent intellectual property rights, featuring twin tourbillons at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock.
  • 2013: Completion of trial production of five new varieties in the tourbillon series. The SL3001 automatic calendar movement entered mass production, and advancements were made in the chronograph series.
  • 2017: Launch of the Peacock semi-skeletonized carbon double tourbillon movement with intellectual property rights, part of the "CLASSIC Series – Pioneers, Witnesses."

Representative Products:

  1. Peacock Single Tourbillon Wristwatch
  2. Peacock CLASSIC Series Pioneer Wristwatch: The first watch in China to use a carbon fiber case for a tourbillon wristwatch.
  3. Peacock Semi-Skeletonized Carbon Double Tourbillon Wristwatch: Features a proprietary movement with twin tourbillons at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.

Peacock has demonstrated its commitment to innovation and craftsmanship in the development of these tourbillon timepieces, contributing to the brand's recognition in the watchmaking industry.

Peacock Movement

 


Peacock Movement refers to the mechanical movements or watch movements produced by Peacock, a Chinese watch brand known for its focus on precision craftsmanship and innovation. These movements are the internal mechanisms that power the watches, consisting of various components like gears, springs, and balance wheels that work together to regulate the timekeeping functions of the watch.

Peacock has a history dating back to 1957 and has become a leading player in the Chinese watch industry, particularly in the manufacturing of high-quality mechanical watch movements. The brand is recognized for its commitment to precision manufacturing, innovation, and the development of a wide range of movements, including those with complications such as tourbillons.

The movements crafted by Peacock are known for their advanced technology, stability, and attention to detail. The brand has contributed to the development and promotion of "Chinese-made" movements, emphasizing the importance of domestically produced watch components.

If you have specific questions about Peacock movements or want to know more details about a particular type of movement, feel free to ask!

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

The Grand Master of Peacock Watches: Wu Zhirong

 

Wu Zhirong(武志荣), 67, retired from his position in mold manufacturing and processing at Liaoning Peacock Watch Industry Co., Ltd. 5 years ago. After being re-employed, Wu became the factory director of Liaoning Peacock Watch Tool Factory, and he said the responsibility is even heavier now.

Liaoning Dandong Peacock Watch Industry, where Wu Zhirong works, originated from Liaoning Peacock Watch Factory established in 1957. As one of the three major watch production bases in China, Liaoning Peacock Watch is a modern light industry enterprise specializing in watch R&D and manufacturing.

Since starting at the factory in 1978, Wu has witnessed the ups and downs of China's watch industry and the journey towards today's high-quality development. In the past 40 years, he has been dedicated to one thing: making better molds to help Chinese watch brands rise. He said every minute and second at work, he could hear the "sound" of "time" passing.

In 1975 at the age of 18, Wu Zhirong was sent to Yongdian Village in Kuaidian County, Dandong City as an educated youth. "The local people were extremely poor, with no electricity and not enough food." In 1978, Wu returned to the city and entered Liaoning Peacock Watch Factory, becoming a mold worker producing watch parts. "For me, this was an entirely new beginning."

Returning to the city, entering the factory, and becoming a technical worker were the dreams of many young people at that time. However, it was by no means easy to become a skilled worker with solid technical expertise. "The most important thing in making molds for watch parts is meticulous attention to detail. The tolerance is measured in micrometers, with one micrometer equal to one hundredth of a human hair." To meet his master's requirements, Wu would often stand at the process bench for three to four hours. Many people gave up due to the pressure. "I cherished the opportunity especially and did not dare to be negligent in the slightest."

Wu Zhirong武志荣

After half a year, Wu's master said he had the qualities rarely seen in a "mold maker". With his own efforts, Wu became the team leader managing 20 workers one year later, leading his workshop to be the "pillar" in the watch factory's mold department.

In 1978, the reform and opening up brought spring breeze across China. By the mid-1980s, the "Peacock" brand had become one of the "three major items" (watches, bicycles, sewing machines) most important to people's livelihoods across Northeast China and even the whole country. At this time, Liaoning Peacock Watch Industry, together with Shanghai and Tianjin's precision machinery enterprises, formed the three pillars of China's watch industry.

In 1990, Wu followed his master to travel to Longines Watch Company in Switzerland to learn advanced mold manufacturing technologies. "This is where I saw the gap between famous Chinese and international watch companies. But it strengthened my confidence that we could also make molds at their level." The trip to Switzerland not only broadened Wu's horizons but also clarified his future goals.

In the mid-1990s, the booming market economy was impacting the decades-long planned economy. In 1996, Peacock Watch Industry moved into semi-shutdown. "Most of the workers left, having to face the pressures of making a living. I didn't want to see the watch factory collapse," Wu said. Nearly 20 years of work made him reluctant to let go of the feelings in his heart. "Although the business was struggling, I persisted until 1998 when I had no choice but to leave to support my children's education."

Right after Wu's departure in 2000 came the watch company's restructuring. "Moving towards the new century, it felt like a completely new beginning. So I returned," Wu said. The two years away seemed very long for him.

Wu was excited and determined to come back, while also clearly feeling the pressure brought by the technological revolution. "This was by no means just going back to the old practices. In the past we produced according to state plans, but now our products need to cater to market demand - everything has changed," Wu said. At that time, the first product he developed was a popular sports watch on the market.

"Since we hadn't produced this kind of product before, we had to start the manufacturing process for the watch parts molds from scratch." In order to research the 8205 extra-thin watch movement mold, Wu led a 6-person team, poring over materials day after day at the process bench. Finally they researched out the movement mold for the product in one week, causing sensational "breaking news" in Liaoning Peacock Watch and the entire domestic watch industry.

From 2000 until today, Liaoning Peacock Watch has evolved from sports watches to tourbillon and dual-tourbillon watches, now having researched and produced seven major series with over one hundred varieties. Economic benefits continue rising, while behind each watch contains Wu Zhirong's painstaking efforts and sweat. "When your work gains recognition from the industry and more people, you feel gratified and joyful inside," Wu said. The reason he could hear the “sound” of “time” passing every minute and second is it constantly reminds him, “There are still more technical challenges, don’t waste time, don’t waste yourself.”

After over 40 years not wasting time and dedicating himself to one thing, in 2018 Wu Zhirong was selected in the first “Craftsmen of the Great Watch Power” award held by China Light Industry Council and China Textile and Apparel Council, a well-deserved honor.

Wu Zhirong武志荣
How many chances are there in life to strive for one's dream? "My daughter and wife persuade me to rest at home at this age, but when I think the company still needs me to lead the younger generation, I want to work a few more years. Our generation's dream is for Chinese watch brands to become world famous. If I try a little harder, the dream would be a little closer," Wu said. His reason for persisting in his work is simple - to contribute the last of his energy towards Chinese watches going international.

"How many chances are there in life to strive for one's dream? If not now, then when?" The words of famous Chinese ping pong player Rong Guotuan have always been Wu's motto at work. Wu said that even though he is advanced in age, as long as there are technical challenges, he is willing to try and overcome them.

After being re-employed in 2018, Wu took on a technical cooperation project with a foreign company. This required him to lead the technical team to produce a one-time forming mold for the movement of a certain brand's sports watch using the “captive bar” method within the shortest amount of time.

"At the time, some advised me to avoid risks and retreat since I had already retired, warning that failure could ruin my reputation built up in the industry over many years." However, I believe life is only a few decades long. If not daring to strive at this moment, there may never be such a chance again in the future. "This was not only a good opportunity for technical cooperation but also a test of ‘Peacock’ technology by the foreign partner. If we didn't manage to get over this hurdle, we wouldn't be able to establish ‘Peacock's’ technology," Wu said.

With his perseverant character, Wu led the technical team. After nearly two months of painstaking research, they finally overcame this technical difficulty, winning an opportunity and honor for the company. One-time forming had been the dream of generations in the watch company, now realized in Wu’s hands as he broke the conventional method of copying the Soviet Union for mold manufacturing. The Swiss experts couldn’t help repeatedly praising when comparing the captive bar with the sample.

“Time will prove the quality of timepieces.” This is a saying deeply understood by Peacock’s people. Wu believes in the power of “time”. He can always hear the “sound” of “time” passing.

 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 ...