Speake-Marin’s Minute Repeater Carillon is a modern take on the sonnerie watch
Tom Austin- The new Speake-Marin Minute Repeater Carillon brings a unique, contemporary take on the sonnerie complication watch.
- It’s sized at 42mm and crafted from titanium and platinum: materials and dimensions specifically selected for the perfect chime.
- The large red Roman numeral hour marker at 12 is fully animated, collapsing during chiming.
It’s no secret that minute repeaters are typically rather classically designed, taking on forms and features from watches over the centuries. Anglo-Swiss brand Speake-Marin on the other hand, is known for going down a considerably more unique route with their watches. Their latest release is no different, the Minute Repeater Carrilon, which slots into their Haute Horlogerie collection alongside their Openwork Tourbillons, triple-time-zoned Triad, and full-fat, full-sapphire Minute Repeater Tourbillon.
Significant effort usually goes into sonnerie watches to ensure the specific chiming sound is just right. Speake-Marin has been equally as diligent as other famous sonnerie producers and has gone to great lengths to make sure that the Minute Repeater Carillon’s sound is perfect. It all starts with its “Picadilly” case, sized at a reasonable 42mm, which is thankfully smaller than the 46.4mm full sapphire version. It’s crafted in 3 parts: the centre section is in PVD-coated grade 5 titanium, and the bezel and rear case are modelled in luxurious platinum.
The specific design and materials influence the repeater chiming sound, so it’s fair to say the case is certainly more function over form, even if it is pretty. Both sides are finished with flat sapphire crystals to show off the more important things inside and help towards a 30-metre water resistance rating.
Powering the watch is the in-house calibre SMAHH-02, a manually wound movement co-developed with Le Cercle des Horlogers. It features a three-gonged “Carillon” minute repeater complication, indicating the time by using three hammers: one for the hours, all three simultaneously for the quarters and one for the minutes. A full wind is taken care of with the large conical crown, offering a 72-hour power reserve.
The 60-second flying tourbillon is visible at 6 o’clock, with the tourbillon cage itself representing the Speake-Marin logo. The bridges are decorated with Côtes de Geneve and are all delicately hand-bevelled, along with practically every other component in the entire movement. It’s a good job that there’s an exhibition caseback and the Minute Repeater Carillon lacks a dial covering it because, frankly, the movement looks stunning.
The dial is somewhere between dial-less and skeletonised, with every detail on show. Overall it’s quite a striking display, especially so with the huge XII Roman numeral at 12 o’clock. This is no normal hour marker: in fact, it has its own complication powered by a separate spring, allowing the XII shape to collapse and spring back during chiming. It’s a prominent part of the watch and is likely to be divisive, but it’s rather novel indeed and adds to the watch’s uniqueness. More contrasting colour comes from the blue heart-shaped hands and assorted colourful straps.
Speake-Marin has clearly gone all-out with the Minute Repeater Carillon. There are exceptional levels of hand finishing on display combined with a dedication to unique design and function. It’s a specific collectors’ piece for those who want an eye-catching watch that comes to life with sound and is a real conversation starter.
Speake-Marin Minute Repeater Carillon pricing and availability
The Speake-Marin Minute Repeater Carillon is available now for inquiries. Price: CHF 360,000 (excl. VAT).
| Brand | Speake-Marin |
| Model | Minute Repeater Carillon |
| Reference Number | 964282520 |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 16mm (T) |
| Case Material | Grade 5 titanium Platinum |
| Water Resistance | 3 bar |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystals with AR coating |
| Dial | Skeletonised/Open |
| Strap | Blue, Red or Grey rubber strap with folding or pin buckle |
| Movement | SMAHH-02, Le Cercle des Horlogers-developed |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, Carillon minute repeater, tourbillon |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 360,000 |