BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
German brand Sinn has quite a fan following when it comes down to solid, purpose-built, no-nonsense tool watches. So, it came as no surprise when the brand introduced two new tool watches during the recently concluded Inhorgenta fair in Germany. Today we look at the Sinn 158, a sports chronograph that pays homage to the Sinn 155 Bundeswehr, a classic from the brand’s archive.
Released back in the 1980s, the Sinn 155 Bundeswehr was a highly legible twin register military chronograph. The new Sinn 158 more or less sticks to the same formula with a few interesting touches. Presented in black with a Matt finish, the face of the watch is characterized by bold Arabic numerals that have been printed in white to provide great contrast and superior readability. Like its inspiration, the 158 has a bi-compax layout that features a 30-minute counter at 3 and a running seconds counter at 9, giving the dial a clean and balanced look. As for the hands, Sinn has slightly tweaked the design and has gone with a simple sword for hours, a syringe for minutes, and batons for the rest of the functions. Furthermore, to add some zing to the otherwise monochromatic dial, the chronograph hands have been given bright red treatment, a small detail that also helps segregate chronograph functions from normal timekeeping.
Crafted from stainless steel, the case on the Sinn 158 measures a relatively large 43mm in diameter much like the original watch. As the watch is powered by a modern automatic movement chronograph movement, the case is also quite thick at around 15.5mm. The entire case is bead blasted and sitting on top of it is a wide, black bi-directional 60-minute bezel – similar to the one found on the Sinn 155 BW. To keep the retro vibe intact, the 158 also features a domed acrylic crystal on the front and a closed case back. My favorite detail on the case though are the drilled lug holes that would make changing the straps a breeze.
Driving the Sinn 158 is the Sellita caliber SW510. A self-winding movement, the SW510 is similar in its architecture to the well-known Valjoux 7750 and operates at a frequency of 4 Hz offering a power reserve of around 48 hours. While movements within Sinn watches are generally well decorated, the brand has kept this one hidden behind the case back.
To conclude, I would like to say that the Sinn 158 is a handsome looking watch that manages to pay a fitting tribute a great historical reference. The watch is available to purchase directly from Sinn’s website on a variety of strap options including the contextually perfect bund strap. The retail price for the watch has been set at EUR 2590.
Visit Sinn here.
