Peacock Watch today launches the Peacock Perfection Classic 1953 "Aircraft Hand", a limited-edition timepiece that marries mid-century Chinese watchmaking heritage with 21st-century craftsmanship. Inspired by the original "Aircraft Hand" of the 1970s Hongqi (Red Flag) commemorative watch produced by Liaoning Watch Factory, this model revives a symbol of national pride and technological triumph with modern refinement and rare flame-blued titanium hands.

Heritage & Inspiration

The year 1953 marked a turning point in the People's Republic of China—an era of rebuilding and renewed peace. Peacock commemorates that moment with a watch that channels vintage soul through design cues first seen in the Hongqi series of the 1970s, when Liaoning Watch Factory (now Peacock) celebrated the successful launch of Dongfanghong-1, China's first satellite, on 24 April 1970. The original "Aircraft Hand"—a sweeping, aircraft-shaped seconds hand—became an emblem of hope and progress, earning cult status among collectors.

The "Red Flag Hand" & Flame-Blued Titanium

Peacock elevates the vintage motif into the "Red Flag Hand", accentuating its curves and sharpening its profile to evoke both aviation and national symbolism. Each hand undergoes hand-flame-bluing on titanium alloy—a notably demanding technique that involves heating the metal to 550–600 °C over a naked flame, producing a shifting blue-violet iridescence through natural oxidation, not paint. Unlike steel—which blues at ~300 °C—titanium requires much higher temperatures, making the process exceptionally rare and difficult.