Watchtoberfest Part 3: Sinn Spezialuhren

Crown & Caliber’s Watchtoberfest celebration of the best, most storied German timepieces continues with a look at one of the country’s lesser-known, eclectic brands, Sinn Spezialurhen, commonly referred to as “Sinn.”

Fine timepiece makers have an ambivalent relationship with the latest generation of electronic watches. Many (rightfully) insist that a mass-produced gizmo with a touch screen can’t possibly compare to the artistry and craftsmanship of a mechanical timepiece. However, the industry recognizes that within a few decades, the majority of devices worn on the wrist — even those at the highest end of the market — will likely have both screens and batteries.

How best to reconcile this trend? Sinn Spezialuhren had an offbeat idea: a “dual strap system” that enables the wearer to sport both his Sinn Spezialuhren and his Apple Watch at the same time, on either side of the wrist.

If you have no interest at all in a watch that runs apps and needs to be recharged every few hours, the Sinn collection also offers fine modernist timepieces that would look equally at home in an airplane cockpit, on a diving boat or at the head of the boardroom table. This aesthetic direction is no surprise, considering that the company was founded in the early 1960s by a flight instructor with an eye for toughness and utility in addition to elegance. (The Sinn 142 even went to space on the wrist of German astronaut Reinhard Furrer in the mid-1980s.)

A handful of the brand’s newer timepieces, including the titanium-cased 103 Ti UTC IFR (tested and certified to the German standard for pilot’s watches), follow the current trend for large dials and numerals, along with prominent crowns and stitching on the leather bands — designs, of course, that align nicely with Sinn’s background in flight and rugged outdoor activity.

For those more in the mood for a classic look, other portfolio pieces offer gold cases, traditional numerals and enamel dials; at the uppermost end of the scale is the Model 2300, whose skeletonized face gives a look at its inner workings. Like their more modern Sinn siblings, though, these pieces are pressure-, shock- and water-resistant, ensuring that the wearer will continue to look good in even the most trying conditions.

 

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Image Credits: Header, 1; Blog My Watch.