By James Phang
The Serpent Calendar, part of the Original Piccadilly Collection with Enamel dial, has always been one of my favorites. Peter Speake-Marin is one of the rare few talents who has managed to utilize a mix of British ingenuity and modern Swiss manufacturing to create watches that are truly unique in today’s market. In 2016, Peter Speake-Marin has revisited one of his classic models – the Serpent Calendar – to produce a contemporary rendition and pull at the heart strings of the modern gentleman. Over the years, Speake-Marin has released several versions of the Serpent Calendar, some of which have had different dials and movements. However, the classic features which have made this particular model one of the best-loved in the brand’s collections have always been preserved, such as the use of exaggerated curved hands to easily distinguish the date indication from the hours and minutes. On the other hand, the design of the dial, case and hands of the Serpent Calendar has been subtly reworked to invoke a more contemporary vibe.
SERPENT CALENDAR
42 MM TITANIUM BLUE
“The original Serpent was the first calendar watch I made and it quickly became one of the most popular Speake-Marin timepieces,” says Peter Speake-Marin. “The idea is simple and goes back over a century to early pocket watches that used a curved hand to differentiate the date from the time indications. The Serpent Calendar now brings a fresh look to this classic design.”
The bright blue central dial takes center stage in this timepiece and the Serpent date hand has been sculpted with a duller grey color to provide contrast against its dial. The dial also shows a small image of the iconic topping tool, below the center of the dial towards 6 o’clock, which is a recognizable visual reference to the Speake-Marin collection. The outer white lacquer dial is punctuated with inky black printed markings denoted by small dots for the minutes with a slightly larger dot at each 5minute interval, and inside that are the quirky Roman numerals, which taper towards the center of the dial. At first it’s something you might not notice, but it really gives the traditional layout some added personality.
SERPENT CALENDAR
38 MM STEEL BLUE
Similar to previous releases, the new Serpent Calendar comes in two versions: the polished steel version is at 38mm while the titanium version comes in at 42mm, giving Speake Marin fans two options to choose from depending on their wrist size and preferences. The Piccadilly case which is known for its unique shape and lugs is protected by anti-reflective sapphire crystals both on the front and back. For this particular model, it is powered by the Vaucher 3002 calibre, which vibrates at 28,800Hz and offers a decent power reserve of 50 hours.
Exact details of its pricing has not been released yet, but is estimated to cost between CHF 5,000-10,000.
For more info, please visit speake-marin.com
JAMES PHANG – CONTRIBUTING WRITER
James Phang is a young watch enthusiast from Singapore and is a self-professed fanatic of independent brands for their unique avant-garde designs. Some of his favorite brands include MB&F, Urwerk, Romain Jerome, Sarpaneva, Peter Speake-Marin and Azimuth. His love for art extends out to all things handmade, and he has made it his personal mission to find the best handmade straps and buckles worldwide for his humble collection. Read his articles here
