Diamond Resilience features an oven-fired enamel dial that will keep its youthful freshness for centuries. The white dial is framed by 36 scintillating Top Wesselton baguette-cut diamonds set into the bezel of the 18k red gold Piccadilly case. Central blued-steel hands and refined Roman numerals contrast superbly against the pure, bright enamel. Resilience is powered by the automatic-winding Eros calibre with five-day power reserve.
Peter Speake-Marin says: “Resilience Baguette Diamond lives up to its name – it is resilient to the passing of time. Its enamel dial will never tarnish with age. The pure, clean design of its Piccadilly case exudes classicism. And the diamonds are of course eternal. Add all that to the infinity of the time that Resilience tells, and you have an enduring creation that will well and truly stand the test of time. Resilience’s dial is inspired by the antique pocket watches I used to restore in London early in my career. These pieces were often over a hundred years old but were still as beautiful the day they were made thanks in no small part to their enamel dials.”
Resilience’s enamel dial is made using the same techniques that have been employed in watchmaking for centuries, which will ensure that, short of being physically damaged, the dial will not tarnish or fade, forever retaining its beauty.
Both sides of the copper dial base are enamelled to ensure an even tension within the construction of the material. Enamel powder is applied manually and placed in the oven at temperatures exceeding 800°C to melt into an even coating on the surfaces of the copper. This is repeated many times to gradually build up an even surface of enamel.
Before a final polishing stage, the Roman numerals are printed in black enamel, the melting point of which is lower than the white so the two colours do not run together. These numerals are highly legible yet manage to avoid dominating the dial – a subtle but significant detail that helps to showcase the brilliance of the white enamel.
Adding to the unique aesthetics that make a Speake-Marin timepiece so originally distinctive are the heat-blued hands as well as a small blued steel screw below the centre of Resilience’s dial towards 6 o’clock. These features derive from the Foundation Watch, the first ever timepiece to bear the Speake-Marin name.
“On the Foundation Watch, the blued-steel screw locked the dial in place,” says Peter. “However, Resilience uses three dial feet positioned into the ring around the movement and doesn’t require this screw. But I included it to complement the blued steel hands, to provide a visual balance with the Speake-Marin logo below 12 o’clock and to evoke the Foundation Watch.”
Resilience’s Eros calibre is an automatic-winding movement and features a five-day power reserve and the signature Speake-Marin ‘mystery’ rotor. The large-diameter movement dominates the view through the display-back and provides a technical backdrop for the beautiful, hand-finished rotor.
