What’s ticking? Watch News
New brand at Harrods gets hearts ticking
IT’S been a long road, but independent watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin is finally selling his own brand of exquisitely crafted, classically styled dress watches back in his homeland. Made on the outskirts of Geneva in his Swiss atelier, which he founded in 2002, Speake-Marin watches are, as of this month, now available to view and purchase in Harrods’ spectacular Fine Watch Room on Knightsbridge (Spirit range from £6,540).
Born Peter Neville Speake in 1968 in Essex, he began his horological education at Hackney Technical College in 1985 (now council offices on Mare Street), before cutting his teeth on restoration work at Somlo Antiques on Piccadilly for seven years, and progressing to Audemars Piguet’s cutting-edge facility in Switzerland. In his spare time, he was acquiring his own machinery and made, entirely by hand, a tourbillon pocket watch, earning membership to the prestigious Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants and kickstarting his eponymous brand.
Speake-Marin’s transformation from indie watchmaker to full-blown watch brand comes complete this year with the enlistment of full-blown Hollywood royalty: Pierce Brosnan no less, whose roguish charm perfectly suits the watches’ old-school style and sophistication.
speake-marin.com
Crafty partnership celebrates London’s artisans
ARTISTICALLY inclined Londoners should ready themselves for London Craft Week – a new initiative putting designer-makers centre-stage across the capital from Wednesday 6 May 2015. And horologically inclined Londoners will be impressed to learn that Vacheron Constantin is the founding partner. Yes, it’s Swiss, but not only is Vacheron the world’s oldest watchmaker in continuous production, but the production itself ranks among the world’s finest when it comes to hand-craftsmanship – from the impeccable polish applied to every one of a watch’s hundreds of components, to the painstaking engraving of every winding rotor.
Set up as an independent, non-profit initiative, London Craft Week’s programme spans a plethora of hidden spaces around our city, with visitors being granted special access to studios and workshops, galleries and shops – including Vacheron Constantin’s tucked-away atelier in the basement of its Bond Street boutique. There, until the 10 May, you can observe in-house watchmaker Selynn Blanchett beavering away on all manner of vintage and current complications alongside an engraver from the Geneva factory, who will be giving live demonstrations, as well as inviting visitors to flex their own latent skills. Good luck – it’s far harder than you can imagine…
londoncraftweek.com
JAEGER BOMB: Bond Street’s watch explosion continues
HOT on the heels of Patek Philippe and Breguet’s epic expansions, as well as IWC and Blancpain’s new boutiques, Jaeger-LeCoultre is the latest Swiss luxury watch brand to open a shiny new multistorey emporium in the heart of Mayfair’s shopping district. It’s about time too, as Jaeger has limped along with its tiny annexe to Watches of Switzerland’s boutique at 1 Old Bond Street since 1997 – one of the very first dedicated watch boutiques to arrive on the London scene.
With the crucial importance of London on today’s world retail scene, the inauguration of a Jaeger-LeCoultre flagship was natural, and, serving its fanatical clientele with considerable panache, the Richemont Group brand has secured a rarer-than-hen’s-teeth 230-square-metre space at 13 Old Bond Street, its complex of salons decked out in the brand’s trademark Art Deco style. Indeed, once you settle down in its tastefully appointed lounge area with a tray of gleaming new Reverso polo watches, you’ll find it very hard to leave. jaeger-lecoultre.com
William & Son set to move, lock, stock and several barrels
THE sight of scaffold-clad façades in front of gaping holes is all too common in London’s relentlessly re-developed centre, but even the most unobservant visitor to Bruton Street in Mayfair can’t help but have noticed the vast building works at 35-36 – the prestigious new address of gentleman’s outfitter extraordinaire, William & Son, opening early June.
It will consolidate and significantly expand on the two separate addresses currently found on Mount Street, where since 1999 the company has purveyed collections of the finest leather goods, silver, country kit and tackle, as well as bespoke shotguns – hand-crafted and hand-engraved on site. But what’s getting watchnerds’ noses twitching is the prospect of an even broader watch offering – even now considered one of the most eclectic and intellectual curations of independent brands in the world, let alone London; viz. FP Journe, Laurent Ferrier, De Bethune and H Moser & Cie, whose beautiful new Venturer Small Seconds is pictured (£13,700). New brands are promised, so “watch” this space.
williamandson.com