Peter Speake-Marin is a truly exceptional watchmaker. A graduate of WOSTEP in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, he belongs to that golden generation of independent watchmakers whose creativity shaped conceptual watchmaking in the early 2000s. He has worked on many projects, two of which revealed him as a watchmaker of the very first rank: MB&F and Les maîtres du Temps.
On this page
- Which watch are you wearing as we speak?
- What is your greatest achievement in watchmaking?
- What is your favourite watch complication?
- What passions do you have besides watchmaking?
- What is your dream car?
- What is your favourite wine?
- How would you define luxury?
- Which brand, in watchmaking or elsewhere, best embodies luxury in your view?
- Which historical or contemporary figure inspires you?
- Which quality do you value most in others?
- And which flaw do you regret having?
- Is there a quote you particularly like?
- What time is it?
Eager to make his own way, the man who in 2010 became the first independent watchmaker to be named an Honorary Member of Passion Horlogère has developed a real taste for independence. First in 2002, when he founded his own brand, and again in 2017, when he left it to become “The Naked Watchmaker“. Today, this young 49-year-old watchmaker, who gives the term independent watchmaker its full meaning, can rely on a solid reputation among collectors to devote himself to watchmaking education and to sharing the knowledge he has gathered throughout his career. More than a plan, it is a philosophy of life for him. Time for some introspection!
| Surname | Speake-Marin |
|---|---|
| First name | Peter |
| Date and place of birth | 6 February 1968, England |
| Marital status | Married |
| Number of children | 2 |
| Current position | Watchmaker / trainer |
| Last three positions held in watchmaking | Watchmaker / Project director / designer |
Career path: I started out in 1985 and studied in London and in Switzerland. I then worked in Oxford (Rolex), London (Piaget) and Southampton (Omega), before moving to Piccadilly, London, where I spent 6 years in watch restoration (Somlo Antiques). Every brand, vintage and modern, passed through my hands. Then I left for Switzerland: Le Locle (Renaud & Papi), then Geneva (Roger Dubuis). Self-employed since 2000, I have been involved in many developments for my own brand as well as for others. Today, I devote myself to training and consulting
Which watch are you wearing as we speak?
None, but I am working on the one I will wear tomorrow. So wearing a watch can wait for today.
What is your greatest achievement in watchmaking?
Becoming independent and discovering freedom.
What is your favourite watch complication?
The tourbillon
What passions do you have besides watchmaking?
My family, cycling, meditation.
What is your dream car?
A 1940s military Jeep, the Ford or the Willys, and a Morgan +8
What is your favourite wine?
Escudo Rojo Chile Maipo
How would you define luxury?
What makes us human: the things we do not need but that enrich our lives.
Which brand, in watchmaking or elsewhere, best embodies luxury in your view?
All of them. No watch is necessary today. Wearing a watch is an emotional choice that feeds a cultural desire.
Which historical or contemporary figure inspires you?
Timothy Ferris, for his podcasts, his courses and his ability to shift the paradigm in modern culture.
Which quality do you value most in others?
I value integrity and perseverance.
And which flaw do you regret having?
Impatience!
Is there a quote you particularly like?
“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal”, Earl Nightingale.
What time is it?
Time to pour myself a glass of that Chilean red…
Follow Peter Speake-Marin, now “The Naked Watchmaker”, on his new website.
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