A Week on the Wrist with the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph – a quirky chrono with decent specs
Is this just a goofy goober gimmick? I think not.
In the world of luxury watches, mechanical chronographs are some of the hardest to make affordably. The complexity of the movements mean there's a floor on what can be done without sacrificing on quality or specs, limiting what's available at certain price points.
Still, that hasn't stopped one or two movements from bucking the trend. The Seagull chronograph movement is something of a modern legend for exactly this reason, bringing mechanical – albeit not automatic – chronographs to far more affordable price points.
It's what powers the quirky character on my wrist today – the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph. Is it any good? Well, let's take a closer look.
Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph: key specs
Of course, that movement is the real star of the show here. We've seen in used in a slew of other models from other brand, and it offers a marked step up from the Meca-Quartz movement used in other Spongebob chronographs from Spinnaker.
That sits inside of a 43mm stainless steel case, which also sits 14mm tall. That's certainly on the larger side, but it's par for the course with movements like this, which have to give up something in order to maintain a lower price point.
The dial is designed to look like the iconic sponge's face, complete with eyes in the two sub-dials and a pair of teeth protruding at the six o'clock position.
That dial is surrounded by a diving bezel, bizarrely, which is domed to and almost feels like an inflatable beach ring around the dial. The model attaches to a 22mm strap, which is a matching yellow-coloured fabric, backed with leather.
What is the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph like on the wrist?
Reading the dimensions should give you a pretty decent idea of what this will wear like. It's certainly on the larger side – particularly if you've got smaller wrists like me – but not so big that you'll struggle.
I find it to be right on the limit of what I could get away with, and that rings true of other 43mm watches I've tested in the past. What's noteworthy is that the thickness reads like it should be a big problem, but it's actually a lot less noticeable in reality.
Another point of note is that – despite the large case size – it doesn't feel unwieldy on the wrist. It's not uncommon for bigger watches to roll around in use, which can make them less comfortable, but I had no such issues here.
Now of course, the biggest point of contention here is the dial. It's quirky and fun, and will be loved by any Spongebob fans, but it's also hard to ignore. If you're looking for something which goes unnoticed, you'll want to swerve this.
Still, that's not really what this watch is all about. In all my time wearing it, I've received a flurry of compliments – more so than with any other watch I've used in the past.
Is the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph worth the money?
At £505 / €490.95 / US$550 (approx. AU$972), this is a slightly odd prospect. On the one hand, it's a bargain for a mechanical chronograph – particularly one which wears well.
On the other hand, it feels pretty steep for what is a bit of a novelty. It's unlikely to be the watch you wear everyday unless you're in a really casual environment.
Still, I'm happy to have been proven wrong, because this model has already sold out on the brand's website. That means all 500 pieces of the limited run are gone – if you want to snag one now, you're going to have to hope for a good second hand deal.
