We love Spinnaker at WRUK – they produce good-looking, quality watches at sensible prices. The latest limited edition is the Spinnaker Croft 3912.
Spinnaker Croft 3912 Automatic SP-5094 Review
It’s been around a while but I’ve not reviewed a Spinnaker Croft before. This latest edition has an upgraded movement and comes with an additional strap.
At a glance |
Spinnaker Croft 3912 |
Price |
£500 (£400 with WRUK discount code) |
Case size |
39mm |
Thickness |
11.5mm |
Water Resistance |
150m |
Movement |
Miyota 9039 |
The usual Spinnaker packaging is complemented by a little wallet that holds the instructions, warranty card and limited edition certificate. It’s good but unremarkable.
Case and Movement
Instead of the Seiko NH35 which tends to appear in Spinnakers, here we have the excellent Miyota 9039 movement. It’s a high-beat premium self-winding movement that many think is as good as anything the Swiss produce for the mass market. It sits within a conservatively-sized 39mm case which, thanks to the thinner-than-usual bezel wears a little larger. The thickness, 11.5m, makes the watch well-balanced on the wrist and the finishing is great, as always with Spinnaker watches.
The downside for me is that the aluminium bezel has no markings, limiting its usefulness as a tool watch. Okay, few of us actually use our dive bezels, but the numerals are a part of the “look” and it makes the watch look a little plain compared to, say, a Tudor Black Bay (in my video I do a side-by-side with the Tudor).
Dial and Hands
The dial is reminiscent of later Rolex Submariners, with large applied markers and a Tudor-style “smile” of text. The hands are segmented and filled with the same lume as the indices. I found the lume was a little too yellow for my taste, coming across closer to “banana” than “aged”.
The watch is easy to read at a glance and I enjoyed the splashes of red on the second hand’s ball and the 500ft/150m text (“feet-first” being another nice vintage touch).
Bracelet and Clasp
Spinnaker bracelets are always very good and the one on the Spinnaker Croft is in the familiar design. Solid links and a smooth feel, with a double-locking clasp for security.
The one-piece elasticated strap looks good, but I would be nervous about using it due to the clasp being a simple hook. I would constantly worry it was about to pop open. It comes in a neat leather pouch with a couple of strap change tools – and thanks to drilled lugs you can put it on without trashing the inner lugs of the watch.
Spinnaker Croft 3912 – Video Review
What I Liked |
What I Didn’t like |
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Spinnaker Croft 3912 – The WRUK Verdict
If you want a Black Bay-style watch at a lower cost, then the Spinnaker Croft gets you 90% of the way for 10% of the price. As ever with Spinnaker, the build quality is up there with the very beast at the price point. My only misgiving is that at £500 (although this is really £400 after your WRUK discount code) Spinnaker is going up against brands like NTH that make superb watches and have that added kudos of being “true microbrands”. Nonetheless, if you buy a Spinnaker Croft I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Buy a Spinnaker Croft 3912
You can buy Spinnaker watches at their website – and don’t forget to use our 20% off discount code MICHAELRICHMOND20 at the checkout when you buy a Spinnaker watch.
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