Sinn Instrument Watches Watches

A Peek into the Origins

From flight cockpits to outer space and the deep seas, Sinn watches have truly travelled far from their humble origins in Germany. The brand was a result of Helmut Sinn’s vision, complemented by the new owner of the company, Luthor Schmidt. In the early days, Helmut Sinn gained a reputation for the quality of his chronographs, manufactured in Switzerland and sold directly to consumers. The brand became synonymous with perfection in design, function and readability. From becoming the preferred watch brand of the German military and civil aviation, Sinn watches would also go on to adorn the wrists of astronauts, deep-sea divers and firefighters.

The history of this coveted brand begins with the founder Helmut Sinn’s disappointment with the then-available aviation watches and instruments. Channelling his own experiences as a pilot, instructor for blind flight, and later, a racing enthusiast, he started off creating affordably-priced German watches that were high on precision and durability. His idea of eliminating the middleman and taking his products directly to consumers utilizing catalogues was pretty novel for that time. His foray into watchmaking started when he was in his 40s and the enthusiasm remained undiminished right till he took his last breath at the age of 101.

One of Sinn’s earliest milestones was achieved in 1985 when astronaut Dr Reinhard Furrer wore the Sinn 140 S on the D-1 Spacelab mission. The self-winding mechanism of the watch was found to give a flawless performance in zero gravity. Its reputation was such that another astronaut, Klaus-Dietrich Flade replicated the feat with a Sinn 142 S in 1992. The next year, the same watch found itself on NASA’s Columbia space shuttle.

A New Era Dawns

1994 saw a major change at the helm of the company with the entry of Lothar Schmidt as the owner. This was to be the beginning of an era of dazzling technological innovations along with the change in name of the company, to Sinn Spezialuhren GmbH. Some of the notable innovations of the period include the Ar-Dehumidifying technology that was launched in 1995 and would ensure reliability in performance and prevent fogging. Other innovations from the Sinn labs included the HYDRO technology that offered optimal performance for the watches at deep-sea level; Temperature Resistance Technology that allows Sinn watches to perform at temperatures as low as -45⁰C and as high as 80⁰C; the DIAPAL technology that allows long-term precision movement of components and the TEGIMENT technology that hardens the stainless steel used in watches to prevent scratching.

Laurels Won by Sinn Watches

As Sinn watches made history in terms of design and technological advancements, awards and recognition started flowing in. In 1998, the 103 TiAr won for Sinn watches their first Goldene Unruh Award. This was to be the beginning of several more wins in the future. In 2005, Sinn launched its watches made of German submarine steel and became the first watch company to have its diving watches certified by Germanischer Lloyd of Hamburg for compliance with European standards for diving equipment. Sinn went on to have its watches withstand crash tests and Arctic explorations.

In 2010, Sinn earned its place as one of the most successful German watch brands, polling the highest number of votes in the Golden Unruh awards. Sinn Spezialuhrer won first place that year for the 900 Pilot as well as the 6100 Rose Gold and second place for the Frankfurt Financial District watch in platinum. The latest feathers in Sinn’s cap include the Red Dot Award in Product Design Category for its 936 model and Excellent Product Design Award for its EZM 12 and Hunting Watch 3006 at the German Design Awards 2020.

Iconic Sinn Instrument Watches

The EZM 12

Combining the best of Sinn’s technological brilliance and design capabilities, the EZM 12 was designed for the German Air Rescue service, equipping rescue personnel with a high-performance tool that could make a world of difference between life and death. In 2019, Sinn watches entered the mission timer for the first time in the Red Dot awards and won in the Product Design Category. The design also went on to win at the German Design Awards in 2020.

The Sinn 856 UTC

A modern successor to the classic Sinn pilot watch 856 UTC S, the 856 UTC features magnetic field protection and a second time zone. The case is made of bead-blasted stainless steel and comes equipped with TEGIMENT technology. The dial features a second time zone on a 24-hour basis and the model comes with sapphire crystal glass and a selection of bands including steel, leather and silicone.

The Pilot Watch 104 Series

The Classic 104 series Pilot Watches are true to the Sinn vintage and sport clearly structured dials, providing optimum readability. The 104 St Sa A comes equipped with a captive pilot’s bezel with minute ratcheting and sapphire crystal glass. The model also features a transparent back with sapphire crystal glass, allowing the wearer to observe the filigree work of the intricate mechanical movements. While the brand has a catalogue dedicated to ladies’ watches that are high on feminine aesthetics and technical brilliance, the Sinn Instrument watches with their rugged appeal and functionality are sure to find favour with both men and women.

Why You Should Add a Sinn Instrument Watch to your Collection

Sinn watches are a true collector’s delight, thanks to the brand’s unwavering loyalty to innovation, durability and design. For 60 years, Sinn has been true to its heritage of precision instruments with contemporary designs and excellence in innovation. The prices for their iconic pieces range from affordable to luxury, and you can be sure to find a piece at the price point you are looking for, each one true to the brand credentials. The Sinn promise has always been to produce watches that combine superior German craftsmanship with a military aesthetic. And this is what has helped their instrument watches to win the race against time.