Speake Marin Watches

Brand: Speake Marin Watches Review

Speake-Marin History

Speake-Marin is a Swiss watchmaking brand that was created in 2002, which presents its creations of which are a combination of excellence and know-how of Swiss watchmaking. By the expression of this impertinence, the Swiss brand pays tribute to the British origins of his founder: Peter Speake-Marin.

Behind this unique name, we find the English roots. Therefore native from England, Peter Speake-Marin went to Switzerland after qualifying as a horologist in London following which he deepened his knowledge at Wostep, Neuchatel. After pursuing his career in London, where he acquired his taste for antique watches through restoration, he returned to Switzerland in1996 and 2002 creating his brand as an independent watchmaker. The story of Speake-Marin begins!

Tourbillion was the 1st watch realized by Speake-Marin. Hence the name the foundation watch. This watch is particularly important in the history of watches since it carries all the important codes that we find even today through the existing collections

Nowadays timekeepers of Speake-Marin are presented in four categories:

1. The Spirit collection for sports watches
2. J-class collection gathers classic timekeepers.
3. The ladies watch- elegant by day and night.
4. Cabinet des Mysteres.

The Speake-Marin watches has grown since launching from time-only wristwatches to include models with a single hand, date, jumping hours, perpetual calendars, tourbillions, and minute repeaters while featuring fired-enamel, semi-skeletonized, hand-engraved, and multilevel dials.

What makes Speake-Marin watches special are somewhat many but for instance, the Speake-Marin One & Two Academic is available in 38mm or 42mm which provides excellent wearing comfort. Also, its case has been tastefully redesigned: it is thinner, the screwed lugs have been reworked and are more ergonomic. Fashioned out of lightweight titanium, the Speake-Marin One & Two Academic is available in either 38mm or 42mm. The large fluted crown ensures easy operations thus the result is elegant and perfectly balanced with a cool, original twist.

Its clean and elegant dial is a multi-layer design that provide a sense of depth. The roman numerals are featured of which they are engraved in the raised outer part. The positioning of the brand logo between 6 and 9 o`clock is another original touch that provides a perfect counterpoint to the small seconds at 1:30 o`clock. More so it is polished in the center and features a matte finish on the periphery. Its dial is paired with the signature rhodium-plated "spade and whip" hands and it comes in different colors: metallic blue, silvery-white or slate grey.

Its caliber SMA03, which is visible through the exhibition case back, is structured with four bridges decorated with thin ribbing. The brand`s signature "watchmaking topping tool" is topped in the micro-rotor, the symbol crafted from Durnico steel, with 5N  gold plating. Ticking at 28,800 vibrations per hour, it can store up to 50 hours of power reserve. Its decoration is pleasant and on par with the price segment, the watch is offered in.

These special features of Speake-Marin, One & Two Academic watches, make it possible to be worn on casual suede leather straps secured with a pin buckle.

Speake-Marin Velsheda was named after a British J-Class yacht built in the 1930s and was the brainchild of the independent watchmaker, Peter Speake-Marin. Its casing having 18-carat red gold, diameter 42mm, height 12mm, water resistant to 3 bar(30 metres), sapphire crystal to front and caseback. Its functions being: Hours, minutes, small seconds, making its movement: Vaucher caliber 3002, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph(4Hz),28 jewels, power reserve 50 hours. Its dial looks very different from other watches,its elongated blue steel hand virtually spans the width of the dial. The tip of the hand is diamond-like in form, pointing to the chapter ring with laser-like precision, whilst the other end of the hand has a T-shaped profile. Its Roman numerals denote the hours with 5-minute graduations presented in between, neatly shown on a black chapter ring. A white lacquered dial delivers a crisp, pure canvas. Near the pivot of the dial, the surface sits lower, heightening visual interest.

Speake-Marin took his inspiration from the watchmaker`s apparatus for the design of the logo which graces his timepieces and from his fondness for the topping tool. Positioned on the hub of the central hand, one-topping tool logo rotates 360 degrees every 12 hours. Above is a superimposed second topping tool logo, displaying small seconds and rotating 360 degrees every minute. The small seconds’ displays lack the readability of a conventional seconds’ display. However, this does not seem important as the resultant patterns formed by one logo moving at a different tempo to the logo beneath delivers a beguiling, almost hypnotic spectacle, providing a wide variety of different patterns, which extensively separates the Velsheda as unique.

Speake-Marin Velsheda's case is similar in style to those found on the Speake-Marin timepieces. Marin describes this as his Piccadilly case and has stated that its design was inspired by early marine chronometers.

Speake-Marin Velsheda's movement is equipped with a self-winding vaucher Calibre 3002 movement. The quality of Vaucher`s work needs little discussion, its reputation for excellence is renowned within the watch industry. Its movement features a personalized oscillating mass, delivered in an eye-catching blue hue, again referencing Speake-Marin`s own topping tool motif. Beneath the oscillating mass, the bridges are adorned with Cotes de Geneve Rayonnantes. Both the bridges and rotor have been hand finished. Perusing the specification sheet of the Velsheda I could not fail to notice that the movement measures 30.4mm in width which seems small when considering the 42mm diameter of the cased watch. This would explain why the sapphire crystal does not assume greater prominence on the case back. Some may prefer a movement which occupies a greater percentage of the case interior, the comparatively diminutive movement does little to diminish my affection for this watch. 

The Speake-Marin Serpent calendar being the most recognizable Speake Marin models for its Piccadilly case, blued steel hands and serpentine hand that indicates the day. Its white enamel dial features the roman numerals that taper towards the bottom of the numeral. Just inside the Roman numerals, the dial displays Arabic numerals that indicate the day of the month. The Speake-Marin Serpent calendar watches is the 38mm version, but this version is also available in 42mm. The serpent calendar houses the EROS 1 hand finished the self-winding movement. The movement boasts five a five-day power reserve and 28,800 vph frequency. The transparent case back gives one good look at the intricately designed movement. The Speake Marin rotor is given many intricate details to support the Serpent scheme of the timepiece. Its Piccadilly case is comprised of long, stout lugs with large screws, an oversized crown, a thin bezel, and steep sides. The Speake-Marin Piccadilly was one of the first watch models released by Speake Marin. The unique watch lugs make the Speake Marin easily recognizable from far away.

The Speake-Marin Piccadilly are the most simple and sober of all the Speake-Marin`s timepieces. Its beauty of enameling, whether on a clock, an antique pocket watch or a modern wristwatch is clean and simple, classical and elegant in the meantime. The hour, minute and seconds hands of both the Original Piccadilly Collection enamel dial series and the Piccadilly Serpent collection are designed in the same style as Speake-Marin`s foundation watch.

Examples of Speake-Marin watch prices and watches for sale

• Speake-Marin Spirit Seafire Chronograph - $5,450.
• Speake-Marin Velsheda Deco 10027 watch - $7800.
• Speake-Marin Piccadilly 42mm white - $7,228.
• Speake-Marin Serpent Calendar Piccadilly - $4,599.
• Speake-Marin Platinum Vintage Tourbillion - $52,567.
• Speake-Marin Resilience Rose Gold - $14,500.
• Speake-Marin MARIN MARIN2 "THALASSA" - $31,500.
• Speake-Marin J- class Serpent calendar - $6000.
• Speake-Marin Spirit Seafire - $4775.

Speake Marin History Timeline

Year Watch

• 2000 The foundation pocket watch.
• 2003 The original collection.
• 2004 Serpent calendar.
• 2005 The quantime perpetual. 
• 2006 The vintage tourbillion. 
• 2006 The art series hand-engraved & sculpture. 
• 2007 The art series Japanese MAKI-E
• 2008 The sea & stone collection.
• 2009 The 1in20 pre-series.
• 2010 The Marin 1.
• 2011 Spirit pointer.
• 2012 Renaissance.
• 2012 Dong son.
• 2012 Limited edition skull pieces.
• 2012 Resilience.
• 2013 1st mechanical art triad.
• 2014 Magister tourbillion.
• 2014 Skull face to face.
• 2014 Spirit seafire.
• 2014 Velsheda.
• 2016 Spirit wing commander.
• 2016 London chronograph.
• 2016 First seafire chronograph.
• 2017 Blue seafire.
• 2017 Brown serpent calendar.
• 2017 Black velsheda gothic.
• 2018 Black seafire.
• 2018 Black wing commander.
• 2019 Openworked dual time.
• 2019 London chronograph bronze