his past year has been particularly active for Speake Marin, which has made some noteworthy additions to some of its major collections: Ripples, Openworked and Art Series.

Here’s a selection.

Ripples Skeleton

The Ripples sport-chic integrated bracelet collection, which has been a great success since its introduction in 2022, welcomes a brand new iteration that refines the watchmaker’s signature style. The Ripples Skeleton features the new La City case, which is slimmer than its predecessors and manufactured from 904L stainless steel. The size remains at 40.3 mm for a perfect genderless fit, while the thickness has been further reduced from an already slender 9.20 mm in the regular collection to just 6.30 mm, giving an elegant, dress-like quality to its already contemporary architecture. This has been made possible by the introduction of a new-generation calibre, the SMA07, crafted entirely in-house, which measures only 3.25 mm in thickness.

The movement showcases haute horlogerie elements including polished, bevelled edges and a satin-finished surface. Another standout feature is the skeletonised dial, a first for the Ripples collection, which reveals the gorgeous, delicately crafted movement beneath. The design allows light to play across the rhodium-plated satin-finished mainplate, bevelled micro-beaded edges and polished angles. The watch retains the distinctive small seconds subdial at 1:30, now accented with finer raised “ripples”. Slender diamond-polished indexes enhance the overall contrast, while the hour and minute hands, flame-blued by hand, pay homage to Speake Marin’s origins with the heart-shaped tip of the hour hand echoing Big Ben. The integrated micro-rotor provides 52 hours of power reserve, and the watch is water resistant to 5 ATM. The Ripples Skeleton is produced in limited quantities, and retails for CHF 29,900 (excluding taxes).

Art Series: Promenade à New York

Participating for the second time in the TimeforArt charity auction organised by the Swiss Institute of New York in support of contemporary art, Speake Marin has created a unique timepiece for its Art Series collection titled Promenade à New York (A Walk in New York City). It is inspired by fond memories of Speake Marin’s CEO, Christelle Rosnoblet, recalling her extended stay in New York. The exquisite mother-of-pearl dial serves as the canvas against which flashbacks to her leisurely Sunday walks in Central Park come to life. At the heart of the design is a magnificent micro-painting of the picturesque Gapstow Bridge, its intricate details skilfully captured and enhanced by the artist. The artwork depicts the bridge amid an evocative autumn scene, with foliage in shades of gold, bronze and orange, set against a crisp blue sky, towering skyscrapers and shimmering water reflections. The process required over 100 hours of meticulous work to complete.

The stunning micro-painting, crafted entirely by hand, is encased in the now iconic 42 mm Piccadilly case made from grade 5 titanium. The small seconds display at 1:30, a Speake Marin signature, comprising a polished rhodium-plated hand in the shape of the brand’s iconic topping-tool emblem, subtly enhances the dial. Powered by the seasoned SMA03 calibre, known for its reliable performance and haute horlogerie finishes, the watch also features an integrated micro-rotor, which is visible through the sapphire case back. This one-of-a-kind piece will be auctioned at the New York Watch Auction: XI, scheduled to take place in New York on Saturday, 7 December 2024.

Openworked Sandblasted

Speake Marin has introduced two new variations of the One & Two Openworked, each with its own distinct personality: the Openworked Sandblasted Titanium and the Sandblasted Red Gold. The sandblasted grey dial, identical on both models, gives them each a unique appearance, thanks to the way the light plays across the red gold or titanium case. The sandblasting technique used on the dial creates an extremely elegant, uniform yet textured finish. The high-end finishing of the visible movement parts, and the polished and bevelled edges of the bridges and apertures visible on the display highlight the decorative complexity of the timepiece.

The dial features matt black minute indications and a small seconds counter in the now familiar 1:30 position, applied using an innovative 3D technique. Both models are driven by the in-house SMA01 calibre and are available in polished grade 5 titanium or 18K red gold. They come in two sizes: 38 mm and 42 mm, with a case thickness of 10.5 mm. Pricing for the Sandblasted Titanium starts at CHF 22,200 (excluding taxes) for the 38 mm version and CHF 22,600 (excluding taxes) for the 42 mm. The Sandblasted Red Gold is priced at CHF 34,000 (excluding taxes) for the 38mm and CHF 38,700 (excluding taxes) for the 42mm version.

One & Two Openworked Dual Time Terracotta

Revamped in 2017 by renowned watch designer Eric Giroud, the collection has now been expanded with a unique Dual Time Terracotta model inspired by the warm earth tones of unspoiled landscapes such as Arizona’s Grand Canyon, the Atacama Desert of Chile, Wadi Rum in Jordan, or the Provençal Colorado in Luberon, France. Housed in the iconic titanium Piccadilly case, the watch features a sophisticated three-dimensional openworked dial decorated with a handcrafted frosted hand finish. On the upper level, the home time display features a two-tone design to accentuate the day/night function.

The upper half is blackened with a décalque, while the Arabic numerals are highlighted with matt grey Super-LumiNova that emits an orange glow in low-light conditions. The treatment extends to the lower half and the second time zone hand, while the entire disc is finished with cerclage. The Dual Time Terracotta is equipped with the SMA02 calibre, a self-winding mechanical movement with second time zone and retrograde date functions, designed and manufactured in-house. The suggested retail price is CHF 31,900 (excluding taxes) for the 38 mm model and CHF 32,400 (excluding taxes) for the 42 mm.