Our mission at The Watch Resource is to highlight timepieces that have unique character due to their outer appearance, and/or technical specifications. This never ending journey brought us to the Spinnaker Dumas. As a bonus, the price point was an additional positive factor, so of course, we decided to shine the spotlight on it. Let’s dive right in!
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: NH35
- Power Reserve: 41 hours
- Case Width: 44 mm
- Lug Width: 22 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 48 mm
- Price: Around $400
Spinnaker: The Brand
Spinnaker emerged from the deep-rooted passion of an individual for adventure, the vast blue seas, diving, and the pursuit of horizons across boundless oceans. The name “Spinnaker” takes inspiration from a distinctive type of sail employed in competitive sailing.
The brand’s primary objective is to preserve the beloved design elements of classic dive and sports watches while infusing them with distinctive details that are exclusive and genuine to the brand, adding a touch of creativity and uniqueness.
Spinnaker Dumas: Overview
The Spinnaker Dumas watch features a bold, vintage 1970s-inspired octagonal case that is sturdy and provides the perfect frame for the bezel and dial. The stainless steel case and bracelet go well with the available dial color options that are usually paired with a dynamic secondary color to provide a very exciting contrast. A sporty watch that can be dressed up, and comes with the reliable NH35 Japanese automatic movement provided by Seiko.
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: NH35
- Power Reserve: 41 hours
- Case Width: 44 mm
- Lug Width: 22 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 48 mm
- Price: Around $400
Dial
The dial itself achieves a very sporty look yet remains clean and not overcomplicated. No Roman or Arabic numerals are used for the hour markers, instead we have round shapes, and rectangular for the 6, 9, and 12 o’clock positions, while the 3 o’clock position has the (rectangular) date window, maintaining this visual balance. All hour indices use a vibrant secondary color that makes the watch look dynamic.
We also have military time towards the center of the dial to give a more sporty appearance to the watch.
Our favorite part is the use of the Plongeur hands for the hour and the minute hands. Plongeur means “diver” in French. Therefore the Plongeur hands usually refer to dive watch hands, where we have a straight hour hand (like a short pencil hand), and a more prominent sword minute hand that usually has a vibrant, highly visible color around the edges. These angles are counterbalanced by the lollipop seconds hand, bringing some rounded elements to the overall look.
Bezel
The bezel is a 120-click unidirectional turning bezel, and while usually we see a traditional count-up bezel on dive watches, the Spinnaker Dumas does not have any minute markings on its bezel. We love the look as it dials down the sporty appearance of the watch.
Case
The Spinnaker Dumas at a case width of 44mm is not a small watch, however, it can fit a relatively wide range of wrist sizes. The watch can look pretty substantial on the wrist, taking into account the 15 mm case height, which is not surprising to see with sports watches. The lug-to-lug distance is at 48 mm, so even though the case width is relatively big, it is offset nicely by the lug-to-lug distance of a comfortable 48 mm. Don’t forget, the lug-to-lug measurement is more important when deciding if a watch is too big for your wrist or not.
The octagonal case is an amusing design choice, as the angles and corners create a rugged, sturdy look. The case itself combines the motives of the sharp angles and rounded curves, creating a harmonic balance that enables the wearer to easily dress the Dumas up or down.
The Spinnaker Dumas is water resistant up to 300 meters.
Movement
The NH35 movement is a three-hand automatic movement with a date function and a power reserve of 41 hours. Manufactured by Seiko, this Japanese movement offers a cost-effective and highly reliable solution.
It’s important to note that this 24 jewels movement is essentially an unbranded version of Seiko’s renowned 4R35 caliber. This means that the NH35 movement found in watches is identical to Seiko’s in-house 4R35 movement, only without the Seiko branding.
Under normal conditions, the NH35 movement demonstrates an accuracy range of -20 to +40 seconds per day. This level of precision ensures reliable timekeeping for daily wear.
Stainless Steel Bracelet
The brushed oyster stainless steel bracelet contributes to the classic dive watch look. It is one of the most popular bracelet designs, as it gives a sporty yet classy look, therefore it’s a great fit for most occasions. The fold-over buckle with safety lock makes sure the watch stays on the wrist.
Pros and Cons
Let’s take a look at the summary of pros and cons, in our humble opinion:
Pros
- Unique, vintage-inspired design.
- Very comfortable wear.
- The 48 mm lug-to-lug distance is good for most wrist sizes.
- Several options are available with different color combinations.
Cons:
- Some popular color combinations are out of stock.
- While the 48 mm lug-to-lug distance is a good fit for the average size wrist, it might overwhelm a smaller, more delicate wrist due to the 44 mm case width and 15 mm overall height.
Summary: Takeaway and Final Thoughts About the Spinnaker Dumas
The Spinnaker Dumas is a statement piece with its sturdy octagonal case and overall rugged design. Classic dive watch elements – like the Plongeur hands – bring a touch of class to this sport timepiece that boasts very exciting color combinations. The 44 mm case width and 15 mm case height make this watch a larger timepiece, however, these measurements are tastefully counterbalanced with the 48 mm lug-to-lug distance, ensuring the Dumas remains a practical and comfortable choice.
The reliable NH35 automatic movement is provided by Seiko, and the 300 meters water resistance are additional technical specs that are warmly welcomed by all watch enthusiasts.
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: NH35
- Power Reserve: 41 hours
- Case Width: 44 mm
- Lug Width: 22 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 48 mm
- Price: Around $400
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