First thoughts on Spinnaker - Croft 3912 GMT
I’m sure that just about everyone on WatchCrunch has heard of Spinnaker by now, following the craze which surrounded the “Fifty Phantoms” in October. I had heard of them a couple of times previously, but it was the buzz that occurred later last year that drew my attention.
A few weeks ago, I heard about this piece: the Croft 3912 GMT.
It is one of 4 colorways they have released for this model, in limited editions of 125 pieces per color (500 total). This series was apparently designed in collaboration with a Korean watch YouTube channel called SHW. I went over to their channel to watch the video they put out on this release, but YouTube unfortunately does not provide auto-generated English subtitles for it. You can check it out yourself here: link
I have to say, I really like this little set. They’re colorful, powered by a good GMT movement (NH34), and seem reasonably priced (especially if you can find a discount code like I did). The retail price is $445.00, I paid $356.00. It would have to be pretty bad not to be worth it.
The watch arrived yesterday and, after looking it over, I’m happy to report that this seems like a winner. Spinnaker is clearly no slouch on the manufacturing side of things. Almost every aspect is built and finished to a very high standard. I have no complaints about the quality of the case, bezel, or bracelet. I did notice that there may be something off with the lume, but I’ll have to look into that further. Overall, I’m impressed.
The caseback has an awesome feature where it includes a timetable you can use to update the GMT hand to your desired timezone. The text is pretty small, but I thought this was really neat!
I haven’t sized it yet; my plan is to wait a couple of days before deciding for certain whether or not to keep it. I apparently have a soft spot for orange (my first premium watch was the orange Limited Edition Bulova Devil Diver- I sold it off last year due to lack of wear). At this point, I’m thinking that even if I don’t fall in love with it, it might make a great gift for one of my friends down the line.
Has anyone else looked into these models or purchased one? What do you think about Spinnaker’s watches?
No experience at all with Spinnaker but from afar it looks like they're not above having fun at an accessible price point with super attractive offerings.
Looking forward to a deeper assessment of the watch but from this deep dent on my sofa it looks like you scored.
So what's the final verdict? Are you going to wear it or sell it?
So what's the final verdict? Are you going to wear it or sell it?
I like the watch but don’t think it belongs in my collection. I’m trying to be intentional about what pieces I add / keep (which I think was conveyed reasonably well in the post); this piece won’t be making the cut.
I initially planned on returning it, but that seemed impractical. I did not have the bracelet sized and only tried it on to assess its wearability on my wrist, so it’s still brand new. I have a friend who I think will really enjoy it (I had this person in mind when I bought the watch); my plan is to give it to him as a gift.
I think this was always my plan for this watch, and it served as a good opportunity to assess Spinnaker's quality for myself. I certainly wasn't disappointed.
I like the watch but don’t think it belongs in my collection. I’m trying to be intentional about what pieces I add / keep (which I think was conveyed reasonably well in the post); this piece won’t be making the cut.
I initially planned on returning it, but that seemed impractical. I did not have the bracelet sized and only tried it on to assess its wearability on my wrist, so it’s still brand new. I have a friend who I think will really enjoy it (I had this person in mind when I bought the watch); my plan is to give it to him as a gift.
I think this was always my plan for this watch, and it served as a good opportunity to assess Spinnaker's quality for myself. I certainly wasn't disappointed.
What's the thing that makes you dislike it? Is the style just not for you? Or is there another reason?
What's the thing that makes you dislike it? Is the style just not for you? Or is there another reason?
There’s nothing I dislike about it. I like the design and am very satisfied with the overall quality of the watch. It just doesn’t appeal to me quite enough to hold onto it, as I am trying to avoid accumulating watches I don’t really enjoy and might not wear. This piece has steep competition in my collection. I’d feel bad holding onto it knowing it would be better enjoyed by someone else. It’s a very cool watch though.
There’s nothing I dislike about it. I like the design and am very satisfied with the overall quality of the watch. It just doesn’t appeal to me quite enough to hold onto it, as I am trying to avoid accumulating watches I don’t really enjoy and might not wear. This piece has steep competition in my collection. I’d feel bad holding onto it knowing it would be better enjoyed by someone else. It’s a very cool watch though.
I see, thanks for the in-depth review. I guess you can say that it was too "vanilla" then 😂
appreciate the detailed review on this! sad you'll part ways with it, however i would do the same in your shoes if i wasn't completely in love with it :)
keep your eyes out for future releases!