Jamie Weiss
There are few TV shows like it He made a lasting impact as Spongebob SquarepantsWhen it first aired in 1999, this zany children’s cartoon about a marine sponge and its underwater friends was as formative an influence on millennials and Gen Z as Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera cartoons were for the generations before them. Kids and adults alike love SpongeBob Squarepants, and many grew up with it. Its signature mix of goofiness and innocence, existential angst and surprisingly dark humor has made it popular across generations, especially in an increasingly cynical television landscape. To celebrate SpongeBob’s 25th anniversary, Spinnaker, an independent brand specializing in affordable dive watches, has launched a limited-edition collection of SpongeBob character watches that combine the show’s colorful cast and feel-good vibes with the specs of a reliable dive watch.
Incident
These SpongeBob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Limited Edition watches are based on the Spinnaker Hass model and feature a 43mm brushed stainless steel case, unidirectional diving bezel, large crown without crown guards, and 300 meters of water resistance. Four models feature a cheesy SpongeBob quote engraved on the bezel: “You never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” For the die-hard SpongeBob fanatics, this is a line from Season 8, Episode 155b, Sentimental Sponge. The case back also features the SpongeBob Squarepants logo.
Actually, this model has a bit of a Spongebob connection. It is named after Austrian biologist and film director Hans Hass, who is also known as the “father of underwater exploration.” Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg was actually a marine biology educator who first created many of the ideas and characters that would later appear in Spongebob from educational cartoons he made to teach his students about life under the sea. That may be a bit of a stretch, but there’s no denying that a dive watch makes sense if you want to pay homage to a cartoon set under the sea.
Dial
The Hass Automatic SpongeBob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Collection features four different dial variations, each featuring a different SpongeBob character: Patrick, Squidward (the version we spent the most time with), Mr. Krabs, and of course SpongeBob himself. Each dial is multi-layered, with the minute track, indices, and each character’s eyes and mouth (and nose, in Squidward’s case) highlighted with different colors of Super-LumiNova, while the center is matte and unlubricated. The date window is located at the 4:30 position, and its numerals and the rest of the text on the dial are in SpongeBob Squarepants’ signature font.
The yellow SpongeBob model definitely stands out among the four models because the hands on the watch stand in for SpongeBob’s nose. Apart from that, the red and blue Mr. Krabs model is probably the most “wearable” of the four, although I think it would have missed out if the bezel on this model had “Time is Money” written on it, which would have been a fitting phrase for the infamous money-hungry character.
bracelet
The SpongeBob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Limited Edition watches come with two strap options: a three-link steel bracelet with a diver’s safety clasp, and a silicone accordion-style strap with a steel pin buckle that’s color-matched to the dial/character theme of each watch. The silicone strap is pretty flashy, but no one wears a character watch sparingly.
motion
Whereas previous Spinnaker Hass models primarily used the Seiko NH18 movement, these SpongeBob watches use the popular Seiko NH35. Spinnaker has made a slight tweak to the date wheel, which is color-matched to each model. The change to the NH35 sacrifices the date function, but also helps reduce the thickness from 15.3mm to 14mm while maintaining the same 41-hour power reserve.
Verdict
To be honest, character watches aren’t for everyone, but these Spinnakers are interesting because they represent a generational shift in watch culture. We are moving away from the Snoopy and Mickey Mouse of older generations, and towards characters that millennials and Gen Z grew up with, like SpongeBob Squarepants. For a “millennial” like me who grew up on SpongeBob Squarepants, these character watches may be more relevant than watches based on older entertainment properties.
And unlike many character watches (especially the previous SpongeBob character watches), these Spinnakers strike a nice balance between specs and price: they’re not cheap-looking plastic toys, but they’re not so expensive or overly elaborate that they lose their whimsy. On the technical side, our biggest complaint is the size: at 43mm, these watches may be too big for younger SpongeBob fans (aside from the possibility that a mechanical watch might not be for them at all).
Spinnaker Hass Automatic Spongebob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Price and Availability
The Spinnaker Hass Automatic SpongeBob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Collection is a limited edition of 300 individually numbered models, for a total of 1,200 watches. Each model comes with a Pelican-style case featuring the SpongeBob Squarepants logo. Available exclusively at authorized Spinnaker retailers and online at spinnaker-watches.com from July 26, 2024. Price: $445 USD
Brand Spinnaker Model Hass Automatic Spongebob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Reference Number SP-5138-11 (SpongeBob Yellow)
SP-5138-22 (Patrick Pink)
SP-5138-33 (Squidward Green)
SP-5138-44 (Mr. Krabs Red) Case Size 43mm (D) x 14mm (T) x 50.5mm (LTL) Case Material 316L Stainless Steel Water Resistance 300m, Screw-down Crown Crystal Sapphire Dial Multi-layer dial, luminous SpongeBob character art Lug Width 22mm Strap 3-link steel bracelet with safety clasp, color-matched silicone strap with steel pin buckle Movement Seiko (SII) Caliber NH35, Automatic Power Reserve 41 hours Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, unidirectional dive bezel Availability Limited Edition 1,200 (300 of each design)
On sale from July 26, 2024 Price: $445
