Coinciding with the twenty fifth anniversary of the favored Nickelodeon community animated present that debuted in 1999, Spinnaker has been relatively prolific as a licensing accomplice of Spongebob Squarepants, having already launched plenty of themed merchandise primarily based on quite a lot of product fashions, together with a number of collections this yr. On this article, I’ll go over three of the Spinnaker x Spongebob Squarepants computerized sports activities watches and can usually share my ideas on this collaboration. General, these are principally very cheerful and spirited lower-priced enthusiast-style merchandise that tie right into a beloved set of characters and packages. Followers of Spongebob Squarepants and timepiece lovers will discover one thing to get pleasure from. Nonetheless, Spinnaker may refine and design enhancements sooner or later to raised seize the essence of Spongebob and his mates in these amusing merchandise.
Spinnaker makes diving and marine-themed computerized watches at mainstream costs. The corporate is impressed by dearer and historic watches however typically provides a playful contact. I typically consider these as “toy watches” for adults. I final coated Spinnaker when it launched its newest “50 Phantoms” collaboration with Seconde/Seconde/. This collaboration with Spongebob Squarepants validates that sentiment. These “memento” watches (with characters on the dial) mix conventional watch design and an leisure theme in a cohesive “instrument-style” method. A very good instance of this idea is the Cahill Computerized wristwatch with a dial impressed by Spongebob Squarepants’ alarm clock.
It’s maybe smart to supply some bigger context about this sort of collaborative development the place novelty watches and conventional timepieces intersect. Again in 2015, Romain Jerome debuted a high-end Tremendous Mario watch. Regardless that the watch wasn’t very sensible and was extraordinarily costly, I used to be fascinated by the intersection of my youth and the watch passion. It wasn’t that wristwatches by no means explored themes from the previous, it was merely that the timepiece business hadn’t but caught as much as masking themes from the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties. And only a few of them targeted on cartoons and different extra childlike types of leisure. I first thought the Tremendous Mario Bros. watch was destined to be a singular oddity; I used to be flawed. From comedian e book heroes to kids’s cartoon characters, over the previous couple of years, the timepiece business has been completely infatuated with colourful kid-style watches for adults.
It’s one problem to contemplate an leisure property that matches your watch merchandise nicely, and it’s one other to give you creatively rewarding and utilitarian watch designs. Spinnaker actually tries to do this in some ways. However a few of these designs might have been rushed a bit (which is frequent for manufacturers like Spinnaker that target decrease costs and better manufacturing volumes). Finally horological refinements include a price. All of those watches have a retail value of underneath $400.
Two of the watches are from Spinnaker’s Cahill Computerized product assortment, and the opposite is from Spinnaker’s Hull Computerized assortment. These are all diver-style watches with circumstances which might be water resistant to 200 meters. Clearly, it is sensible for Spongebob Squarepants watches to have the ability to go underwater; that goes with out saying provided that they need to be capable of exist within the fictitious city of Bikini Backside. The Cahill Computerized case is metal, 43mm vast, 15mm thick, and has a 50mm lug-to-lug distance. Inside is a Japanese-made computerized motion working at 3Hz with about two days of energy reserve. The entire watches characteristic the identical motion, which is seen by the caseback window. Right here is the place you possibly can see the Spinnaker designers making an attempt to be playful and integrating the phrases of timepieces and Spongebob Squarepants collectively by together with the assertion (on the utilized Spongebob label over the automated rotor): “Twenty-4 Krabby Patties.” That is alleged to take the assertion about jewels in a mechanical motion and change them with the signature sandwich ready by Spongebob Squarepants within the present.
Combining leisure universes that aren’t inherently watch-related with conventional timepieces is enjoyable and really difficult. There are in all probability extra failures than hits, however the industrial attract of cross-pollinating two audiences is an ongoing trophy manufacturers search to win. Spinnaker’s staff actually studied collaboration watches, and between the varied Spinnaker sister manufacturers (AVI-8 is amongst them) they’ve quite a lot of expertise. Lots of the Spinnaker x Spongebob Squarepants watches are actually enjoyable to take a look at. I can’t evaluate all of them, however these three fashions assist reveal the successes and challenges of the timepiece assortment. These watches additionally signify totally alternative ways to include an leisure property right into a watch, so I feel it’s attention-grabbing to see what Spinnaker did right here.
In making an attempt to seize an precise piece of the Spongebob Squarepants universe, Spinnaker tried to make a wristwatch model of Spongebob Squarepants’ alarm clock. Notice that the precise clock dial from the present doesn’t even have sufficient hour markers in it, and it makes use of a form of fog horn gadget to wake individuals up. The gadget from the present is clearly a cartoon equipment, and with the Spinnaker Cahill Computerized Spongebob Squarepants Timekeeper Restricted Version reference SP-5142-01, Spinnaker makes an attempt to merge this gadget with a wristwatch (be aware that the title of the product doesn’t reference the model in any respect). Whereas not excellent, that is an instance of bringing a chunk of the present to your wrist. The lume-painted inexperienced dial’s shade isn’t very enticing, nevertheless it does attempt to replicate the look of the alarm clock from the present. And I just like the thicker software of the markers on the dial in order that it doesn’t seem flat. The remainder of the watch emphasizes the metal tones of the case (together with the uni-directionally rotating diver’s model bezel), and the orange strap tries to include an accent shade from the alarm clock. In my view, that is among the many extra profitable integrations of one thing from the precise Spongebob Squarepants universe right into a watch, however the ensuing colours and elegance will not be historically enticing until your wardrobe continuously encompasses a combination of neon inexperienced and vivid orange.
The Cahill Computerized case is chunky however sturdy-feeling at 43mm vast, 15mm thick, with a 50mm lug-to-lug distance. This identical case is used for the Cahill Computerized Spongebob Squarepants Timekeeper Restricted Version reference SP-5142-02, with the Patrick Star dial. This watch takes a wholly totally different design method and seeks to duplicate the traditional “Mickey Mouse palms” dial with the character Patrick, Spongebob Squarepants’ pal. In idea, it is a nice design, and the cheerfulness of Patrick Star’s character comes by within the idea. Being a sea star, Patrick’s pointy limbs make for good watch palms.
The difficulty with the SP-5142-02 watch pertains to refinement and colours. One among my favourite issues concerning the Spinnaker x Spongebob Squarepants collaboration is that Spinnaker liberally makes use of the font from the present on the watches. This helps maintain them on level, and I feel it exhibits braveness that as a substitute of the usual Spinnaker emblem, they merely write “Spinnaker” with Spongebob font. That mentioned, the colour matching and the colour mixing on this SP-5142-02 watch are incongruous. The hour and minute palms don’t match the identical pink shade as the primary physique for Patrick. And there are just too many alternative colours on the watch and strap. Most bright-colored watches can get away with a most of two or three totally different colours. Right here, we see far too many colours, such because the yellow strap and vivid rotating bezel insert, which don’t make sense or add to the composition. This is able to have been a greater watch if it had targeted on the colours used to attract the Patrick Star character, and if the colours used for all the weather matched. I feel the general route and theme of this SP-5142-02 Cahill Computerized Spongebob Squarepants Timekeeper “Patrick dial” watch is nice, however additional refinement may make this a extra enticing timepiece.
I like to recommend you try the Spinnker web site if you’re interested by these because the firm does apply numerous luminant, typically in novelty kind (which means portray areas with luminant that doesn’t essentially have to glow in the dead of night to learn the time). In truth, on this final watch, you may have to see the dial glowing in the dead of night after being charged by gentle if you wish to see the Spongebob Squarepants parts within the design. The Hull Computerized is one other diver’s-style watch from Spinnaker and is the premise of much more collaboration fashions. As of this writing, there are at present 4 totally different Spinnaker Hull Diver Computerized watches themed round Spongebob Squarepants with every model specializing in a special character. This black and yellow reference SP-5147-01 is the Spongebob Squarepants mannequin, however you’d be forgiven for not realizing that. What makes this “tactical-style” sports activities watch work is that it doesn’t really feel like a collaboration product. For individuals who like watches and Spongebob Squarepants equally, certainly one of these watches may work finest since they don’t instantly really feel like “character watches.” In truth, it’s good to squint on the dial to see the mosaic of pictures in grey on black on the face, that are from the Spongebob Squarepants universe. (They present up higher with a UV torch.) A lot of the nods to Spongebob are refined, together with the font for the textual content and numerals on the dial and bezel, in addition to little particulars such because the plaque on the automated rotor or the Spongebob smile on the top of the yellow silicone strap. That is in all probability my favourite watch model from the bunch, given its look and luxury. Nonetheless, the domed sapphire crystal utilized by Spinnaker has a little bit of a lens distortion impact when considered from excessive angles. This isn’t an enormous deal, however it’s typically thought of finest observe to refine the form of the crystal to take away any lens impact when wanting by it. The Hull Diver Computerized case is black IP-coated metal, 42mm vast, 15mm thick, and has a 50mm lug-to-lug distance.
I would like Spinnaker to proceed making Spongebob Squarepants watches as a result of I admire the accessible value level and openness to experimentation. In 2020, I reviewed a special Spongebob Squarepants watch, the UNIMATIC U1-SS2. Sadly, Spongebob Squarepants founder Stephen Hillenburg has handed away, and we are able to’t get his tackle these timepieces, however after 25 years, the legacy of this artistic and amusing cartoon for each kids and adults continues to seize our imaginations. These limited-edition Spinnaker watches are produced as units of 225 to 300 items, relying on the mannequin. Value for the Spinnaker Cahill Computerized Spongebob Squarepants watches is $385 USD, and the Spinnaker Hull Diver Computerized Spongebob Squarepants watches have a retail value of $345 USD. Study extra on the Spinnaker web site.
