Novelty Alert: The first collaboration in 3 years, Peter Speake-Marin returns as The Naked Watchmaker to conceptualize the Phoenix. a special piece unique realized with Schwarz Etienne and Les Ateliers Blandenier. Presenting The Phoenix Collaboration 2020.
Novelty alert: The Phoenix Collaboration 2020
When Peter Speake-Marin (PSM) messaged to ask if we were interested to feature this new collaboration, we of course said yes, but wondered what it was all about. Three parties – PSM as The Naked Watchmaker, independent watchmaking brand Schwarz Etienne and ‘métiers d’art’ artisans Les Ateliers Blandenier collaborating to make a piece unique.
Retail price is CHF 80,000.
Commentary
When the material PSM sent had arrived, we examined it in detail. We got a truck load of photographs so we were able to have a good look at the watch’s construction and final assembled product. The project looked very interesting.
First off, the name is interesting. This is a collaboration from the start. There is no watch brand on the dial.
The visual impact of a very lifelike phoenix which is hand engraved in relief style over the grand feu enamel blue sky, with a subsidiary seconds sub-dial in contrasting pyrite.
On the enamel, are the hand written words, ““Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” –– Confucius” over the periphery of the dial from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock. The text is balanced with verbiage describing the watch on the bottom half.
From what we understand, the project was conceptualized in April 2020, with development completed in mid-July, and work began in early September, with assembly in early December. A total of 9 months from beginning to completion.
The movement side is very beautiful. The movement is the Schwarz Etiene Calibre ASE 100.00. a hand finished, micro-rotor movement made in-house, and presented in the existing Schwarz Etienne Roma case in 18k rose gold.
The goal of the project was to integrate multiple skills into the making of a unique ‘Art-piece’ and to present them on The Naked Watchmaker in order to both share the complexity of the project and the time and people involved within such an undertaking.
The Naked Watchmaker website provides tons of details on the design, construction of the dial, the finishing on the movement. We will not repeat that here, but recommend you to head over to read all about it
