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 The style of timepieces made by Peter Speake-Marin was determined by his first independent project – the pocket tourbillon Foundation Watch. Working on this timepiece the watchmaker understood: “That a part of my individuality”. It was the first time when Peter Speake-Marin used the technique of air engraving. Since then this type of engraving has become the synonym to the watchmaker and his brand - Peter Speak-Marin.
Peter Speake-Marin was born in London in 1968. He began his horological education at London's Hackney Technical College (1985) and then continued at WOSTEP, the prestigious Swiss watch making school in Neuchatel. For the following seven years Speake-Marin was restoring antique timepiece at Somio Antiques. At their store in the Piccadilly Arcade, he had the privilege to restore watches by many of the great masters and houses, such as Dent, Frodsham, Nielson original Breguets through to Patek Philippe. In 2000 after 15 years of “apprenticeship” Peter Speake-Marin decided to establish his own watchmaking brand. In the same year he opens his independent watch atelier in the picturesque village of Rolle, between Geneva and Lausanne.
After the creation of the Foundation Watch and Minute Repeating Tourbillon Wristwatch (piece unique combining tourbillon and minute repeater functions) Speake-Marin decided to create a collection of watches - the Piccadilly Collection – of 9 basic versions of watches produced in limited editions. On the basis of each timepiece from the collection Peter Speake-Marin creates unique watches to customer’s order.
Besides the manually engraved dials the timepieces by Peter Speake-Marin are notable for characteristic dark-blue hands whose shape resembles that of spades and original winder which looks like a crown.
Others frequently seek out Peter Speake-Marin for his talent and innovative ideas. He collaborated with Harry Winston in 2006, producing the stunning Excenter Tourbillon, he also was active in MB&F's horological machine in 2008, was one of the three Masters behind Chapter 1 for Maîtres du Temps and Chapter 2 in 2009. Besides Peter Speake-Marin is a member of the Academie Horlogere des createurs independents which unites and supports talented independent watchmakers.
With all his creations, Peter Speake-Marin pays homage to the horological past and its valuable lessons, while at the same time mining the rich possibilities of the future. "The goal is not just to manufacture a product that sells well today," he says. “Its value will come from its durability over time."
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