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Presenting the Spirit Seafire
The Spirit Seafire is Speake-Marin’s first ever chronograph. High-contrast
Super-LumiNova on all indications, including the date, makes for superb legibility both
day and night, while the titanium case ensures comfortable wearing.
First solo flight. First carrier landing. First mission. While most ‘firsts’ happen in our formative years, luckily there are still a few personal milestones left for us to enjoy as fully-fledged grown-ups.
English watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin has been creating mechanically superlative, aesthetically distinctive high-end timepieces out of his atelier in Switzerland for over a decade. In this time, the Speake-Marin collection has grown to include complications such as jumping hours, perpetual calendars, tourbillons and minute repeaters. But no chronograph – until now.
The Spirit Seafire is Speake-Marin’s first ever chronograph. In addition to its chronograph counters (central elapsed seconds; elapsed minutes subdial at 12 o’clock; elapsed hours subdial at 6 o’clock), it features central hours and minutes; date at 3 o’clock; seconds wheel at 9 o’clock in the form of the Speake-Marin ‘topping tool’ logo; and signature Piccadilly case in polished grade 5 titanium with straight-grained sides.
The Seafire’s three-dimensional hour markers, minute chapter ring, chronograph subdials, date and tips of the hands are all in a bright white Super-LumiNova that contrasts superbly against the matte black dial. The white Super-LumiNova glows an atmospheric green in the dark, creating an exceptionally legible display, both day and night.
“I have always wanted a chronograph to bear the Speake-Marin name,” says Peter Speake-Marin. “It was just a matter of finding the right platform. The Speake-Marin Spirit collection struck me as the perfect environment.
“I felt I could harness the Spirit’s casual style and clean aesthetics to create a highly original chronograph design. A chronograph is also in keeping with the Spirit’s military inspiration – and that’s why I have christened it the Seafire, after the iconic plane formerly deployed by the British navy to protect its fleet.”
The Seafire: A first for Speake-Marin, a first for the Royal Navy
The Spirit Seafire is the first Speake-Marin chronograph and its name is fitting since it is inspired by another ‘first’ – one from the sphere of aviation – the Supermarine Seafire. The Seafire was the first modern carrier-based airplane fielded by the British Royal Navy to protect its fleet when it debuted in 1942. The Seafire was, in essence, a seaborne version of Supermarine’s Spitfire – Seafire was a contraction of ‘Sea Spitfire’ – and the two aircraft shared many design features including an elliptical wing shape.
A casual aura, high legibility and refined display make the Seafire an unmistakable Spirit
The Speake-Marin Spirit inhabits a masculine world inspired by the British military where you can practically smell the heady blend of high-octane aviation fuel and the sweat of nervous anticipation. While dress code can be casual – the Spirit looks just as good with a flight suit as with formal attire – courage is essential…
The Spirit Seafire is a chronograph for conducting your missions with military precision, down to the second. The white-on-black indications are highly legible during the day; their green glow in the dark gives perfect visibility during a night flight.
Peter Speake-Marin has put considerable thought into optimising the Seafire’s legibility. Not only has he skeletonised the central Speake-Marin signature ‘Foundation’ hour and minute hands, but he has also designed the counterweight of the central chronograph elapsed seconds hand as an open circle. Such design features ensure clear, unobstructed views of the chronograph counters.
It is rare to see Roman numerals feature on chronograph counters, but here Peter has used them for the subdial at 6 o’clock. This touch of refinement echoes the other models in the collection and helps to distinguish elapsed hours from the elapsed minutes in Arabic numerals at 12 o’clock.
And the Seafire would not be a Spirit without Peter Speake-Marin’s rousing call-to-action “Fight, Love & Persevere” engraved on the solid caseback. It isn't just the Spirit motto – it’s a way of life.
Sophisticated dial composition
Seconds can be monitored via the circular cut-out in the white-lacquered ‘topping tool’ wheel at 9 o’clock – set flush with the dial – as it passes by a vertical Super-LumiNova white line. This line is set into the surface, as are the Speake-Marin name and chapter ring railroad-tracks, while the Roman and Arabic numerals as well as the hour and minute indicators are in three-dimensional Super-LumiNova, creating a multi-level dial profile.
To create the Seafire’s dial, a three-dimensional mould of the multi-level dial elements was produced to make a negative mould in which lacquer and Super-LumiNova masks were successively applied by hand, ensuring the correct materials and colours were in the right places. When set, the one-piece dial face was removed from the mould and bonded to the dial plate.
The Seafire: Robust, reliable and ready for battle
When the heat is on and the chips are down, the Spirit Seafire comes up trumps in both performance and attitude, thanks to its workhorse integrated chronograph movement. Automatic winding and a 48-hour power reserve ensure there’s always enough energy on tap for even the most testing conditions.
As the first Speake-Marin chronograph, the Spirit Seafire required a new Piccadilly case. Polished pushers gleaming at 2 o’clock (start/stop) and 4 o’clock (reset), bear testament to the complication within, while the bezel has been raised to accommodate the additional hands. The three-position fluted crown enables manual winding, rapid date change and hacking seconds. And for added protection, Peter Speake-Marin has set the crown slightly into the caseband.
The Speake-Marin Spirit Seafire is available with a grade 5 titanium case.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The Speake-Marin Spirit Seafire is available in a 42mm grade 5 titanium case.
Features and indications
• Central hours and minutes
• Chronograph: Elapsed central seconds; elapsed minutes; elapsed hours
• Date window at 3 o’clock
• Highly legible, three-dimensional dial
• ‘Topping tool’ seconds wheel flush with dial
• 42mm titanium Piccadilly case
• Spirit motto “Fight, Love & Persevere” engraved on caseback
Dial and hands
• Skeletonised ‘Foundation’ hour and minute hands in polished German silver, black PVD-treated
• Central chronograph elapsed seconds hand, black PVD-treated
• Chronograph elapsed minutes subdial at 12 o’clock featuring ‘Spirit’ Arabic numerals
• Chronograph elapsed hours subdial at 6 o’clock featuring ‘Spirit’ Roman numerals
• All hands featuring hand-filled white Super-LumiNova tips
• ‘Topping tool’ seconds wheel, hand-lacquered white at 9 o’clock
• Matte black resin base dial
• White dial elements in Super-LumiNova, in 3D relief and inset into dial
Movement
• Calibre C99001-D
• Automatic-winding mechanical movement featuring two-pusher chronograph and date
• Single barrel
• Frequency: 28,800vph / 4Hz
• Power reserve: 48 hours
• Number of jewels: 25
• Height: 7.9mm
Case and strap
• Piccadilly case in polished, grade 5 titanium with straight-grained caseband
• Polished grade 5 titanium chronograph pushers at 2 o’clock (start/stop) and 4 o’clock (reset)
• Dimensions: 42mm x 15mm
• Screwed lugs
• 3-position crown: manual winding, rapid date change and hacking seconds
• Spirit motto “Fight, Love and Persevere” engraved on caseback
• Front sapphire crystal treated with anti-reflective coating
• Water resistance: 3atm/30m/100ft
• Hand-made brown leather strap
• Hand-waxed cotton NATO strap by Suigeneric available (sold separately)
• Pin buckle in titanium; folding buckle available (sold separately)
Presenting the Spirit Wing Commander
The Spirit Wing Commander features high-visibility big date, power reserve indicator and
‘topping tool’ seconds wheel; three-dimensional dial; and titanium case
The Speake-Marin Spirit inhabits a masculine world inspired by the British military where you can practically smell the heady blend of high-octane aviation fuel and the sweat of nervous anticipation. While dress code can be casual – the Spirit looks just as good with a flight suit as with formal attire – courage is essential…
With its highly legible display including big date and power reserve indicator in a high-tech titanium case, the Spirit Wing Commander packs a battle-hardened punch and adds a fresh dimension to the Speake-Marin Spirit collection.
Equipped for the mission: Big date and power reserve
The Spirit Wing Commander is armed with a clutch of indications: Central hours and minutes signalled by sculpted Speake-Marin ‘Foundation’ hands hand-filled with bright white Super-LumiNova (which glows an atmospheric green in the dark); white lacquered seconds wheel at 9 o’clock in the shape of the Speake-Marin ‘topping tool’ icon; white lacquered big date at 12 o’clock; and power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock.
Instrument panel boasting high-legibility and elegance
The Wing Commander’s power reserve indicator arc provides an intuitive ‘fuel gauge’, displaying a bright Super-LumiNova white when completely wound (full), turning black (half-full), then red (running on empty) as the available energy diminishes. The big date requires only the briefest of glances thanks to its generously-sized display window.
Seconds can be monitored via the circular cut-out in the ‘topping tool’ wheel – flush with the dial – as it passes by a vertical Super-LumiNova white line. The latter is set into the surface, as are the Speake-Marin logo and chapter ring railroad-track, while Roman numerals and hour and minute indicators are in three-dimensional Super-LumiNova, creating a multi-level dial profile.
The fresh white Super-LumiNova and white lacquer contrast superbly with the matte black dial to endow the Wing Commander with exceptional legibility. And the highly visible indications are no less elegant – the Roman Numerals, the ‘topping tool’ seconds wheel and the three-dimensionality of the dial all add a touch of refinement, elegantly counterbalancing the Spirit’s casual aura.
Sophisticated dial construction
To create the Wing Commander’s dial, a three-dimensional mould of the multi-level dial elements was produced to make a negative mould in which lacquer and Super-LumiNova masks were successively applied by hand, ensuring the correct materials and colours were in the right places. When set, the one-piece dial face was removed from the mould and bonded to the dial plate.
Robust, reliable and ready for battle
When called into action, the Spirit Wing Commander delivers in both performance and attitude. The ultra-dependable Calibre 1024SPM movement is a real workhorse, the automatic winding rotor and 48-hour power reserve ensuring there’s always enough energy on tap for even the most testing conditions.
For added protection, the Speake-Marin signature fluted crown is set slightly into the straight-grained caseband of the polished grade 5 titanium case with screwed lugs. The three-position crown enables manual winding, rapid date change and hacking seconds.
‘Fight, Love & Persevere’
Finally, the Wing Commander would not be a Spirit without Peter Speake-Marin’s rousing call-to-action “Fight, Love & Persevere” engraved on the solid caseback. It isn't just the Spirit motto – it’s a way of life.
The Speake-Marin Spirit Wing Commander is available in titanium.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The Speake-Marin Spirit Wing Commander is available in a 42mm grade 5 titanium case complemented by a hand-made brown leather strap.
Features and indications
• Central hours and minutes
• Big date at 12 o’clock
• Power reserve indicator
• Highly legible one-piece, three-dimensional dial
• ‘Topping tool’ seconds wheel flush with dial
• 42mm Piccadilly case in grade 5 titanium
• Spirit motto “Fight, Love and Persevere” engraved on case back
• Hand-made leather strap
Dial and hands
• Matte black resin base dial
• White elements in Super-LumiNova, in 3D relief and inset into dial
• ‘Foundation’ central hour and minute hands: Black-PVD and hand-applied white Super-LumiNova
• ‘Topping tool’ seconds wheel, hand-lacquered white at 9 o’clock
Movement
• Calibre 1024SPM
• Automatic-winding mechanical movement featuring big date and power reserve complications
• Single barrel
• Frequency: 28,800vph / 4Hz
• Power reserve: 48 hours
Case and strap
• Piccadilly case in polished, grade 5 titanium with straight-grained sides
• Dimensions: 42mm x 15mm
• Screwed lugs
• 27-piece case: mechanically assembled shoulders with screws fixing case back and bezel
• 3-position crown: manual winding, rapid date change and hacking seconds
• Spirit motto “Fight, Love and Persevere” engraved on case back
• Front sapphire crystal treated with anti-reflective coating
• Water resistance: 3atm/30m/100ft
• Hand-made brown leather strap
• Pin buckle in titanium; folding buckle available (sold separately)
Original language: English |
SPEAKE-MARIN - Spirit Collection
