An Evening With Peter Speake-Marin

The Swiss town of Rolle, whilst quite pretty, is certainly not on any tourist trail. In fact, if I recall correctly the last time I came through here it was simply an attempt to avoid the blocked motorway. So when I found myself driving through this sleepy, picturesque town on a lovely autumn evening it all seemed a bit surreal. Then again, I was on my way to meet master watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin, so really I couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else!

We have organized to meet up over a couple of beers in a disconcertingly odd “English” pub. When I arrive I am pleasantly surprised to see that Peter is in the company of two other gentleman who turn out to be ex-colleagues from Renaud et Papi (the infamous subsidiary of Audemars Piguet) who now make complications under contract. It seems I truly am in the presence of watch royalty this evening.

Considered by many to be a rising star of the horological world, Speake-Marin’s conservatively styled range belies the love and care that he lavishes upon each and every one of them. Recently he gained considerable publicity, first for venturing around the world to promote his watches and then, in a rather sad turn of events, for getting car-jacked in San Francisco for his stock (please see here for details. If you know or hear anything please contact Peter Speake-Marin immediately). Thankfully unharmed, the attack and subsequent loss does not seem to have dimmed his enthusiasm for his products or his vision.

As distressing as this experience was, it also served to demonstrate the level of dedication and passion required to be a successful independent watchmaker, characteristics for which Speake-Marin is well known. Others would be forgiven for being frozen with fear when confronted by an angry assailant, but not Peter. His first reaction to being dragged out of his car was to lean back in and try to grab the bag containing his precious pieces. Now the police will tell you that this is certainly not the right thing to do in this situation, as you may well find yourself face-to-face with a knife or worse, a gun. However, when your job is your life it’s not hard to see why he tried anyway.

As a foreigner in the Swiss dominated industry Peter has had to work extra hard to forge his reputation for high-quality watch-making. The relaxed, modest way he recounts his watch-making journey belies his exceptional pedigree. Studying watch making at Hackney College in London was an accident, restoring and servicing vintage watches for Somlo’s in Piccadilly just a case of being in the right place at the right time and working at “Renaud et Papi” just another job. But talking with his two former R. et P. colleagues it is very clear the esteem in which he is held. Here is a man who knows who he is and where he is going.

The astronomical rise of Peter’s profile in the world of high-end watchmaking cannot be attributed solely to a simple string of good fortune, not by any stretch of the imagination. This is someone who found their calling and with careful thought, a little bit of luck and an exceptional amount of hard work, carved out a successful career. It was only logical that the next step in his journey be the formation and running of his own company.

Speake-Marin’s early model watches were based on a highly modified ETA 2824, perhaps a somewhat overlooked but nonetheless worthy caliber. Whilst this may have not been ideal, Speake-Marin’s time repairing vintage watches taught him that timepieces must last and one way to ensure this was to use a trusted base and then upgrade the movement with his own modifications.
The compromise was well worth it though. The use of the ETA movement allowed him the time and the money to complete his own caliber, the SM2, which would be used as the foundation for all future creations. The good news is that this really is just the beginning and he has already planned out his strategy for several future versions.

As has been the hallmark of his career, Peter’s timing is impeccable. In these times of financial constraint there has been a marked move away from the relentless bright gold and diamonds ever present over the last few years and Speake-Marin’s watches seem ideally placed to take advantage of this. The classic style of his watches coupled with the curved lugs give a nice tight fit on your wrist and a good chunky feel without the unpleasant sensation of walking around with a lead weight attached to your arm. Unlike some other brands which I won’t mention here!!

However when it comes down to it, it is the attention to detail that really takes your breath away. From the unique rotor, visible through the sapphire exhibition back, to the tiny but superbly executed blue-steeled screw that hold the brilliantly enameled dial in place. Any of these subtle touches would be reason enough to purchase one of these amazing watches. Add to this the fact that Peter Speake-Marin is destined to be one of the great watchmakers of this century, and you soon see it’s really not that hard of a choice to make!

To find out more about this amazing man and his creations check out his official website.

Tags: complication, ETA, independent, luxury, New, Speake-Marin, Swiss, Watch, watch maker

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