In 2022, Speake Marin unveiled the Ripples — its first integrated bracelet sport-chic watch. Since then, the Geneva-based independent watch brand has expanded the Ripples collection with date versions and various dial colors while maintaining the watch’s hallmark rippled dial motif. Now, the line welcomes the first Speake Marin Ripples Skeleton model, complete with an ultra-thin automatic movement beneath the open-worked dial.

While the Ripples Skeleton retains much of the design details that made the original model distinctive, it also offers a handful of notable upgrades. For instance, the case, designed by Stéphane Lacroix and dubbed “La City” in honor of the City of London, preserves the signature combination of a square and a circle yet its proportions have changed. The 40.30mm diameter is identical to the previous Ripples models but the Ripples Skeleton is significantly slimmer at just 6.30mm thick. That’s a 30% reduction from the 9.20mm thickness of the preceding variants. Furthermore, the case is fashioned from 904L stainless steel — another first for the Ripples collection. Compared to conventional 316L steel, 904L steel contains a higher percentage of nickel and chromium in addition to copper, which increases its resistance to corrosion and acids. Moreover, the higher chromium content makes 904L steel shinier when polished.

Aside from the reduced profile and new material, the “La City” case of the Ripples Skeleton, which includes 40 components, is home to the characteristic square-shaped bezel with rounded corners, along with beveled edges and a satin-finished surface. The winding crown, customized with the Maison’s engraved logo, screws into the case to ensure the watch’s 50 meters of water resistance.

Housed inside the case is the skeletonized dial, new to the Ripples lineup but certainly not new for Speake Marin, as illustrated by the existing Openworked Tourbillon and Dual Time models. Given the nature of the open-worked dial, the recognizable ripple pattern is reserved for the black PVD small seconds subdial at 1:30, featuring slim horizontal waves in relief. The subdial, which is a mere 0.30mm thick, also includes applied indices, ranging from 0.12 to 0.14mm long, each diamond-polished and fitted with opaline flanks — a challenging task for the skilled craftsmen of the brand’s “Le Cercle des Horlogers” in-house workshop but executed to the highest standards.

Accompanying the running seconds subdial are the hour and minutes hand at the center with the heart-shaped tip of the hour hand recalling London’s monumental Big Ben as a tribute to the brand’s British origins. In yet another first for the Ripples collection, the pair of central hands are flame-blued by hand, which point to the circling-finished minute-flange with shiny black dots.

The remainder of the skeletonized dial showcases the new-generation Caliber SMA07, an ultra-thin, high-frequency automatic movement developed in-house at “Le Cercle des Horlogers.” Operating at 36,000 beats per hour, Caliber SMA07 guarantees an accuracy rating of -/+ 5 seconds per day and supplies the Ripples Skeleton with 52 hours of power reserve. The movement comprises 182 components including a fully integrated Tungsten micro-rotor, which is rhodium-plated, micro-beaded, and laser-engraved with an exclusive Speake Marin pattern. As expected, the finishing of the movement, such as the circling-finished wheels and vertical satin-brushed bridges with chamfered profiles and polished angles, is superb.

As is customary for any model from this collection, the Ripples Skeleton is fitted with an integrated triple-row bracelet, also crafted in 904L stainless steel. The exterior links are brushed, contrasting beautifully with the center polished links. The bracelet is furnished with a folding clasp embellished with Speake Marin’s logo and features a micro-adjustment up to 4mm via a tiny 2mm button.

With its futuristic design, flawless finishes, and technical yet minimalist movement, the new Ripples Skeleton watch embodies Speake Marin’s idiosyncratic interpretation of time in the 21st century. The Speake Marin Ripples Skeleton watch is priced at 29,900 Swiss Francs and will be available from September at the brand’s points of sale. For more information about the Ripples Skeleton watch, please visit Speake Marin’s website. 

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