Named after the iconic British “J Class” yacht built in the 1930s and still racing today, Velsheda offers a minimalist display of time using a single polished, blued steel hand. While the single hand extends across the diameter of the dial, its central hub is in the form of the Speake-Marin topping tool logo, as is the central seconds wheel sitting above it. The rotation of the seconds wheel on top of the slower moving hub of the hand creates ever-changing, eye- catching patterns, drawing the eye to the centre of Velsheda’s dial.

Regarding the Velsheda, Peter Speake-Marin says: The Velsheda is a genuinely unique watch, all the Velsheda’s set themselves apart from other watches in the Speake-Marin Collection not only due to the single hand but the central animation between the watches hand and seconds wheel, the addition of enamel and an accentuated Gothic dial complement the design in a perfect flamboyant fashion.

Often seen in many Speake-Marin watches is this design inspiration of Gothic influence. Almost Medieval in style with strong curves and points highly stylising this new model. This design ethic defines and identifies Speake-Marin watches. It also brings the Velsheda back to the roots of the universe of Peter Speake-Marin.

The dial is dressed with Roman and Arabic numerals. The red 12 has classical connotations and associations with early pocket and wrist watches made in England where on some classic designs all the dial was in black with the exception of the 12. A subtle detail in the design of the dial is the “5”, which has in miniature the world “enamel” painted, only possibly viewed with an eyeglass.

The dial of the Velsheda is in enamel. A noble material which will withstand the test of time and bring us back to the inspirations of Peter Speake-Marin’s designs linking to his early days in restoration of antique watches in London.

The sumptuously sculpted hand is neatly counter balanced by a pointer at one end and an arc at the other; coupled with the fine 5-minute graduations around the peripheral chapter ring they create an overall aesthetic echoing that of a compass. For ease of reading the time, the point of the hand is red.

Finally, the Velsheda’s Vaucher calibre is an automatic winding movement. The movement dominates the view through the display-back and provides a technical backdrop for the beautifully finished rotor. Like the central hub of the hand and the seconds wheel, the rotor is in the shape of the Speake-Marin topping tool logo, a motif permeating the whole timepiece.