Still learning, there is no end to watchmaking.

In any field, not just watchmaking, exceptional talent seeks the next step. His fellow genius watchmakers left Renaud & Papi, either going independent or joining watch brands. Speake-Marin himself eventually grew increasingly determined to "create watches not for others, but for himself." In 2000, he became independent, establishing a workshop in the Rhône region, near Lausanne, Switzerland. There, he created his debut work, the "Foundation Watch," which he says "expressed myself by handling every process alone, from movement design and case construction to the overall design."

This pocket watch is a masterpiece, featuring a heavy gold case and a beautifully engraved dial, housing a tourbillon. It received high praise, leading to his induction into the Swiss Independent Watchmaking Academy (AHCI). At Baselworld 2003, he unveiled the Piccadilly, a wristwatch also equipped with a tourbillon.

Harry Winston took notice of this. The leading American jeweler commissioned him to create a movement. In 2005, it was released to the world as "The Première Collection Excenter Tourbillon," making the name of independent watchmaker Peter Speecke-Marin known worldwide. Since then, while creating his own works, he has also collaborated with fellow independent watchmakers Christophe Claret and Daniel Roth to release watches with unique mechanisms through "Maître du Temps."

"These collaborations enrich my experience in watchmaking. There is so much to learn from them, and they have had a various influence on my work. Every experience enriches my life and is reflected in my work."

Speake-Marin didn't formally study design, yet his work possesses a distinctive aesthetic that harmoniously blends classicism and modernity. The case is cylindrical, the lugs are linear—each component is simple, but when combined, they exude a substantial personality. The slightly thicker, spade-shaped hands and the Roman numeral indices he favors are classic, yet modernized with exquisite sizing.

"When I was restoring watches, I personally liked the designs of wristwatches from the 1940s. That may have influenced my own designs. After all, all experiences are reflected in watchmaking."

Also this year, at the International Fine Watchmaking Show (SIHH), which he participated in for the first time, he unveiled the "Crazy Skull Tourbillon Minute Repeater," in which activating the minute repeater causes a pair of skulls placed on the dial to open, revealing the tourbillon. This unique playfulness is also one of his hallmarks.


"The skull, which evokes death, makes us feel the opposite: life. And what governs life and death is, in other words, time. The pair of skulls are envisioned as a couple, and when closed, a heart is formed between them, which is an expression of love, an essential part of deep relationships with people in life. Throughout my life, I have learned many things and accumulated various experiences through meeting many people. I wanted to represent that life through a watch."

Speake-Marin says that his watchmaking, which reflects his past experiences and life, is a continuous learning process.

"Therefore, even at this very moment, we are merely in the learning process. We gain experience, and new forms of expression are constantly being born. At next year's SIHH, we plan to unveil a groundbreaking new product that will surprise everyone and have a significant impact on the future of the watchmaking world. Please look forward to it."

Text: Takagi Norio
Photo: Okada Natsuko

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 8th Floor = Isetan Men's Residence
03-3352-1111 (main representative)