The Dumas collection of Spinnaker Watches interprets the dive watch through the ideals of watchmaking in the 1970s. Taking its name from the born from renowned diver Frédéric Dumas, the watch offers an absolutely functional and utilitarian design synonymous with dive watches of that time.
The Dumas SP-5070 is a bold, masculine, deliberately aggressive, dive watch made for the real action. If you are looking for a watch with fanciness or class, then it’s probably not for you.
As aggressive and bold as the watch is, it still has some unique features which distinguish it from other dive watches. Let’s take a look at some of these features and how they relate to other watches.
316L Stainless Steel Case
The 44.0 mm diameter and 15.0 mm thickness 316L Stainless steel case is affixed with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens offering a better view of the watch. Another feature that I would love to see in this watch is an anti-reflective coating.
However, most elements of the watch are oversized, meaning all the components can be operated and read without possible mistakes. The case is water resistant up to 300m which is quite superb for a dive watch at this price point.
Paired with the stainless-steel case is a black mineral glass bezel insert (the SP 5070-02 features a blue bezel inset and a blue dial) on a 120 click unidirectional rotating bezel, with engraved markers and an application of lume over them.
Dial and Hands
The bold and legible design of the dial gives the watch a more masculine presence. The applied markers are also oversized, and as expected at this price point, they are Luminous, indicating that it can also be read in low-light conditions.
The dial features neat and precise adjustments and printings which also improve the legibility of the watch. The AR coating would have been the icing on the cake, but they’ve already made up for that with other elements of the watch.
The sword-shaped minute hand is also oversized also with an application of lume paint to improve readability. On the dial, at the 3 o’clock position is a large date aperture which apparently displays the date. Some watch brands try to give up the utility of a date aperture to achieve symmetry on their dials. What Spinnaker did was to balance it out by not having an hour marker at the 3 o’clock position. Instead, the date window serves as the marker which is pretty much a nice idea.
The case finishing details is quite impressive with the top having a circular brushing finish, vertical brushing finish on the lug sides and polished accents on the side bezel.
NH35 – TMI Movement
Within the DUMAS SP-5070 is a movement that is as utilitarian and as strong as other parts of the watch, the NH35 TMI Seiko Caliber. It is one of the most popular automatic movements used by many microbrand watches.
It is a self-winding movement with a power reserve of about 41 hours. Time Module claims that the movement’s accuracy range is within -20~+40 seconds per day tested under standard conditions. These measurements were however recorded without the date complication being active.
It winds in both directions, meaning the time and date can be set easily and in no time with only a few turns of the crown needed for any adjustment. It has 24 jewels and oscillates at 21,600 vibrations per hour. These numbers do not represent anything fancy, other than it’s an accurate movement that operates just like it should and has an efficient winding capacity.
Silicone Strap
Attached to the stainless-steel case is the sturdy yet flexible 22 mm silicon strap which is comfortable and hugs the watch to the wearer’s wrist. The strap matches well with steel case and dial design; it can also be applauded for its durability and resistance which is a major quality to look for when choosing a strap for a dive watch. The SP-5070 is customizable with aftermarket bracelets and straps depending on individual preferences.
See-Through Back
Visible through the sapphire caseback is the internal workings of the watch, showing the balance bridge, the ratchet wheels and other components that make up the movement.
Final Thoughts
The Spinnaker Dumas Sp-5070 matches the expectations of its looks. It’s a watch that dives straight into the action without trying to cover up the functional aspects with fanciful exigencies.
When it’s on the wrist, its presence is undeniable. Comfort also was not compromised, the pliant strap fits nicely and can easily adapt to most men’s wrists, from 6″ to 8″. The overall quality of the watch is excellent, materials and finishes used were designed to survive the test of time, typical of a good dive watch.
The signup for this watch starts January 11 and will be available for purchase from January 25.
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