Speake-Marin

Who are Speake-Marin?

Speake-Marin is a small Swiss watch company founded in 2002 by the English watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin (Wikipedia; Speake Marin). It has been based in Geneva since 2019 and has been run since 2017 by Christelle Rosnoblet, its owner and chief executive (Wikipedia; SJX Watches). The founder no longer has any part in it. This page covers its history, movements, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a Speake-Marin second-hand in the UK.

The brand now writes its name without the hyphen, as Speake Marin (Speake Marin; Europa Star). Europa Star reported in 2025 that it made about 600 to 700 watches a year, with a stated aim of 1,000.

The history of Speake-Marin

The company’s history runs from one watchmaker’s workshop to a Geneva brand with its own calibres. The key dates are the founding (2002), the first in-house movement (2009), Christelle Rosnoblet’s arrival (2011 or 2012), the founder’s exit (2017) and the Ripples (2022).

The founder. Peter Speake qualified as a watchmaker at Hackney Technical College in London in 1985 and took a course in complications at WOSTEP in Neuchâtel. He then spent about seven years running the antique-watch restoration department of Somlo Antiques in London, and in 1996 moved to Switzerland to work on complications for Renaud & Papi, now part of Audemars Piguet (Wikipedia).

The founding. Sources differ on the details. Wikipedia says he founded Speake-Marin SA in Bursins, Switzerland, in 2002; the brand’s own history says the company was founded in Geneva by Peter Speake and Daniela Marin, and that the name joins their two surnames (Speake Marin). Its first piece was a tourbillon pocket watch, the Foundation Watch, and its first wristwatch was the Piccadilly, named after Somlo’s address in London (Wikipedia; Speake Marin).

Collaborations. Alongside his own watches, Peter Speake-Marin worked with Harry Winston on the Excenter Tourbillon in 2006, consulted on MB&F’s first Horological Machine, and worked on watches for Maîtres du Temps (Wikipedia).

Own movements. The Marin 1 of 2009 had the SM2, the brand’s first in-house movement, which Wikipedia says took three years to develop. The Spirit collection followed in 2011 (Wikipedia). SJX Watches noted in 2017 that the brand’s more affordable lines had used ETA movements.

New ownership. Christelle Rosnoblet became an administrator of the company in 2012 (Wikipedia); Europa Star (2025) says she has led it since 2011. SJX Watches reported in June 2017 that Peter Speake-Marin had left by agreement with the shareholders, that he had sold his stakes over the years, especially after the 2008 financial crisis, and that the company was owned by the Rosnoblet family, with Christelle Rosnoblet as chief executive.

Since 2017. The One&Two Academic was introduced in 2018 (Watchonista), and the headquarters moved from Bursins to Geneva in 2019 (Wikipedia). The Ripples, designed with Stéphane Lacroix, launched at Watches and Wonders in 2022, and Europa Star says it now accounts for about half of sales.

What is Speake-Marin known for?

Speake-Marin is known for its English-trained founder, the Piccadilly case, its own micro-rotor calibres made in Neuchâtel and, more recently, the Ripples.

The Piccadilly case. The original case has a slim round profile, strong lugs and a small seconds dial between 1 and 2 o’clock (Speake Marin). The brand’s first piece also set two signatures it still uses: distinctive hands and a watchmaker’s tool motif in the tourbillon cage (Speake Marin).

Movements. Speake-Marin’s calibres are made by Le Cercle des Horlogers, a Neuchâtel atelier founded in 2012 that began working with the brand in 2013 (Speake Marin). The One&Two uses SMA01, with an integrated micro-rotor (Watches of Switzerland). In 2019 Watchonista described two more automatic micro-rotor calibres, SMA02 and SMA03, each with a 52-hour power reserve, and said SMA03 was COSC-certified. The brand’s own count of in-house calibres varies between pages, from 11 to 13 (Speake Marin). Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why the difference matters.

Small scale. Europa Star reported in 2025 that the brand had eight staff of its own, with about 60 people at Le Cercle des Horlogers, which also makes movements for 21 other clients. It quotes Rosnoblet: “Our desire is not to become a volume brand.” At that scale Speake-Marin sits alongside other small independents such as Romain Gauthier, though the two brands’ ownership and movements are unrelated.

Which Speake-Marin collections are there?

The brand’s website groups its watches into Ripples, Piccadilly, Openworked and Haute Horlogerie (Speake Marin); Europa Star also lists Academic and Art Series lines. The collections table on this page gives a line on each. A few points help when you read listings:

• Older names. Second-hand listings may use earlier names such as Marin 1, Spirit, One&Two or Resilience (Wikipedia; Watchonista). Ask for the reference and calibre rather than relying on the collection name.
• Movement. Earlier, lower-priced models used ETA movements (SJX Watches, 2017), while recent models use Speake-Marin’s own calibres (Speake Marin). Check which one the watch has.
• Limited editions. Many models are made in small numbers; Watchonista reported 20 pieces each for two 2019 models. Match the edition number to the papers.

Who owns Speake-Marin?

Speake-Marin SA is privately owned. SJX Watches reported in 2017 that it was owned by the Rosnoblet family, and Christelle Rosnoblet describes herself as owner and chief executive (Watches of Switzerland). Wikipedia also describes her as an owner. The company does not publish its shareholders.

Its movement maker is separate. The brand says Le Cercle des Horlogers became its exclusive movement maker after Christelle Rosnoblet became the atelier’s main shareholder (Speake Marin, 2023). Sources differ on when she invested: the brand’s history gives 2014, while Europa Star (2025) says 2015 and describes the brand as holding a stake.

Peter Speake-Marin left in 2017 and, according to SJX Watches, no longer owned any of the company by then.

Buying a Speake-Marin watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

Check the papers and serial number, confirm which movement the watch has, ask whether the warranty or its extension can pass to you, and remember that a small brand’s service goes back to Switzerland.

1. Papers and the full set. Ask which items come with the watch, whether they are originals, and whether the serial number matches the warranty card. With small-run pieces, the papers are the main record of what the watch is. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Movement. Ask the seller to name the calibre. A watch with an ETA movement and one with a Speake-Marin calibre can look similar but are different to service.

3. Warranty. Speake-Marin gives a two-year international warranty, which can be extended to five years if the brand approves a request with the watch’s serial number, purchase details and photos of the warranty card (Speake Marin). The site does not say whether either passes to a second owner. See watch warranties explained.

4. Brand pre-owned. Speake-Marin sells some second-hand watches itself. It says each one goes to Le Cercle des Horlogers for a movement-out inspection, is serviced if needed, and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a one-year warranty (Speake Marin).

5. Servicing. Ask when the watch was last serviced and by whom. The brand’s published contact details for warranty requests are in Switzerland (Speake Marin). Our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch covers what a service involves.

6. Auctions. If you buy at auction, the rules on returns and fees differ from a dealer’s. Read our watch auctions buyer’s guide first.

7. Authenticity and stolen-watch check. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose; see how to spot a fake watch. Check the serial number against a stolen-watch register before you pay; our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Speake-Marin?

Peter Speake-Marin, an English watchmaker, in 2002 (Wikipedia). The brand’s own history also credits Daniela Marin and says the name joins their surnames (Speake Marin).

Is Peter Speake-Marin still involved?

No. He left in 2017 and had sold his stakes in the company over the previous years (SJX Watches).

Who owns Speake-Marin?

The Rosnoblet family, according to SJX Watches (2017). Christelle Rosnoblet is owner and chief executive (Watches of Switzerland).

Is Speake-Marin British or Swiss?

Swiss. The founder is English and the Piccadilly is named after London’s Piccadilly, but the company has always been based in Switzerland, in Geneva since 2019 (Wikipedia).

Does Speake-Marin make its own movements?

Yes, for recent models. Its calibres are made by Le Cercle des Horlogers in Neuchâtel (Speake Marin). Some earlier models used ETA movements (SJX Watches).

Is it Speake-Marin or Speake Marin?

Both appear. The brand now writes Speake Marin, without the hyphen; the founder’s name and older sources use Speake-Marin (Speake Marin; Wikipedia).

What is the Speake-Marin Ripples?

A sports watch with an integrated bracelet, launched in 2022, which Europa Star says now makes up about half of the brand’s sales.

How long is the Speake-Marin warranty?

Two years, extendable to five years if the brand approves a request (Speake Marin).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Speake-Marin.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.