Spinnaker Challenger Automatic SP-5159-22 (Sea Green) vs Timex Deepwater Arctic 40.5mm: which should you buy?
Two sapphire divers at almost the same RRP, £237 and £240, with very different characters. The Spinnaker Challenger is a 42 mm automatic with 300 m water resistance, a bubble dome and a spare rubber strap, but it stands 19 mm tall. The Timex Deepwater Arctic is a 40.5 mm, 200 m quartz diver at a slim 11.5 mm, easier to wear and to live with.
Pick the Challenger Automatic if
Pick the Spinnaker Challenger if you want an automatic movement, the deeper 300 m rating and a bold domed look, and don't mind the height.
Pick the Deepwater Arctic 40.5mm if
Pick the Timex Deepwater Arctic if you want a slim, grab-and-go quartz diver that slips under a cuff and never needs winding or setting.
How do they compare side by side?
| Spec | Challenger Automatic | Deepwater Arctic 40.5mm |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Spinnaker | Timex |
| Reference | SP-5159-22 | TW2Y64500 |
| Case diameter | 42 mm | 40.5 mm |
| Thickness | 19 mm | 11.5 mm (better) |
| Lug to lug | 49.5 mm | 47 mm |
| Water resistance | 300 m (better) | 200 m |
| Movement | Automatic | Quartz |
| Crystal | Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating | Sapphire with anti-reflective coating |
| Strap | 20 mm stainless steel bracelet with fold-over safety clasp, plus green rubber strap | Stainless steel five-link bracelet, 20 mm, butterfly deployant clasp |
| Colourway | Sea Green: green textured dial, green ceramic bezel | Black dial, ceramic bezel insert, steel case |
| Launched | April 2025 | April 2026 |
| Brand RRP | £237 (better) | £240 |
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A dot marks the better spec, where "better" is clear-cut (more water resistance, longer power reserve, a harder crystal). Specs from each brand's published information.
Read the first looks: Spinnaker Challenger Automatic SP-5159-22 (Sea Green) · Timex Deepwater Arctic 40.5mm
Questions people ask
Which is thinner?
The Timex, clearly. Timex lists the Deepwater Arctic at 11.5 mm, while Spinnaker lists the Challenger at 19 mm because of its domed crystal.
Which has the better water resistance?
The Spinnaker is rated to 300 m and the Timex to 200 m. Both are more than enough for swimming and snorkelling.
Is an automatic worth it at this price?
It depends what you value. An automatic has the sweep and appeal of a mechanical movement, while quartz is more accurate and needs no winding, which suits a watch you might leave in a drawer for a week.