Five years ago I saw a watch in a display case. The watchmaker was Peter Speake-Marin - a name I'd never heard of. The watch itself was a magnet for the eye - a timeless version of an Edwardian dial and lugs on the case that suggested a century of timepieces.
When I could, I bought a Piccadilly. Those were better days in the valley; I don't think I'll be able to get anything like the Piccadilly again. But it will last forever, and I never would have known about it if it hadn't been for a watch store that moved far past the well known marques with their large advertising budgets.
SM
Redwood City
Tim has been a superb representative and teacher introducing me to the exquisite artistry and mechanical brilliance of Independent Watchmakers. I have purchased four watches from Independents through Tim. Each one is a wonderful timepiece that gets worn frequently and with great enjoyment. I especially appreciate that Tim is incredible at guiding a match between watch options and my individual interests, lifestyle, and collection. He is a tremendous resource and advocate for Independent Watchmakers.
Mark R. Rosekind, Ph.D.
President and Chief Scientist
Alertness Solutions
With Tim's help along the way, I have come to understand that wearing a fine mechanical watch means so much more than just "telling time." It is fashion, my brand, my love of technology, and art - all at once! But be cautious...I never thought that I'd get to the point where a Rolex [insert your brand choice here] just didn't cut it anymore....BW
Tim,
In the age of mass marketing and production, the image of a watchmaker hunched over his stool, peering into a magnifier assembling hundreds of tiny parts has been replaced by the scene of robotic machines with outstretched arms of steel sandwiching bridges, plates and nails at the direction of a computer driven Master. Not so, however, in the world of the Independent Watchmaker. Small by definition, unique in character, and unrestrained by the corporate conglomerates' demands for scale and speed, the Independent creates his masterpieces one at a time. In doing so, he imparts elements of his own personality into his creations, perhaps with the purpose of achieving his own sense of immortality.
The sacrifices each of these individuals endures when abandoning the safety of the big producers to become entrepreneurs is, by no exaggeration, gut wrenching. In the words of one independent:
"My passion for watchmaking and need for creative freedom has put an enormous strain on my marriage and wallet. But I have no regrets, for I am doing what I do best."
For the collector looking to own a handmade mechanical timepiece, limited not by the marketers’ "special edition no. xxx," but by the temporal reality of an artist's lifespan, possessing a watch made at the bench of an Independent is the purest prize of horological pursuit.
OK Tim - maybe I have read too many watch magazines!
Next, I'll submit a testimonial for you.
Regards,
DR