By Jovan Krstevski
German watchmaker Sinn is not a stranger to tool watches and the new Sinn 1800 Damaszener watch just announced reflects this popularity among horology fans. The Damascus steel is known for its organic pattern and not 2 pieces are alike so applied that design principle to a watch and you get some kind of personalized experience. The cool material adorns the watch’s dial all throughout the case. For this second limited-edition all-Damascus steel watch, Sinn finishes it with a bare steel look, much like a monochromatic style and this is quite unusual even for Sinn although I can’t deny just how unique and striking the watch is.
The Sinn 1800 Damaszener is a follow-through of the Sinn 1800 S Damaszener watch. The new watch omits the “S” in the name but the design and concept is the same. I like the black color of the previous one though. At 43mm wide, the watch looks just fine and it is water resistant up to 100m. Behind the hood is an ETA 2892-A2 Swiss automatic movement beating at 4Hz and yielding 42 hours of power reserve. In the dark, I like the lighting of the lumed indices and other applied elements on the dial as it offers an incredible sense of depth.
Moreover, Damascus steel is the result of forge-welded layers of steel. The surface is then treated with acid and this process yields the particular Damascus look as the various steel react to the chemical. It takes time and the result is always unique. According to Sinn various high-grade stainless steels were used for the Sinn 1800 Damaszener.
These days, the robustness of Damascus steel is not really unique because there are other materials even stronger but of course nothing comes close to the organic pattern the material offers. Sinn promises that the material is true to its nature yielding to a greater scratch-resistance for the watch. Furthermore, the specialists Balbach Damast worked with Sinn for the Sinn 1800 Damaszener creating the case and dial for each watch out of the same single block so that the patterns match up.
Overall, the watch looks solid and somewhat monochromatic. It’s also possible that the texture may be more like wood grain up close. Nonetheless, it’s different from carbon materials offering the same appearance. The watch is practically all Damascus material so if you’re a fan of this style, then you will certainly love this watch.
I sure thought that the brand would also throw in a Damascus bracelet since we see the material for the caseback, crown, and even the buckle of the leather straps. While the flowing lines of the Sinn 1800 Damaszener are fascinating, I just could not help praise the clean design of the watch. It is really a tool watch, very very legible. Also I like the fact that each buyer can choose a particular pattern thanks to the Damascus steel organic patterns. Nonetheless, the Sinn 1800 Damaszener is limited to only 100 pieces sells for a price of $8,580. Sounds expensive? Well, this is a limited edition watch and Damascus steel watches are practically rare. Visit Sinn here.
