ReviewNeon Supernova: Speake-Marin Dual Time Mint And Lime
Two refreshing models from Speake Marin’s One And Two collection portray different kinds of cool while staying true to the architecture and design legacy of the Dual Time series
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Speake-Marin’s Lime and Mint Dual Time models from the One & Two collection are redolent of the bright neon variations by brands like H. Moser & Cie., Breitling, Panerai Luminor and Hublot. Referred to as the ‘Summer Edition’, both hues are refreshing slaps of different kinds of cool.
The distinct hue of Dual Time Lime, a departure from the typical British racing green, is inspired by forever lush forests and herbaceous lime-infused cocktails like Mojito, Caipiroska, and even open to pop culture associations like electric signboards or the bleached neon green locks sported by American songwriter Billie Eilish. This green can give the illusion of lume. Dual Time Mint is redolent of cool breezy winds, peppermint breath, flying through blue skies to holiday destinations, or partaking in surfing, sailing and other adventure water sports in the ocean deep. While both models are available in 38mm and 42mm case sizes with the same 12.5mm thickness, there is no change in the dial size. Both models are limited to 10 and 18 pieces each size in both hues.
To comprehend the Dual Time Mint and Lime models, one must delve into what is dual time and hark back to Speake-Marin’s original Dual Time series.
Dual Time: A Blessing
Watches with dual time zone complication are usually GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) models attuned to London’s Greenwich—located at longitude of 0 degrees on the world time zone scale. They were initially designed for professional pilots in the 50s to track the various time zones they flew over or landed at, and simultaneously check their home time.
However, in today’s scenario while one may not really require a dual-time watch thanks to mobile phones, it certainly makes for a great work of horology and even better when it’s executed to suit the tastes of contemporary watch aficionados.
The dual time feature has two hour hands to track two time zones simultaneously. Such watches have a secondary hour hand within either a sub-dial, outer ring or bezel demonstrating a 24-hour scale.
While a small seconds sub-dial encircled by a 31-day retrograde calendar sits at 1:30 and operational via a pusher on the case-band at seven o’clock, Speake-Marin’s Dual Time models posit a 24-hour sub-dial at nine o’clock that is adjustable by first pulling the crown to show the local time zone, and a second position for setting the original/home time.
Bridging The Gap
The relatively young brand of Speake-Marin, under current CEO and president, Christelle Rosnoblet, creates their own horological parts and instruments from scratch at the Le Cercle des Horlogers—the in-house haute horlogerie atelier—at La Chaux-de-Fonds. All their micro-rotors, open-worked dials, and even SMA/Speake-Marin Atelier movements (calibres SMA01, SMA02, SMA03, and SMA05) bear the COSC certification. All Dual Time models incorporate the SMA02 calibre that offers an impressive 52-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800vph.
Previous Dual Time models are constructed in titanium or rose gold with a highly complex-looking skeletonised dial that offers a peek-a-boo of the SMA02 movement underneath. This trademark dial is a wonderland of two 3D open-worked bridges that act as connectors and sit diagonally opposite each other, uniting the unexposed areas with the exposed of the dial. Here, the sub-dials connect to the barrel and the wolf tooth ratchet wheel.
While these belle horlogerie (‘beautiful watchmaking’ in French) models are of Swiss make, some design elements act as reminders of the brand’s English roots, as an ode to the founder, Peter Speake Marin. The watch’s lacquered spade hands are identical to the heart-shaped ones on the Elizabeth Tower clock in London popularly known as the ‘Big Ben’. Another distinct feature is the round drum-shaped case, christened ‘Piccadilly’ by Speake-Marin to remember his nascent years as a watchmaker at Somlo Antiques located in London’s Piccadilly area.
The Lime and Mint versions, however, celebrate ‘black architecture’, with the bridges, some parts of the SMA02 movement and the Piccadilly case are in DLC-coated titanium. Equally arresting is the caseback with a neon patterned rotor and matching colour text that reads: Speake-Marin Thirty Six (36) Jewels, SMA02 [Model No.] Swiss Made. Completing the look is a sturdy anti-reflective sapphire crystal that protects the dial and caseback.
Timekeeping Romance In Pink
Like a bubblegum pop, a mouthful of cotton candy, a bobbing flamingo rubber ring, a cool sip of strawberry piña colada, the brand’s new Summer 2023 timepiece—Dual Time Pink—brings to mind all pink things that make the scorching heat bearable.
As with the previous versions in mint and lime, the new version in 38mm or 42mm combines pink with black—creating great contrast between the soft, light hue with the bold, darker tone. The black-hued elements include the titanium (grade 5) Piccadilly case and pin buckle in black DLC coating; outer minute ring; 3D open-worked bridges; screw-down fluted crown; small seconds sub-dial; half ring of 31-day retrograde calendar sub-dial; and the outlines of the watch hands. On the caseback, the barrel and wolf tooth ratchet wheel are black.
On the other hand, the exact shade of pink used in this watch is Pantone 700 C. If one were to dissect its CMYK colour standard you get cyan: 0, magenta: 28, yellow: 23, and key (black): 6. Forming the pink elements are parts of the dial surface in matt finish; trademark watch hands; and the rubber strap. The sapphire crystal of the glass and caseback has an antireflective coating.
Water-resistant to 30m, these timekeepers presented on lime-green and mint rubber straps, complement their respective dial hues and are perfect wrist companions for those who will not settle for anything ordinary.
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