Established in 2002 by Peter Speake-Marin, one of the most talented master watch makers in contemporary era, the Speake-Marin brand creates high end mechanical watches.

About Peter Speake-Marin, Founder of the Brand
A native Englishman, Peter Speake-Marin originally had the intention of making jewelry, but found himself seduced by the art and mechanics of watch making. He began his horological journey at London’s Hackney Technical College (1985) and then continued his education at WOSTEP, the prestigious Swiss watch making school.

Returning to England, Peter worked for a number of different companies around the UK before accepting an offer to head the prestigious antique watch section at Somlo Antiques. At their store in the Piccadilly Arcade, he had the privilege to restore timepieces by great masters and houses, including Dent, Frodsham, Nielson, Breguet and Patek Philippe. Working on these horological treasures taught him how past masters worked, it fueled his desire to raise his skills and knowledge even further.

Peter moved back to Switzerland in 1996 where he was recruited by the illustrious manufacture Renaud & Papi (now Audemars Piguet Renaud &Papi) to develop high complications. During this time, he began acquiring his own machinery and constructed by hand a tourbillon pocket watch with two power trains. This timepiece became the Foundation Watch for his own independent atelier, established in 2000 in the picturesque village of Rolle, between Geneva and Lausanne.

The Speake-Marin Watch Brand
Since its establishment, the brand presents its creations which are a combination of know-how and excellence of Swiss watchmaking. Furthermore the Swiss brand possesses something unique: an English touch.

In its atelier located in la Chaux-de-Fond, Switzerland, the watchmakers of Speake-Marin build the movements and assemble the watches in a rigorous watchmaking tradition where know-how and excellence are the key words. Timekeepers with a timeless elegance realized in very limited editions.

These exclusive watches are unique from the design of the dials to the complexity of the movement. Swiss in the realisation till the end of their hands, but British in the spirit: These timekeepers are discreet with a subtle touch of humour which appears through a hint of eccentricity: a movement that plays with time, an animation which catches your attention, a touch of colour which thwarts the conventional codes. By the expression of this impertinence, the Swiss brand pays tribute in the British origins of his founder: Peter Speake-Marin.

The first watch realized by Speake-Marin is a pocket watch with a tourbillon, the “Foundation Watch”. This watch is particularly important in the history of the brand because it carries all the important codes that we find even today through the existing collections as the Piccadilly case whose design is inspired by the first chronometers, but also through the crown and the heat-blued steel hands which make unique Speake-Marin Watches.

Nowadays, timekeepers of Speake-Marin are presented in four collections. The Spirit collection for the sport watches. The collection J-Class gathers classic timekeepers, companions of the everyday life. The ladies watches, elegant by day and by night, come to light though the Shenandoah and finally the exceptional pieces in the Cabinet des Mystères. These last pieces carry in them stories and breathtaking mechanisms. Pieces, often unique, which tell know-how and especially creativity that makes the uniqueness of SpeakeMarin.

In 2015, Pierce Brosnan became the Swiss watch brand’s ambassador, with a commitment for the next three years. In 2017, Peter Speake-Marin left the brand and created Naked Watchmaker, an online encyclopedia dedicated to the art of horology.

In 2018, For the 4th consecutive year, Speake-Marin signed an agreement with Mr Pierce Brosnan as the international Brand Ambassador.

Speake-Marin Watch Collections (2002-2017)
The elegant and classical design of the Foundation Watch was inspired by early marine chronometers, while the tourbillon cage motif inspired by a watchmakers topping tool. The detailed hand engravings fluted crown, unique hands are all features still found today in the Speake-Marin collections, and particularly in the J-Class Collection. Speake-Marin timepieces are today grouped into three collections. The sports watches of the Spirit Collection take their inspiration from the vintage military and aviation world.

• J-Class Collection: The more traditional J-Class Collection is often influenced by the world’s oldest nautical race: the America’s Cup. Speake-Marin has drawn inspiration from the world of sailing and has dedicated its models to the sport by naming each of its new models after a famous yacht. Lastly there is the Cabinet des Mystères, which includes the brand’s exceptional and esoteric models such as the mechanical art series and the miniature art pieces.
• Classic Collection: The Classic Collection features timepieces indicating hours, minutes and seconds with signature flame-blued Speake- Marin hands. The hand-finished mechanical movement is automatic winding. A choice of dials, case materials and case sizes (38mm and 42mm) ensures the perfect watch for every taste.
• Sea & Stone Collection: Sea & Stone is a limited edition collection featuring dials crafted from natural stones and/or shells. A maximum of six examples of each dial are available in 38mm or 42mm cases. Flame-blued hands, automatic winding, mechanical movement.
• Serpent Calendar: Timepieces with the serpent hand indicating the date. Available with either 38mm or 42mm gold case. Automatic winding, mechanical movement.
• Shimoda: A single flame-blued hand pivoting around a central diamond indicates the time on this elegant white enamel dial. Available in a 38mm white gold or red gold case. Automatic winding, mechanical movement.
• The ‘Quantième Perpétuel’ or Perpetual calendar: The complication keeps track of the number of days in each month and adjusts for leap years. Sub-dials indicate day, date, month and moon phase. Available in a 38mm or 42mm case, silvered-gold or champagne-gold dial, with full or semi-skeleton dial options. Automatic winding, mechanical movement.
• The Vintage Tourbillon Mark II: The Vintage Tourbillon Mark II is available limited edition of just 25 pieces. On the dial side, the mirror-polished tourbillon bridge with its central diamond is beautifully juxtaposed against circular finishing on the dial. Turning the watch over reveals intricately hand-engraved bridges and double retrograde hands indicating the 110-hour power reserve. Manual winding, mechanical movement.
• OneIn20: The OneIn20 by Speake-Marin is a limited edition of 20 pre-series of watches featuring the SM2 automatic in-house calibrate OneIn20 collection includes simple time-only watches, unique art pieces and perpetual calendars.
• Marin 1: The Marin 1 is the first timepiece (after the limited edition 1 in 20 pre-series) from Speake-Marin to feature the new in-house calibre SM2 automatic movement. Time on the Marin 1 is indicated by distinctive blued-steel hands. The polished 5 Eli titanium case is available in 38mm or 42mm.
• Unique Pieces: Speake-Marin also offers a bespoke service to those discerning individuals who wish to commission their own unique timepiece.
• Collaborations: Many prestigious watchmaking firms have frequently sought Peter for his talent and innovative ideas. Collaborations include: 2006 Harry Winston’s stunning Excenter Tourbillon; 2008 MB&F’s Horological Machine No.1; 2008 one of the three Masters developing Chapter One for Maîtres du Temps and Chapter Two in 2009.

Official website: http://www.speake-marin.com