In Review: Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures

Back in June, we brought you word about the latest entry into the Shinola Detrola lineup, featuring materials made from recycled ocean plastic courtesy of the crew over at #tide. As we talked to the brand about the watch, we realized that the Detrola line was one we’d not actually seen in person. So, in came a loaner of the Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures.

As we covered in the first article, the Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures is available in a number of colors (if I were buying one, it would be the blue one for me), but I requested the very bright yellow version on the multi-colored strap, as that was just really looked like a warm weather watch. And wouldn’t you know it, I was right. It’s a lot more colorful overall than I’d normally go for, but if you’re going for something light and bright, this is a solid way to go.

I mean light in terms of color, of course, but also in terms of weight on your wrist. Both the woven strap and the case are made from that recycled plastic material, which immediately makes this lighter than a steel-cased watch, and then the quartz movement further reduces the weight. In essence, once I had the Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures on my wrist, I almost forgot it was there. It didn’t weigh me down, and the thin strap wasn’t getting caught or dragging on anything.

One problem that you can sometimes run into with a watch that is brightly and busily colored is that it can be difficult to actually tell the time on the watch. While the orange hands against the yellow dial may not be as contrasty as you might prefer, they do stand out, helped particularly by the luminous paint filling the hands. Additionally, the indices are generously sized (and lumed as well), so actually finding the time was not a problem, in the light or the dark. By the same token, using the timing bezel is easy against those hands, and the bezel itself is super clear and legible (and it does have a lumed pip as well).

Around back, the Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures keeps the theme – if not the literal implementation – of the “badges” that have shown up on the back of Shinola watches from the outset. Here it’s embossed into the plastic that’s screwed in (along with a screw-down crown, you get a 100m WR rating), with the basic information presented, and the serial number printed on as well.

I also feel that the Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures has a hidden tie to Detroit industry in it. Not that the plastic came out of the Detroit River, but the fact that injection molding is something that occurs all over the area, both in automotive and other industries. So, it’s a nod to the region, as well as giving the company a platform that’s much simpler to experiment with – in terms of shapes and colors – than a traditional metal case would give. Add in the fact that it’s helping clean out the ocean, well, there’s just another win.

At the end of the day, I found the Shinola Detrola Sea Creatures to be a fun – and bright – summertime option. It’s perhaps not the watch I’d opt for if I were picking across their whole catalog, but I can understand why folks would go for it. It’s light, it’s bright, and with that quartz movement, it’s just going to keep going without any input. And hey, it’s summer, why not take away as many things as you need to worry about as possible? If that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for, you can pick one up for $450 – in a number of color combos – directly from shinola.com

Tech Specs from Shinola