When it comes to high watchmaking, finissage is everything. Connoisseurs and watchmakers who understand this can spend hours debating the finer points of chamfered bridges and freehand engraving. Once you start to notice the details, you can’t unsee them, and you develop a whole new appreciation for fine timepieces. We at Speake Marin have been a part of this conversation since the beginning, and two new pieces in our One & Two Openworked line, the Sandblasted Grade 5 Titanium and Sandblasted Red Gold, speak volumes.
Both watches are a testament to the craftsmanship and tradition that distinguish our watches from other luxury watches that have a more industrial finish. The dials of the two new Openworked editions are sandblasted, a finish that relies heavily on technique, a skill that is developed over the years by experts. When well-executed, the finish creates a grain-like surface that, while uniform in texture, appears rough. The result is very subtle and extremely elegant. And despite the fact that the finish on both the red gold version and the titanium version are the same, they look different, because they each refract light in slightly distinct ways.
Just changing the case material has the powerful result of completely transforming the watch.
A movement worth louping
Below the sandblasted dial plate, the components of the movement are visible on several levels, and they are finely finished in several ways: there are bevelled bridges, polished screws, a satin finish on the small seconds subddial, perlage on the back plate, and an engraving on the mainspring barrel. The rubies lend a final touch of color to the composition. The minutes indications and the small seconds counter positioned at 1:30 are applied by an innovative 3D technique. The seconds hand, along with the heart-shaped central hours and minutes hands, are polished black on the titanium version, and on the red gold version they are gold-coated to match the case. The contrast with the dial not only looks great but has a job to do: it enhances readability.
That intriguing circle of lettering you see on the cover of the mainspring barrel at 5 o’clock is an engraved expression of the eight values of Speake Marin: RESPECT, INDEPENDANCE, LIBERTE, UNIQUE, AUTHENTICITE, GENEVE, CREATIVITE, MODERNITE. The gist of this message is, in essence, a pledge to uphold the standards of high watchmaking according to the principles most valued by connoisseurs, and it’s worth stating. It’s an homage to our respect for tradition, for the freedom to design and create watches without compromising to commercial or cost-cutting methods, and it’s a promise to pursue a course of authentic creativity. It’s a pledge that few could argue has been well fulfilled.
No ordinary atelier
The watches, which come in both 38mm and 42mm sizes in both metals, contain the selfwinding in-house caliber SMA01. It incorporates a fully integrated micro-rotor that was entirely created and assembled by the well-known workshop “Le Cercle des Horlogers” in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This is no ordinary atelier. It is a movement research and development center near Neuchâtel, Switzerland, that serves as the exclusive movement manufacturer for Speake Marin, allowing the company to increase production while remaining an independent workshop.
We recently published a story here about our integrated atelier. Speake Marin CEO Christelle Rosnoblet is the main shareholder of “The Cercle des Horlogers”, and her interest is first and foremost in preserving the integrity of the brand. Her goal was to be free to define the Speake Marin movement quality standard, something she has succeeded in doing. Today, the atelier is focused on eight different movements, made exclusively for Speake Marin. “My primary goal in investing in Le Cercle des Horlogers was to have artisanal production with handcrafted finishes and 100% Swiss-made products, and to bring together local experts to work on our own Speake Marin movements,” says Mrs. Christelle Rosnoblet. “Given that we produce fewer than 1,000 pieces a year, we aim to preserve the excellence and rarity of our timepieces in the market.”
These new Openworked Sandblasted models are proof that the formula is working. They combine Speake Marin’s traditional watchmaking know-how with our latest in-house caliber, within our iconic Piccadilly case. Two new statement pieces for people who value exclusivity and attention to detail, from a niche watchmaker that cares about beauty and lasting value.