The original “50 Phantoms” Fleuss Automatic collaboration watches produced by Spinnaker and designed by Seconde/Seconde/ proved so successful that various new versions and iterations followed. The idea was to combine Spinnaker’s homage to the classic Blancpain Fifty Fathoms diver’s watch with Paris-based Seconde/Seconde/’s fun and humorous concept for an amusing and affordable timepiece for lay people or enthusiasts. The outcome was a pun on “50 Fathoms,” turning it into “50 Phantoms.” That led to a unique watch dial that has 50 lume-filled ghosts on the dial (Feel free to check out our reviews of the original black dial and the blue version.)
Spinnaker and Seconde/Seconde/ are now back with a fresh model that features a new color, smaller case size, and a few new style options. This Spinnaker “Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition” watch once again looks at the Fifty Fathoms, but focuses on a slightly different historical version that has some different hands and hour markers. There are actually two dial versions of the new watch that are known as the “Phantom Classic” (as reviewed in this article), and the “Phantom No Apparations” dial. The latter is a take on the famed Blancpain Fifty Fathoms “No Radiation” dial that indicated the watchmakers did not use poisonous luminant for the glow (which was a real issue in the first part of the 20th century). That latter dial moves the 50 phantoms to the bezel, as opposed to mainly on the dial. Both of the watches have fun little details such as “Boo!” written on the back of the steel strap buckle, the blood-stained “Horrorotor” automatic rotor on the dial, and the retro video game-style ghost motif printed on the crystal over the movement on the rear of the case.
Between both versions of this particular Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition watch, Spinnaker is producing a limited edition of 1,776 pieces (or 888 pieces for each model), but the brand says it reserves the right to produce more batches for future “editions” if demand calls for it. As in the past, the future editions would be similar but could have various changes such as the featured color. In addition to the smaller 40mm-wide case and the different hour markers and hands, the big news here is the color purple — more a magenta shade, to be honest. When I first saw renders of this Spinnaker Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition watch I thought it was going to have more of a burgundy red hue. However, Spinnaker wanted to create a more focused purple version. That combined with the smaller 40mm wide case size means that the Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition is now a more capable watch for both women and men. I do like 42mm-wide cases, but I actually believe that the proportions here work better in the 40mm-wide size. So, even if the magenta color probably skews feminine in its appeal, this is a great size and design for both men and women alike, in my opinion.
The Spinnaker Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition is not supposed to be a very high-end watch. In fact, affordability is what the entire Spinnaker brand is about. Artistic collaborators such as Seconde/Seconde/ help keep things fun and spirited, which results in an interesting combination of low-end affordability and enthusiast interest. That’s been good for Spinnaker and helps Seconde/Seconde/ have a very democratic outlet for this brand of humor and timepiece culture appreciation. The case is steel, 40mm wide, 11mm thick, and water resistant to 150 meters with a box-style AR-coated sapphire crystal over the dial. You can disregard the playful “2 meters” label on the dial as being more of a joke about the depth of a grave (6 feet under). The unidirectional dive bezel has a mineral crystal over the insert.
Much of the visual fun for the 50 Phantoms dial comes with not only the presence of the 50 ghosts but also how luminant is applied to them. There are slightly different colors and lume strengths, which create a more three-dimensional effect that works nicely. Inside the watches are Japanese Miyota caliber 9039 automatic movements that are visible through the caseback window.
Overall, while these Spinnaker x Seconde/Seconde/ watches aren’t trying to be fancy, they are very fun. In magenta-purple with a very attractive 40mm-wide case, the Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition models are a fresh take on the theme and continue to be as fun as they are weird (especially to those not in the watch hobby who haven’t the faintest idea what this concept is all about). Spinnaker includes an additional magenta-colored rubber strap with the set (which also includes a gray baseball cap and is a really nice presentation set). Price for the reference SP-5146 Spinnaker Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ 2024 Edition watch is $445 USD. Learn more at the Spinnaker website.
