A Focused Look
- The Speake Marin Ripples Portobello is a 40.3 mm stainless-steel automatic watch featuring an exclusive lavender dial with hand-engraved wave motif and the in-house calibre SMA03-T, available from 8 July 2026 at CHF 22,900 excluding taxes.
- Case architecture “La City” by Stéphane Lacroix: 40 components, 9.20 mm thickness enabled by an integrated tungsten micro-rotor.
- Calibre SMA03-T: 144 total components, 28,800 vph, 52-hour power reserve, assembled at Le Cercle des Horlogers in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- Dial colour shifts between soft luminous lavender and deeper violet depending on the angle of light.
- Reference 604015600, presented on a lavender leather strap with embossed denim motif and tone-on-tone stitching.
Origins: Portobello as a Design Brief
The Ripples Portobello takes its name and its atmosphere from the London district known for pastel-fronted terraces, a Saturday market of genuine eclecticism, and a visual culture that sits comfortably between heritage and experimentation. For Speake Marin, this was not merely a naming exercise. The brief was to translate a specific urban mood into colour and surface treatment, arriving at a lavender that reads as confident rather than decorative.
Founded in 2002 by an English watchmaker and relaunched under CEO Christelle Rosnoblet from 2012, the Geneva-based brand has maintained an explicitly cross-cultural identity. Portobello Road, with its British informality and Continental polish, sits naturally within that sensibility. The reference to London also reconnects the Maison to the nationality of its founder without being literal about it.
The Making: Dial, Case and Calibre
The dial construction is the most technically demanding aspect of the Portobello. A brass plate is engraved with twelve three-dimensional horizontal ripples, each satin-finished by hand. A translucent tinted lacquer is then applied over a silver-toned base, building a colour that intensifies or recedes with the angle of light. The result is not a static lavender field but a surface with genuine optical depth, reinforced by the small seconds counter at 1:30, finished in sunray and framed by a rhodium-plated diamond-cut ring.
The case design, named “La City” and conceived by Stéphane Lacroix, reconciles a square bezel with a circular case in 40 components of polished-satin stainless steel. At 40.3 mm across and 9.20 mm tall, the proportions are contemporary without being aggressive. That slimness is made possible by the integrated micro-rotor of the calibre SMA03-T, which winds automatically while keeping the movement at 3.9 mm in thickness.
The SMA03-T was conceived, developed and assembled in-house at Le Cercle des Horlogers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a manufacture in which Rosnoblet holds a majority stake. Running at 4 Hz, the 31-jewel movement delivers 52 hours of power reserve. Bridges are rhodium-plated with 3 mm Côtes de Genève stripes, bevelled and hand-polished at the edges. The tungsten micro-rotor carries an exclusive laser-engraved decoration, visible through the sapphire caseback.
The Result: Wearing the Portobello
On the wrist, the 9.20 mm profile slides under a cuff without resistance. The lavender leather strap, embossed with a denim motif and stitched tone-on-tone, extends the colour story from dial to skin contact without any visible seam in the design logic. A stainless-steel folding buckle provides a secure closure and keeps the flat-lying silhouette intact throughout the day.
For collectors who follow independent watchmaking, whether encountered at Watches and Wonders or through specialist retail, the Portobello offers a clear proposition. The SMA03-T is Speake Marin‘s thirteenth in-house calibre, placing the brand among a small group of independents with genuine manufacture depth. The CHF 22,900 price point positions it within independent haute horlogerie without entering the stratosphere, and the reference-specific availability from 8 July 2026 gives collectors a concrete acquisition timeline.
| Movement | In-house automatic SMA03-T, 144 components, 31 jewels, 4 Hz / 28,800 vph, 52-hour power reserve, tungsten micro-rotor |
| Case diameter | 40.3 mm |
| Case thickness | 9.20 mm |
| Case material | Stainless steel, polished-satin finish |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM, screw-down crown and caseback |
| Price | CHF 22,900 (excluding taxes) |
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| Movement | In-house automatic calibre SMA03-T, integrated tungsten micro-rotor, 4 Hz / 28,800 vph, 52-hour power reserve |
| Case size | 40.3 mm diameter, 9.20 mm thickness |
| Case material | Stainless steel, polished-satin finish |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM |
| Price | CHF 22,900 (excluding taxes) — Ref. 604015600 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What movement powers the Speake Marin Ripples Portobello?
The Ripples Portobello runs on the in-house automatic calibre SMA03-T, conceived, developed and assembled by Le Cercle des Horlogers in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It operates at 4 Hz (28,800 vph), features an integrated tungsten micro-rotor, and delivers approximately 52 hours of power reserve.
What is the price of the Speake Marin Ripples Portobello?
The Ripples Portobello carries a suggested retail price of CHF 22,900 excluding taxes, under reference 604015600.
Is the Speake Marin Ripples Portobello comfortable for daily wear?
At 40.3 mm in diameter and just 9.20 mm thick, the watch sits flat and close to the wrist. The lavender leather strap with a stainless-steel folding buckle adds security and comfort, and the screw-down crown with 5 ATM water resistance makes it a practical choice for everyday wear.
What makes the lavender dial of the Ripples Portobello distinctive?
The dial is engraved with twelve three-dimensional horizontal ripples, hand-satin-finished, then finished with a translucent tinted lacquer over a silver-toned base. This process causes the colour to shift between soft luminous lavender and a deeper, more saturated tone depending on the light, giving the dial a live quality absent from flat-painted surfaces.
Where can I buy the Speake Marin Ripples Portobello and when was it released?
The Ripples Portobello became available at authorised retailers worldwide as of 8 July 2026. Speake Marin is a Geneva-based independent brand; contact your regional authorised retailer for GCC availability.
