The words razzle dazzle might not necessarily be something you would associate with naval engineering but here we are. At the height of WW1, German U-boats have been devastating the Allied supply lines in the Atlantic. Engineers got thinking. If they cannot hide ships in the open ocean through camouflage, could it do something else? To counter this threat, the Allied forces started applying dazzle (or razzle dazzle in the US) camouflage on their ships. It is a series of geometric patterns aimed at obscure the profile of the ship, its direction and its speed from periscopes and visual rangefinders. Instead of full concealment, it got camouflage to misdirect and confuse; dazzling any would be U-Boat hunters, and supply line ships living to fight another day.
What came out of this ingenuity are some rather interesting patterns that blurs the line between engineering and art. Invoking this design inovation, the Spinnaker Fleuss 40 Automatic, goes Razzle Dazzle in this limited edition collaboration with Chris Alexander aka The Dial Artist.
The dial’s geometric camouflage pattern is applied from vinyl cuts of a bigger artwork, resulting in unique designs with each dial. Black lacquer is then applied then topped with colour changing paint. The colour changing paint had to be applied in thin progressive layers so as to not create additional thickness to the dial. Once the desired level of paint was achieved it was allowed to fully cure over several days.
The colour changing paint gives a dazzling effect as it turns from petrol blue to deep purple as it interacts with light. The choice of paint type is quite inspired, as the contrast between the dial and the hands makes the watch readable to the wearer. Put it at a distance and what you can see however is the wearable art piece. Being true to its purpose, the patterns also continue onto the bezel. When you turn the lights off, not only do the hands and markers come alive but also the white sections of the dial and bezel. For added flare, the co-branded rotor has also been applied with lume.
Spending some time with it, the Fleuss 40 case is very comfortable on the wrist thanks to its lugs and complemented by an equally comfortable beads of rice bracelet. This combination also gives it the full vintage vibe. It has a triple deployant clasp for extra security as well as a diver extension. The bezel action felt consistent at 120 clicks and the edge has good grip.
The application of art into a vintage-inspired tool watch might seem unorthodox, but based on where the inspiration gets drawn from, it makes perfect sense. It is wearable art, based on maritime ingenuity, encased in a capable dive watch. A comfortable daily wearer with a bold design, that is sure to be a conversation starter.
You can learn more about Chris Alexander and his work as The Dial Artist on www.thedialartist.com
The Spinnaker Fleuss 40 Automatic Razzle Dazzle Limited Edition is priced at $475 and will be available as a limited edition of 500 pieces. Go to spinnaker-watches.com for timezone specific release details this February.
Specifications
- Case Diameter: 40mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 15 ATM
- Caliber: Miyota 9039 Automatic
- Crystal: Anti-reflection coated Sapphire lens
- Bezel: Unidirectional 120 click Sapphire bezel
- Crown: Screw down crown
- Lug Width: 20mm
- Case Thickness: 11mm
- Lug to Lug: 47mm
This post is a sponsored collaboration with Spinnaker Watches.
The Timepiecer 
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