Spinnaker
- Founded
- 2013
- Based in
- Hong Kong and London
- In our catalog
- 1 watch from $200 to $260
Spinnaker makes dive watches for people who like the look of a 1960s diver and don't want to spend much. The watches are colorful, often oversized, and full of vintage touches like box-shaped crystals, compressor-style cases and faded bezel colors. Many are named after pioneers of diving.
History
Spinnaker launched in 2013 as part of Dartmouth Brands, a group with a presence in both London and Hong Kong that also owns AVI-8 (aviation-themed watches) and Dufa. The name comes from the large balloon-shaped sail racing yachts fly when running downwind. Watches are designed in Europe and made in Asia, which keeps prices low.
Signature models
- Dumas 300: An automatic diver with 300 m water resistance and a vintage-style dial, named after the French diver Frédéric Dumas, one of Jacques Cousteau's early companions.
What it's known for
Vintage looks for little money, and a lot of choice. Spinnaker uses Japanese automatic movements from Seiko and Miyota, and releases each model in many colors. The finishing is basic, but the watches are solid for the price.
Price and positioning
Spinnaker watches cost from about $150 to $400. In the same range Seiko 5 Sports and Orient offer stronger brand names and in-house movements, while Spinnaker offers more variety and bolder vintage styling.
Spinnaker watches in our library
- Spinnaker Dumas 300 ($200 to $260)