Boo! The Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/ is a Halloween-ready pun of a watch
Jamie WeissWe love a Halloween-themed watch here at Time+Tide, but many Halloween watches are too gothic or too grimdark. Forget Halloween’s sombre religious origins: these days, Halloween is a silly, goofy time of year when you’re supposed to have a bit of fun. A ‘bit of fun’ is exactly how I’d describe the new Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/, a very on-trend limited edition that reminds us that watchmaking as well as Halloween shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
The Spinnaker Fleuss, by the brand’s own admission, is “inspired by the golden age of the dive watch”. Indeed, it’s a fairly faithful homage to early Blancpain Fifty Fathoms models. Of course, 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms, which Blancpain has celebrated in grand style, launching a much-talked-about collaboration with Swatch as well as a trio of elevated anniversary models. Now, Spinnaker and seconde/seconde/ (a.k.a. Romaric André) have got in on the fun, with the Parisian enfant terrible of the watch customization scene giving this retro watch a cheeky spin.
You’ll notice that the watch is designated the ‘Fifty Phantoms’ – and indeed, its dial is covered with fifty custom-moulded little ghosts, which are filled with Super-LumiNova. The ghosts are arranged in a pleasantly random manner, some stacked on top of one another. They vary in size and feature a rainbow of different coloured lume, which comes to life in the dark. This might not be a very serious design but the watchmaking here isn’t low-effort by any means. I personally was rather impressed by the three-dimensional nature of the dial – it’s like the watch is being attacked by an onslaught of cheeky spirits. Very ghoulish.
Another cute note: the dial reads ‘No Feet’ at 6 o’clock in place of a depth rating, which is another cute nod to the spooky spirits that inhabit the watch’s dial. The spookiness doesn’t end at the dial, either. The rotor of the Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/’s Seiko NH38 movement is also shaped like a ghost, while the leather strap the watch comes mounted on features luminous stitching.
This is one of the most complex customisations seconde/seconde/ has ever accomplished, and the Spinnaker Fleuss is the perfect canvas for it. It’s definitely silly, but it’s also pretty tasteful (far more tasteful than the Swatch x Blancpain ‘Thrifty Fathoms’, I dare say) and very nicely executed. All you need to do is cut a few eyeholes out of a white sheet and wear this, and you’ve got Halloween sorted.
Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/ pricing and availability
The Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde is a limited edition of 670 pieces and will be available from the 27th of October. Price: US$445
| Brand | Spinnaker |
| Model | Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/ |
| Reference Number | SP-5131 |
| Case Dimensions | 43mm (D) x 12mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 150 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Textured black dial with 50 custom-moulded phantoms, filled with Super-LumiNova |
| Strap | Leather with luminous stitching, additional tropical-style rubber strap |
| Movement | Seiko (SII) Caliber NH38, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 41 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, unidirectional diving bezel |
| Availability | Limited edition of 670 |
| Price | US$445 |