Speake-Marin

Peter Speake-Marin trained at Hackney Technical College in London, spent years restoring antique watches on Piccadilly and later worked at Renaud et Papi, the complications workshop behind much of the industry's most difficult work. He founded his own brand in Switzerland in 2002.

The house style was established early and has stayed: the Piccadilly case with its distinctive stepped bezel, the topping tool motif taken from a watchmaker's own bench, and heart-shaped bridges visible through the back.

Christelle Rosnoblet bought the company in 2012 and built a movement workshop in the Neuchâtel region, moving it from assembling supplied calibres towards developing and finishing its own.

The output is deliberately small and deliberately difficult — tourbillons, minute repeaters, the Vertical Double Tourbillon, and an Art Series with hand-sculpted dials. These are watches made in dozens rather than thousands.

Peter Speake-Marin himself has since moved on to other projects; the brand he named continues in Geneva.

Speake-Marin holds 18 models, from £9,800 to £39,192. Half cost less than £24,452, and a quarter less than £16,450. 18 of 18 are automatic. 13 are stocked by more than one retailer, giving 31 offers in total. Prices are checked nightly against the retailers’ own feeds.

1985

Peter Speake-Marin qualifies as a watchmaker in London.

2002

Founds the brand in Switzerland.

2003

The Piccadilly case establishes the house style.

2012

Christelle Rosnoblet acquires the company.

2015

In-house movement development begins in Neuchâtel.