They’re back: the Spinnaker Hass Automatic SP-5099 is another dive watch from our favourite factory brand. Is it as good as it looks?
Spinnaker Hass Automatic SP-5099 Review
Spinnaker is on a real run of form lately: The Cahill set new standards for dial texture quality in the class; and the Croft gave my Tudor Black Bay a run for its money. Both had flaws I could not quite get over – but this new watch seems to be the complete package. Named after diving pioneer Hans Hass, it’s a 300m dive watch with a lumed bezel and some cool colour options.
At a glance |
Spinnaker Hass SP-5099 |
Price |
£375 (£300 with discount code WRUK) |
Case size |
43mm |
Thickness |
16mm |
Water Resistance |
300m |
Movement |
Japanese TI NH day date automatic movement |
The packaging is the usual Spinnaker fare: a perfectly adequate two-part card box that’s covered in a kind of nylon weave. It does the job, but it is a shame that Spinnaker stopped proving pelican cases with their divers.
Case and Movement
The Seiko movement in the Spinnaker Hass is reliable and accurate – I’m pleased that Spinnaker has chosen to go with the full day and date functionality this time around – it adds a real Seiko quality to the watch. The case finishing is as good as ever, with a solid feeling build quality and great crown and bezel action.
I’m pleased that Spinnaker has stopped using transparent case backs with a black rotor – I always felt they spoiled the aesthetics of their watches. The Hass has a solid case back with a decent engraving. The finish is superb on the case – a sandblasted matt.
Dial and Hands
Spinnaker dials are always superb but the Hass takes it to another level. I love the way that the applied markers cut into the angled chapter ring, and although there is quite a lot of text on the dial it’s small enough not to be distracting. The full-lume bezel looks great against the dial and everything lines up. I’ve seen some photos of this watch where it looks like the bezel is off, but that is often down to distortion from the deep sapphire crystal if the watch isn’t held dead on. It’s one of those things that you don’t notice in real life but do on a photograph.
Spinnaker has chosen a “roulette” date wheel for the Hass: even dates are in white, odd dates in red. The trouble is, the red is quite hard to make out against the black background. What is easy to read is the time: the hands really stand out, with minutes being highlighted with a red border. The dial and bezel both have lume but I was a little disappointed because the lumed parts are quite small and the bezel and dial seemed to glow at a slightly different intensity. It’s hard to photograph, but it did show up in my video review.
Bracelet and Clasp
The Spinnaker Hass uses the standard Spinnaker clasp on an H-link bracelet. The bracelet is great, with solid links and end links. It feels smooth and solid on the wrist.
The clasp is the weak point for me – I wish Spinnaker would develop a ratcheting clasp rather than using one with just three micro-adjustments. It means small changes can often mean adding or removing a link because you run out of room.
Spinnaker Hass Automatic SP-5099 – Video Review
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Spinnaker Hass Automatic – The WRUK Verdict
It’s no secret that I am a fan of Spinnaker: I think they make about the best watches in their price range. Almost every time, though, there is something that spoils their watches for me. The Spinnaker Hass, however, gets most things right and I think, at the price, it’s probably m,y pick of the affordable diver’s watches right now.
Buy a Spinnaker Hass
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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