This New Version of a Classic Chronograph Is a Total Smoke Show

In 2024, Sinn released a limited edition pilot’s chronograph based on the legendary 103 C, a popular design from the 1970s.

Just over a year later, the Frankfurt watchmaker has partnered with German watch publication Armbanduhren to give the resurrected tool watch a sporty, nautical makeover.

Sinn

Despite the characteristically utilitarian name, the 103 St Ty Hd H is refreshingly vibrant for Sinn. The tonal blue dial with orange and white highlights stands out in a catalog dominated by black and steel.

The 103 St Ty Hd H and its predecessor depart from Sinn’s modern 103 chronograph collection by shifting the tricompax dials to a more traditional orientation at 3, 6 and 9, and removing the day-date complication.

Both watches are also unique in that they are the only hand-wound chronographs in Sinn’s modern lineup. This precision timer is powered by a Sellita caliber SW510 M with a 62-hour power reserve and a 5Hz beat rate.

Sinn

You have to respect Sinn’s refusal to get fancy with watch names. The 103 St Ty Hd H is essentially a model number. St stands for the steel case, Ty indicates it has a tachymeter scale, Hd means the movement is hand-wound and H represents the publisher of Armbanduhren.

Into the blue

Sinn’s initial 103 C reissue from 2024 remained faithful to the 1970s “reverse panda” color scheme with a touch of red detailing. It had a black dial with radial brushed silver sub-dials, a creamy white tachymeter scale around the dial’s edge and a black bezel.

Sinn

This time, the classic chronograph has a light blue dial with navy blue sub-dials. A 30-minute totalizer at three o’clock features an orange and white segmented block for the first 10 minutes.

The central chronograph seconds hand, 30-minute totalizer hand and 12-hour totalizer hand at six o’clock are all orange. The tachymeter is still printed on the rehaut, but the track now has a bright white background.

Sinn

While the initial 103 C had a faithful steel caseback, the 103 St Ty Hd H has a full sapphire crystal exhibition back with a steel screw-down ring. This displays the blued screws and Geneva stripes on the customized Sellita movement.

The dial is also capped with a flat sapphire crystal, replacing the vintage-faithful acrylic on its predecessor.

Shine on, you crazy index

Sinn’s coolest update for 103 St Ty Hd H is barely noticeable at first glance, but the applied hour markers, hand inserts and triangular pip are made from a hybrid ceramic using SuperLuminova X1 White 10, which creates a brilliant blue glow.

Combined with the 200m water resistance already built into the 103 case design, it tops off this pilot’s chronograph’s transition to an aquatic tool watch. The unidirectional friction bezel isn’t exactly built for diving, but at least it has a 60-minute count-up scale.

Sinn

This nautical conversion comes with a blue two-piece textile strap for time at sea, and a blue leather pin-buckle strap to dress it up on dry land.

The 103 St Ty Hd H is a lively departure from Sinn’s trademark German pragmatism. It proves that a well-built tool watch can still be fun.

Availability and price

The Sinn x Armbanduhren 103 St Ty Hd H is available now from Watchbuys, the German watchmaker’s exclusive North American distributor, for $4,970.

Because Watchbuys is located in North Carolina, American buyers do not have to pay any additional import duties or tariffs, only local sales tax.

The 103 St Ty Hd H is a limited edition of 250 pieces.

Sinn

Sinn 103 St Ty Hd H

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Sellita caliber SW510 M hand-wound
Water Resistance	200m

• $4,970 at Watch Buys

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