Watch Review – Spinnaker Hull Automatic

The watch is fitted with a large domed mineral crystal measuring a robust 35mm in overall diameter. The crystal does sit slightly above the fixed bezel so that could concern some that the crystal could be a bit more susceptible to impacts so just use a little extra caution. As you will see in the photos and the video, the domed crystal, even though it is a mineral crystal without anti-reflective coating, glare and distortion is not as big of a problem as one might expect. This might be the most disappointing feature of the watch as many watches in this price range come with sapphire crystals. Beneath the mineral crystal is a clean and uncluttered white and blue sandwich style dial with orange accented company branding above and below center dial. A large white date window is positioned between the 4 and 5 markers on the dial. The high polished handset is the rather typical sword shaped design that corresponds perfectly with the high polished portions of the case. As an extra bit of added flair, Spinnaker coated the majority of the sweep second hand in orange, which corresponds with the other orange accents around the dial. I believe C1 Superluminova is the compound utilized on the handset but the application is at most fair and doesn’t have any sort of significant longevity. I wasn’t able to obtain the best lume photograph on this particular model but did want to mention that once your eyes adjust to a darkened room the blue portion of the sandwich dial almost appears to have a slight glow as well. Overall, just based on color options alone one of the best looking sandwich style dials I have seen.

Moving on to the case back, once again you will see that Spinnaker continued with the sailing/boating theme as the display crystal has a black sail design placed on the interior. Due to the design, a perfectly clear view of the entire Seiko NH-35 movement is not possible. The NH-35 has become a rather popular movement with many new watch productions for a wide range of companies recently and seems to be rather robust and dependable. The movement has been highly accurate for an unadjusted movement at around +15 seconds per day since delivery. The case back itself is screwed down to the upper portion of the case and has the various typical specifications etched around the perimeter. In my opinion the NH-35 movement makes the $500 retail price of this model a bit more reasonable.

Finally let’s take a look at the strap included with Hull Automatic. The watch comes with a silicon rubber strap that measures 22/22mm and is a legitimate 4mm thick. As with most silicon the strap is quite soft and comfortable on the wrist. The white color with blue stripe adds quite a bit of flair to the watch as it corresponds perfectly with the dial details of the watch. The white strap also gives the watch that summer time appearance. The strap is finished off with a high polished, standard, signed buckle. Overall, I am pleased with the strap even though I am not a huge fan of silicon due to the fact silicon attracts quite a bit of lint and is hard to keep clean. In this instance with the strap being white, I do not believe lint will be a problem. However, I will be curious to see how the white color holds up over time or if it will discolor.

If you are looking for a great cushion cased sports watch with some quality specifications that is practical for everyday use, then check out what the Spinnaker Hull Automatic has to offer. The Hull automatic will not disappoint with the rather popular case design, screw down crown, striking appearance and quality Seiko NH-35 automatic movement. The watch should be suitable for a wide variety of outdoor activities such as sailing, hiking, and possibly some light swimming. I would not personally feel comfortable using this model with any light diving or snorkeling, as it is only 10ATM water resistant. The only real upgrade that I believe this model should have due to its price point is that a sapphire crystal should be a standard feature. I would like to thank Spinnaker for working with WatchReport.com on arranging the review. I would also like to thank each of you for reading and look forward to your thoughts and comments. Don’t forget to check out the brief YouTube video presentation as well.