To have your achievement commemorated is one of the greatest forms of compliment, especially if it was done by an established brand in any industry. Spinnaker has done so by using the Croft SP-5058-03 to immortalize the achievement made by Robert Croft who became the first to free dive a depth of 200 ft in 1967. This timepiece was carefully crafted to create the perfect timepiece that would reflect his achievement.
Having his achievement in mind, Spinnaker designed the timepiece with a screw down crown which helps reinforce the watch’s water resistance. Although, most wristwatches in this price range do not have this feature embedded in their design, this, makes this piece more of a great value diver with class.
As the first in this collection, Spinnaker made sure that not only should it catch the attention of the public, but also works the way it should. Much details have been placed in the design of this watch and it clearly reflects its namesake. And if you are an enthusiast of water resistant watches, this is a timepiece to look out for.
The Croft Look
Its case is made of stainless steel for durability without the rugged look. Polished at the sides and the top all the way to its downturned lugs, giving it a sleek, edgy appearance where the brand logo Spinnaker is gracefully engraved into the metal opposite the screw down crown, which is an important feature of this watch. In addition, its size of 43 mm diameter and 12 mm of thickness categorically puts it as one of the medium sized watches in its class. The Croft also weighs roughly around 110 grams, one of the lightest in its division.
The Croft SP-5058-03’s dial is made with a texturized, matte black finish giving it a good contrast against its white markers. This provides the user optimal function especially for diving at deeper depths.
Around the three o’clock and four thirty mark lies the date window and the sub-dial which features its second hand aptly marked in five-second increments. This is a classic style which gives the timepiece a vintage feeling. It is striking to me however how Spinnaker added a domed magnifier for its date window completing the greater visibility theme of the watch. Moreover, just like the date window, the crystal is carved to magnify the batons, connected to the bezel at a height. Although, some at a height before dropping to connect to the bezel of the watch which gives the wearer a clearer view of the markers.
In addition, the Super LumiNova lume applied to the hands and its markers gives the watch added visibility in low light, which is obviously common in deeper depths of the water. However, around the bezel, the lume can only be seen on the 12 o’clock marker, which could have been applied all the way around for convenience.
Clearly, visibility was the theme that the watchmakers were going for this time piece which is particularly important with its 15 ATM water resistance capabilities (150m/500ft) which is not clearly reflected on its dial which is something that they should improve on.
Its strap is made of genuine leather, 22 mm in thickness, adding to its durability.
Design-wise, what strikes me the most is the exhibition window showing you the movement of the watch as its case back. The not so subtle addition of the Spinnaker logo works on a design aspect because it can draw an admirer’s attention to the brand of the watch.
Praise Worthy Features
In my opinion, the highlights of this timepiece are the bezel and its screw down crown, which is a common opinion especially the former.
The screw down crown has made it possible for the watch to reach the water resistance rating that it currently has. In addition, the watch is an automatic timepiece which runs on a Japanese Miyota 8218. This made it possible for the 4:30 second sub dial, unfettering the minute and hour hands for a smoother movement.
The Spinnaker Croft SP-5058-03’s bezel has been the most praise-worthy.
The bezel is a unidirectional type which only turns in a counter-clockwise direction. This is important because if you are a deep-sea diver, this reassures you that you do not run the risk of accidentally turning the ring. This causes timing inaccuracies which is dangerous when you are diving.
Moreover, the Spinnaker Croft SP-5058-03’s bezel accurately lines up with the markers around the dial of the timepiece. You would expect this to be the norm. However, there are diver watches in which this is not the case, and that is why there is such high praise for this watch at its affordable price point.
The Spinnaker Croft SP-5058-03 is a must for every diver, but if you like diver watches as part of your casual look, this is a good-looking watch to sport, and for its price of $320, it is definitely worth it.
Robert Croft may have not thought of his achievement being immortalized, but he would surely be proud of how Spinnaker did it. Not only does it give a classic, vintage feeling, but its optimum functionality is a perfect fit for anyone who enjoys the calming but adrenaline pumping energy of a deep-sea dive.
To have a look at more specs you can visit the official Spinnaker website here.
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