Meet Peacock - a Chinese watch brand crafting complex movements since 1957, and its Haiyi Tourbillon model, a 40mm limited edition dive watch with a colorful enamel dial engraved with Lindsay in three colors.
You may not be familiar with Liaoning Peacock, also known as Peacock Watch Company, but this manufacturer from Dandong, China, is one of the world's largest producers of watch movements. Peacock specializes in creating complex complications, including unconventional ones like dive watches with their own free-sprung tourbillon movement and a translucent enamel dial with a pattern inspired by the movement of the sea.
History and Features of the Peacock Brand
Before examining the Haiyi Tourbillon model, available in three colors - blue, purple, and green (we had the green example), it's worth getting to know the brand that created these modern complex dive watches. Peacock is somewhat of an anomaly in the watch world. Founded in 1957 in Dandong, the company evolved from producing some of China's first mechanical watches to becoming one of the most technically advanced manufacturers focusing on complex movements. Its vertically integrated production includes the design, manufacture, decoration, assembly, and regulation of watches within the company. Over the years, Peacock has developed and released over 300 calibers, including many complex ones like tourbillons produced in large volumes.
Peacock Haiyi Tourbillon - The Result of Seven Decades of Experience
The brand's history began with the Antong Metal Products Factory, where the company's first watches, Qianjin (“Progress”), were hand-assembled. In 1973, the company changed its name to Peacock - a symbol in China representing elegance, prosperity, and prestige. By the 1980s, Peacock in Dandong was producing over 3.8 million watches annually. Located on the Yalu River border with North Korea, Dandong has about 800,000 residents and is known as the “Geneva of the East.”
This nickname is justified: in 1999, Peacock introduced one of the first Chinese chronograph movements, and four years later released the first tourbillon watch. In recent years, the brand has focused on producing high-end mechanical watches, especially tourbillons, such as the iF Design Award 2024-winning Black Hole with a central tourbillon, and the ultra-thin Divine Craft with a slim coaxial tourbillon and hand-crafted dial decoration. Notably, Atelier Wen used Peacock movements in the first two generations of its renowned Perception line. Now, with a general overview, let's explore the Haiyi Tourbillon Yu (屿), which translates to “Island.”
Haiyi Tourbillon Dial: 190 Waves and 78 Crossings
The Haiyi Tourbillon case measures 40mm in diameter, 47mm in length, and 12.2mm in thickness. Made of 904L steel, it features sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, a sapphire bezel insert, and a helium escape valve. The watch is water-resistant to 300 meters. It is offered with a rubber strap styled to look like sharkskin and a steel buckle, or a steel bracelet. The bracelet consists of 48 links (25 large and 23 central), with 25 matte, 23 polished, and 46 beveled surfaces. We had the model with a rubber strap, which proved soft and comfortable. The steel bracelet can only be judged by its impressive specifications.
Now, let's move on to the features of the dive watch, starting with the dial. It combines translucent enamel with hand engraving by Lindsay, creating a multi-layered pattern of 190 waves and 78 crossings. The Lindsay engraving technique was previously unknown to me. Unlike traditional hand engraving, which relies on physical pressure or hammering, Lindsay uses precisely controlled pneumatic impulses to guide the chisel. This allows for very precise and smooth patterns. The Haiyi Tourbillon dial is a vivid testament to this: the pattern is very delicate and accurately mimics tidal waves. Incidentally, the word Hǎiyīn (海音) translates to “sound of the ocean” and is often used in Chinese names to convey a marine theme.
Design Features and Technical Details of the Dial
The dial surface is divided into six interconnected zones with engraving, expanding outward with a coefficient of 1.3. The resulting pattern imitates the natural spread of waves on water, creating a motion effect. This dial is complex to produce due to the transitions between sections. There are 78 so-called “blade crossings” where engraving lines must converge without breaking, maintaining the pattern's fluidity. Each groove is cut to a precise depth of 0.15mm - without the slightest error, or the design's integrity is compromised.
Engraving is just part of the work. To create depth and a motion effect, Peacock applies a complex translucent enamel coating. Five layers of enamel, each about 0.03mm thick, are applied individually. The dial is then subjected to prolonged firing, gradually binding the enamel to the engraved metal surface. This is followed by multiple polishing rounds, reducing the enamel thickness to 0.06mm. At this stage, the Lindsay engraving begins to show through the translucent coating, creating the impression that the waves are beneath the water's surface. Despite the dial's green color, the effect looks very realistic.
A delicate touch comes from the two transparent sapphire hands, only 0.4mm thick. They give the dial lightness, while the luminescent coating on the hands, applied markers, and sapphire diver's bezel emphasize the watch's role as a professional diver.
Diving with a Flying Tourbillon
If you admire the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tourbillon or the discontinued Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk Tourbillon but are not ready for their price, consider the Haiyi Tourbillon. The hand-wound PAX9610B movement operates at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and has a power reserve of 68 hours. The top plate is decorated with rainbow Geneva waves, visible under the large wheel's double spiral, and the gears are finished with radiant patterns. The sapphire case back reveals engravings and beveled screws. The movement is beautiful on both sides, but the main attraction is on the front - where the tourbillon rotates at the “6 o'clock” position.
The flying tourbillon integrated into the case is only 3.5mm thick and features a Gyromax balance on a free-sprung balance spring with four adjustable weights. This design allows for more precise regulation compared to traditional screw systems, maintaining the optimal balance spring geometry for stable performance. A visual highlight is a microscopic natural sparkling diamond on the tourbillon bridge, reminiscent of a flying fish - easy to spot but impossible to catch.
Conclusions on the Peacock Haiyi Tourbillon
How do I feel about a dive watch with a tourbillon and an engraved enamel dial? I never thought I'd ask myself that question. The engraving gives the dial depth and texture, made possible by a high level of craftsmanship rarely seen in sports watches priced around $3,499 USD. Equally impressive is the hand-wound flying tourbillon in a watch priced under $3.5K. Comfort in wearing is also important - the well-balanced 40mm steel case on a soft rubber strap wears comfortably. These watches definitely attract attention and spark interest. If you are open to new horizons of watchmaking art, the Haiyi Tourbillon can be a bright and reliable summer watch that won't go unnoticed.
If green is not your color, two other options are available: a gradient blue Xi (汐), which means “Tide,” and a smoky purple Huan (幻), which translates to “Magical.” All three versions of the Haiyi Tourbillon are limited to 199 pieces each. To find out how to purchase the watch or learn more about the “Geneva of the East” and other brand products, visit the official Peacock Watches website.