In case you’re on this web site, studying the newest article in my diving check collection, there’s a reasonably good likelihood that you’ve a minimum of a passing familiarity with Sinn watches. There’s an equally good likelihood that the majority of your non-watch-nerd buddies, household, and colleagues don’t. Flying slightly below the radar, Sinn has been producing superbly well-made toolwatches for over 60 years now. If there’s any model that capabilities as a nod and a wink and a horological secret handshake, it’s this Uhrmacher aus Germany. And that handshake must be executed with an iconic diving instrument (it truly is that) on the wrist, a Sinn U1… Or ought to or not it’s its smaller, extra versatile brother, the Sinn U50?
A Little bit of Historical past
Based in Frankfurt in 1961 by former WWII pilot and flight teacher Helmut Sinn, the model initially targeted on the manufacture of navigation clocks and pilot chronographs. Within the Sixties and Seventies Sinn manufactured watch instances for navy and client use, together with the notable Heuer/Sinn Bundeswehr chronograph. In 1985 German physicist and astronaut Dr. Reinhard Furrer wore the Sinn 140S through the D-1 Spacelab mission, making it one of many first computerized chronographs worn in house.
In 1994 the corporate was acquired by an engineer named Lothar Schmidt who had beforehand labored at IWC and had been accountable for the technical manufacturing growth of the newly re-established A. Lange und Söhne model. Schmidt renamed the corporate “Sinn Spezialuhren GmbH” and initiated a serious strategic reorganisation to steer the corporate into the long run and improve its technological experience. The primary watch on this new period of technical endeavours was the 244, fabricated from titanium with magnetic discipline safety and that includes a freely oscillating suspended motion.
Many technological achievements would comply with, together with AR-dehumidifying know-how, to maintain these crystals crystal clear; HYDRO know-how which is filling the complete watch case with oil to interchange the air, thus making it just about resistant to strain; and the well-known TEGIMENT know-how, which is a hardening of the outer layer of the fabric to make it ultra-tough and immune to scratches and dings. In line with the model their watches are worn by “pilots, divers, firefighters, emergency docs, rescue staff, particular models of the German police division and armed forces such because the GSG 9, Germany’s commando frogman drive KSM (Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine)”.
In 2005 Sinn launched the U1, their flagship fashionable dive watch. Whereas lauded as a well-designed, meant-to-be-used toolwatch, many non-diving watch aficionados felt the 44mm beast was just a bit too large for each day put on. Though it took them 15 years, Sinn lastly heeded these calls and, in 2020, launched the U1’s little brother, the U50 – there’s even the T50 now, in titanium.
The Watch
The Sinn U50 is a 41mm in diameter, 11.2mm thick dive watch crafted out of high-strength, seawater-resistant German submarine metal. Whereas 3mm smaller than its large brother would possibly appear to be a tiny quantity to the layman, within the minutiae-obsessed world of watches it could actually make a large distinction. It’s additionally 3mm thinner than the U1 which in all probability helps the wearability much more than the diameter shrink.
All of the design cues of the U1 are intact, from the bead blasting of the complete case, bezel, and bracelet to the matte black, hyper-legible dial. The bezel is captive, which means it’s held in place by screws (reasonably than stress like most dive watches) to stop it from popping off even beneath probably the most anxious utilization. The flat sapphire crystal is so anti-reflective that at most angles it looks like it’s not even there, which is equal components enchanting and alarming. A 4 o’clock screw-down crown and a stable caseback maintain issues watertight all the way down to 500 metres, a reasonably exceptional feat for a watch simply 11mm thick.
Down within the engine room, you’ll find the Sellita SW300-1, that ubiquitous workhorse clone of the ever present workhorse ETA 2892. Beating at 28,800 vibrations/hour with an influence reserve of 42 hours, this simply repairable or replaceable motion is a stable selection for a hard-wearing device watch.
The watch is out there in numerous configurations of the Tegiment know-how talked about above. The usual model has a Tegimented bezel and customary submarine metal for the case and non-obligatory bracelet. You possibly can improve (for a worth in fact) to a completely Tegimented model the place all aspects are handled, together with the bracelet. Each choices are additionally accessible on a Sinn rubber strap with a deployant clasp as an alternative of the bracelet.
On Wrist
As a longtime admirer of the U1, and a card-carrying member of the Dainty Wrist Society, I used to be powerless to keep away from choosing one in all these up as quickly as attainable. On the wrist, the Sinn U50 delivers every part promised and extra. The match and put on are pure goldilocks, just about good in each method. It has simply sufficient heft that you simply received’t neglect you’re sporting a high-tech mechanical device, however svelte sufficient to go by way of even the smallest door body with ease. You already know what I’m speaking about. I opted for the absolutely Tegimented model of the bracelet and don’t have any regrets. The H-link bracelet is as superbly designed and recognisable as the remainder of the watch’s Teutonic design.
A phrase concerning the Tegiment tech: as one of many technological improvements Sinn is most recognized for, it appeared like it will be a disgrace to not go for that choice, and boy am I glad I did. I’ve been sporting this watch fairly repeatedly for nearly 18 months and there may be nary a scratch in sight. Critically, not a single one. Even on the bracelet clasp the place you’d discover all the usual desk-diving scuffs and scratches, there may be nothing. It’s absolutely some form of sorcery. Now let’s take it diving.
Within the Water
Whereas the Sinn U50 appears and wears nice topside, strapped down over a wetsuit, it really comes into its ingredient. It nestles down properly into the neoprene, changing into much more streamlined and prepared for its duties as a dive timer. The no-nonsense design matches proper in with the hi-tech appears of contemporary diving gear and computer systems. It’s much less a bit of jewelry and extra a bit of package, the bead-blasted end providing no ostentatious glowing or indicators of luxurious.
We took the U50 on just a few dives within the daytime and one at evening down within the Florida Keys. Whereas its stark design cues is perhaps extra aesthetically suitable with some northern cold-water drysuit diving, this is able to just do positive. Underwater the watch does every part you possibly can ask of it. Realizing there’s a r calibre beating inside units the thoughts comfortable that the timing will probably be spot on. The excessive distinction of the fingers, dial and bezel make the occasional fast time examine really feel like second nature, supplying you with all the knowledge you want and nothing you don’t. As soon as evening set within the U50 continued to carry out admirably; a fast cost from the torch and the lume continued to glow all through the dive, protecting every part shiny sufficient to be rapidly legible.
The one factor that might make this a greater dive watch can be the addition of a quick-adjust bracelet clasp of some kind, to compensate for the compression and growth that occurs to wetsuits at numerous depths. In any other case, it is a 10/10 fashionable dive watch that’s destined to remain close to the highest of my listing of watches I need to put on whereas truly scuba diving, for years to return.
Ultimate Ideas
Although it took Sinn 15 years to return round and make a barely extra wearable dive watch, within the three quick years since they’ve already iterated on this a number of occasions. They’ve launched just a few restricted editions and totally different colourways, then some variations in titanium because the T50, after which the latest addition, the oil-filled U50 Hydro (which is quartz, in fact). As they appear to be in excessive gear making up for misplaced time, it’s an thrilling time to be a Sinn fan. From EUR 2,475.
For extra particulars, please go to sinn.de.