A case made from 18k red gold and a diamond-set bezel give the Speake-Marin Resilience watch a refined and genteel appearance, which is the antithesis to its maker’s recent dalliance with wristwatches of a more utilitarian nature such as the Spirit collection.
The Resilience is so-named because its dial which is created from oven-fired enamel will retain its immaculate aesthetics for an eternity, but generally the addition of a bezel-full of diamonds does not merit a designated review of a watch as it can hardly be categorized as “new”. However, this particular model within the Speake-Marin portfolio is one which represents a synopsis of the characteristics which have been part of Peter’s collections ever since the name Speake-Marin first appeared on a watch dial.
Speake-Marin Diamond Resilience – Synonymous Features
There is a certain refined “Englishness” to everything which Peter Speake-Marin produces. Even the names “Piccadilly” and “Eros” which denote this case-shape and calibres hark back to a time when having received his formal watchmaking education first at Hackney School of Watchmaking then WOSTEP, Peter spent seven years doing restoration work at Somlo Antiques in London’s Piccadilly. When he set about creating watches under his own name, he put in place the synonymous features which would be retained throughout the first few uncertain years as an Independent Watchmaker, through to his recent expansion which has seen him take on investors to help him plan for the future.
Speake-Marin Diamond Resilience
Speake-Marin Diamond Resilience – Continuity and Retrospective
His Piccadilly case is classically rounded, but is characterised by proudly protruding lugs, his out-size sculpted crown interrupts the understated profile of the case-side. His “topping tool” motif is now an expected feature as are the seductive shapely hands and his Roman numerals add a touch of no-nonsense elegance to his dials. The Resilience has all of these characteristic features and even includes the solitary blued-screw. No longer used to “lock-in” the dial, as was once the case – on this piece its inclusion serves to add balance – and I suggest, continuity and retrospective for its creator.
Speake-Marin Diamond Resilience – Fine Attention to Detail
Much attention has been given to the minutiae. The dial of the Resilience is made using a copper base which is then enamelled on both sides using traditional hand-crafting techniques, with each layer undergoing firing at each application. Even the numerals which on this model are elongated and wisp-like are printed using black enamel before the final polishing stage. The bezel has been set with 36 Top Wesselton baguette-cut diamonds, but their arrangement offers a neat and orderly kind of resplendence and the contrast with the quiet beauty of the enamel is superb. Inside the automatic-winding Eros Calibre has a five day reserve of power and features the Speake-Marin Mystery Rotor.
Speake-Marin Diamond Resilience – Caseback
This year at Baselworld, Peter Speake-Marin had his own stand-alone booth in Hall 1.1, part of an on-going brand-building strategy. It is however reassuring to note that the signature features which have been part of his portfolio since starting out are still very much in place, and very much in evidence in models such as this diamond edition of his Resilience watch. Sticker Price is 49,900 CHF.
