Skull Face to Face Tourbillon
Skull Face to Face Tourbillon
If skulls are part of the DNA of Speake-Marin for more than 10 years, it is the first time that the English watchmaker combines on the same dial, the skull theme with a tourbillon, mixing art and technicality.
It is no coincidence if Skulls appeared many years ago in the Speake-Marin Collection. From an early age Peter Speake-Marin was fascinated with the subject and developed an affinity with the philosophy Memento mori.
Memento mori is a medieval latin theory of reflection of mortality. It reminds us that life is short and that you have to appreciate every moment that we have. We have especially to do our best. The lyrics of this mediaeval music of the Catalan Vermell de Montserrat (1399) illustrate perfectly this philosophy:
Life is short, and shortly it will end; Death comes quickly and respects no one, Death destroys everything and takes pity on no one.
To remind that life if precious and every minute counts, nearly ten years ago Peter Speake- Marin decided to place skulls on the dial of the Cabinet des Mystères collection. The collection holds a special place in the Speake-Marin watchmaking world. It tells the story of our founder, Peter Speake-Marin, through exceptional timepieces. From the most creative to the most complex complications, the Cabinet des Mystères recounts the story of a modern watchmaker.
Face to Face’s intricate double gold skull engraving has been etched onto the dial using a chemical etching technique. The two skulls are face to face to illustrate a reflection in time. The bezel is also set with 36 baguette diamonds (2.16 carat) an association with eternity, “diamonds are for ever”.
The Magister Tourbillon at 6 o’clock features a hand-finished 60-second tourbillon. Turning the tourbillon over, the movement featuring hand-finishing can be fully appreciated through the display back. Offset on the main bridge is the noble platinum micro-rotor, its strong and sober aesthetic counterbalanced by the intricate complexity of the tourbillon.
The lower tourbillon cage is supported by a striking paddle-shaped bridge offering clear visual access to the surrounding gears below. The rhodium-finished German silver bridges and main plate are circular-grained with polished screw heads and polished countersinks. Technical details are engraved and gilded on the bridges either side of the platinum rotor.
The Skull Face to Face Tourbillon is a limited edition of 8 pieces.