I just took delivery of both, but it wasn't my original intention to buy two watches. I got a deal on the Fleuss, so couldn't help myself. Full price of Croft £325, I got mine without box for £140. Full price of Fleuss £275, I paid £117 for a once worn example.
Case & Finish
Both are finished to a high standard. The Fleuss has a combination of polished and brushed SS, whilst the Croft is gold plated SS throughout.
Dimensions
Both are 43mm. The lug width is 22mm on both, however the Croft is 1mm deeper, coming in at 14mm. On their leather straps they both weigh at a little over 100 grams.
Dials
The Croft has a textured green dial with a sub dial for the second hand. It is a real glamour puss, and a watch that will turn heads. The Fleuss is somewhat more reserved, and is a homage to one of the older Blancpain 50 fathoms.
Bezels
The bezel action varies. The Croft has a lighter feel, but with no back play, and has a good positive feel. The Fleuss is a different story all together. Whilst I like a bezel with lots of resistance, this one has a little to much. Accompanied by the fact the bezel perimeter is quite smooth, makes the bezel a little hard to turn. All that said, I prefer a bezel to be over tight, rather than one that turns on it's own while being worn. The Fleuss has a lumed acrylic insert, whilst the Croft has a painted alloy.
Straps
Both come on a thick waterproof leather strap, but in different colour variations. The leather is of an excellent quality. In reality the Croft is limited when it comes to straps. The existing one and perhaps a black silicone strap, and that's it. The Fleuss is a real strap monster, and will look good on almost anything. Since the picture below was taken, I have put it on a light and croc print strap, and it looks amazing.
Lume
The lume on both is very good. The Fleuss has BGW9, whilst the Croft has C3. Because of the larger indices on the Croft, the lume becomes a far bigger factor. Both have lashings of the stuff.
Crystal
Both have AR sapphire. The Fleuss has a flat crystal, whilst the Croft is domed
Movements
You would expect them to have the same engine inside, but they haven't. The Croft has a Miyota 8218, a derivative of the 8215, but with an offset second hand for the sub-dial. The Fleuss has the Seiko NH35. Everyone rates the NH35, how couldn't they, it's excellent. The Miyota movement is more Marmite. Fortunately I am a fan of it. They are always accurate, robust, and reliable. OK, they don't hack, and the rota can be a little noisy, but fortunately neither of these things bother me to much. Straight out of the box the Miyota showed +2 spd on my timegrapher, whilst the NH35 was +13. I have since regulated the NH35, and it's now 0 spd. Both have very good beat errors, coming in at 0.2.
Water Resistance
Both are rated at 150m. I suspect they compare easily with watches being rated at 200m, but in keeping with their retro looks, 150m looks better on the dial
Conclusion
If I only had the one watch (hang on a minute, I need to sit down) it would have to be the Fleuss. It sits a little better on the wrist, and is suitable for just about any occasion. The Croft however is a real eye turner, an if your someone who enjoys having their watch noticed, the Croft may be the one for you. Ultimately I am very pleased with both, I just love them in slightly different ways. I see the Fleuss as a wife, and the Croft as a lover. I believe there is always room for both in a man's life
I only discovered Spinnaker watches of late, and am extremely impressed. They may not compare with a luxury brand watch, or even a watch that is likely to cost +£500, but there aren't many brands offering anything as good for a similar price.
THE SPINNAKER CROFT
THE SPINNAKER FLEUSS
