Stellar Duo at W&W 2024: Speake Marin Launches Ripples Dune Date and Openworked Tourbillon Ultra-Violet Variants

Speake Marin expanded its product line two years ago with Ripples, a luxury sports watch. Although it differs from the brand's models housed in the iconic and regal Piccadilly case, several elements of the Speake Marin design language remain. Exhibiting at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, Speake Marin has just launched a new Ripples iteration, along with an openworked tourbillon timepiece: Ripples Dune Date (Ref. 604018120), and Openworked Tourbillon Ultra-Violet in 38 mm (Ref. 423811040), and 42 mm (Ref. 424211040). These timepieces reflect the Maison's extraordinary versatility, innovation, and foresight. 

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Ripples Dune Date

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Creating a watch with a colour theme inspired by sand dunes involves channelling the subtle nuances of the desert into a wearable piece. Indeed, sand dunes, characterised by their warm tones, flowing contours, and interplay of light and shadow, provide a rich source of inspiration. The rounded square-shaped stainless steel case has a 40.30 mm diameter; it was given the moniker ‘La City’, which could connect it to the brand's London heritage and Swiss manufacturing. ThNoticeable crown guards are flankinghe screw-down crown. The bezel is decorated with a vertical satin-brushed finish and features a circular opening on the dial with polished bevels.

The dial's rippling effect resembles the shape of sand dunes and the sandy tint seems appropriate in this layout. This is also the first Ripples model with a two-tone dial, featuring a sand-coloured metallic dial and a dark green tiny seconds counter at 1:30 with sunray finish. There is a glossy white seconds marker with a polished rhodium-plated steel hand and a rhodium-plated counter ring. The 12 horizontal waves that run across the dial are carved into the rhodium-plated brass base, satin-finished by hand. Polished rhodium-plating can be found on the hour and minute hands with a heart-shaped hour-hand tip.

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The hour markers are rhodium-plated and baton-shaped with a double index at 12 o’clock. The date window at 6 o’clock on a matte black disc comes with white Arabic numerals at 6 o’clock, and a rhodium-plated frame with shot-blasted finish on side and polished finish on top. The watch is powered by an in-house self-winding calibre SMA03-TD with a 52-hour power reserve. The bridges are also rhodium-plated, with a Côtes de Genève motif with gold-plated engraving. Turning the watch over showcases the screw-down caseback with a tungsten micro-rotor. The watch is finished on a three-row integrated polished/brushed steel bracelet with a folding buckle bearing the Maison’s logo. The timepiece is a limited edition of only 60 pieces.

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Openworked Tourbillon Ultra-Violet

Ultra-violet-coloured watches are a unique and stylish choice for those looking to make a statement with their accessories. Ultra-violet was even named Pantone Color of the Year in 2018; it was described as a "dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade". The novelty has been unveiled in two sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm, with a “Piccadilly” design; the grade 5 polished-brushed titanium case has a grooved flared crown with an engraved logo at 3 o’clock. The timepiece gets a multilayer satin-finished and rhodium-plated dial with ultra-violet PVD coating. 

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The outer periphery of the dial has a minute track on a black chapter ring sporting light grey Super-LumiNova markers with blue lighting at five-minute intervals; the luminescent rhodium-plated heart-shaped hands glow in blue. The dial comprises a tourbillon cage at 1:30 with a topping tool-shaped bridge; an engraved barrel with the inscription, “One & Two Openworked – Flying Tourbillon”, at 10:00 o’clock; a power reserve indicator at 7:30, with a triangular pointer with Super-LumiNova that emits a blue glow; and light grey and bright red dots for elapsed autonomy indication. The off-centre micro-rotor at 5 o’clock  with its chamfered edges is crafted from rhodium-plated tungsten.

Powering the watch is an in-house self-winding movement, calibre SMA05, with a 72-hour power reserve. The movement gets black rhodium-plated bridges with bevelled edges, Côtes de Genève with 1.5 mm stripes, central openworked bridge with black PVD coating, and gold-plated engraving. Finishing the watch is a black rubber strap with grade 5 titanium pin buckle embellished with the Maison’s logo. The 38mm model is limited to only four pieces, while the 42 mm variant is limited to only five pieces.