As part of German watchmaker Sinn’s 60th-anniversary celebration, the brand is releasing a new version of one of its most iconic chronograph designs, the Sinn 103. This was a simple, no-frills pilot’s chronograph executed extremely well, and while the basic version with an acrylic crystal is about as unfussy as it gets, the platform has proven to be fertile ground for a variety of special and limited editions over the years in a rainbow of colors and themes. Enter the Sinn 103 Classic 12 which, on the surface, looks a lot like a normal 103, but this new model has been given several aesthetic updates, along with a fairly significant material change in one component, to make it stand out and feel a bit more modern. This update comes in the material chosen for the bezel — for the first time on a 103, the bezel insert is made of ceramic — instead of the traditional aluminum.
Another small change comes in the form of the dial signature. This 41mm watch is signed ‘Sinn Frankfurt am Main’ right below the traditional Sinn wordmark. This is an effort on the part of Sinn to pay tribute to their history, but also has the effect of making the watch feel more contemporary, if only because it is so unusual for a 103. The aviation heritage of the 103 is still very much present in the rudimentary layout, syringe hands, and a 12-hour bezel that makes it easy to track a second-time zone or provide a numerical view to the current hour. The sub-registers at 3, 6, and 9 have been rendered in an off-white color (Sinn calls it “chamois,” and it is also seen in other printed accents on the dial) for a striking reverse panda effect. This watch is water-resistant to 200 meters, has a sapphire crystal, and features Sinn’s Ar-Dehumidifying Technology to keep the crystal-free from fog. Only 600 pieces of the 103 Classic 12 will be made.
For another Sinn recent release, check out the U1 DS Dive Watch.
