Nessie, the Loch Ness monster, is said to be a surviving plesiosaur, or simply a misidentification of a bird or fish that lives in the lake. Ohashi, the author, immediately acquired a Nessie-themed watch as soon as it went on sale in Japan. Now that I have it, I'd like to uncover the secrets of this watch.
Automatic winding (SII Cal. NH35. 24 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve approximately 41 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 43mm). Water resistant to 150m. Limited to 500 pieces worldwide. Price: 77,000 yen (tax included).
Text by Yosuke Ohashi (Chronos-Japan)
I felt a sense of destiny when I bought the Nessie Watch. Here's what it actually is!
I was given the order to write "Favorite Watches Owned by the Editors," introducing the watches I'd recently purchased. Hmm, I decided to feature my most recent purchase, the Nessie Watch from Spinica. Why did I buy it? Here's what led me to buy it. I was staying at the office late one night, glued to my computer, desperately searching for something interesting, when I came across a press release: "Nessie Watch Released." I ordered it immediately without even thinking about what it meant. I have a weakness for unusual items. "I doubt we'll ever see an occult item like this again... And it's limited edition, too. I have to buy it," I thought to myself, and excitedly purchased it.
Lots of Nessie
In the meantime, the watch arrived. The first thing that caught my eye when I opened the box was the shadow of Nessie printed at the 3 o'clock position on the dial. This shadow, which is almost the same color as the deep blue, is an obscure design that is easy to miss at first glance. Also noteworthy is the depiction of the water surface on the dial. The irregular rippling of the water surface effectively captures the ominous atmosphere that suggests "something might be lurking above the surface." Indeed, the atmosphere of the black-and-white photograph circulating around the world that is said to have captured the scene where Nessie was discovered has been skillfully captured and incorporated into the dial.
Between 12 and 2 o'clock on the dial are the coordinates of Loch Ness: 57 degrees 18 minutes north, 4 degrees 27 minutes west. This will come in handy if you suddenly feel like searching for Nessie and decide to rush to Loch Ness, but then wonder, "Come to think of it, where on Earth is Loch Ness?"
While the dial is understated in comparison to Nessie, the case back is even more Nessie-themed. A transparent plate has been added to the rotor, which features a (cute) illustration of Nessie. The transparent case back also features waves. By moving the rotor, you can have fun recreating the image of Nessie floating in and out of the water. It's so cute.
A diver's watch with a water resistance of 150m
This watch is a diver's watch, with a water resistance of 150m. It also has a unidirectional rotating bezel, of course. With its large crown reminiscent of a pocket watch and a thick leather strap, you might not get the impression. However, with its capabilities, it could even accompany you on a dive into Loch Ness in search of Nessie. However, the deepest point of Loch Ness is said to be about 230m, so it seems unlikely that you'll be able to "discover" it together at its deepest point.
The pins on the fine leather strap have tabs and are easily removable, so if you decide to do some serious diving, you can easily swap them out for a strap more suited to diving.
It's fun to make it sparkle
This watch comes with a black light, which you can shine on the generously applied Super-LumiNova to make it glow brilliantly. Using a black light, you can easily see the glow even under fluorescent lights. I had assumed it would just glow on its own at night, but it was actually quite fun to try. And then there's the back. The Nessie painted on the rotor is also made with Super-LumiNova, so it glows when you shine a black light on it. It's a clever touch, using luminous paint on parts that are never exposed to light while wearing the watch.
I was fascinated by the quality of the dial.
For someone like me who likes unusual watches, this is a watch that really appeals to me. Every detail is just right. I was only interested in those elements, but this watch has more to offer than that. It also has an excellent dial. The gradation from blue to black is truly stunning. Spinica also has many other models with elaborate dials, which seems to be one of the brand's strengths.
By the way, the existence of what could be called occult watches, such as attempted cattle mutilation watches, has been confirmed (apparently). Personally, I would love to have a "captured alien" watch. However, for now, it remains only a UTT (Undefined Timing Tool). I wonder if one will ever be released.
