If you need a watch as tough as nails for underwater diving, you can't overlook the venerable Sinn U1 model. Made from hardened submarine steel, with water resistance up to 1000 meters and an unwavering readability, the Sinn U1 has certainly earned its revered status. However, the classic U1 is a large, bold watch, and the stark black-and-red German aesthetic is not for everyone. Fortunately, Sinn understands that many people want the robustness and clarity of the Sinn U1, albeit with a slightly less severe appearance. This is exactly what you get with the release of the limited edition Sinn U1 DS.
The Sinn U1 DS is limited to 500 pieces worldwide, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on one from our friends at J. Vair Anderson - an official Sinn dealer based in Calgary, California. Considering that the entire piece undergoes surface hardening in the Sinn tegiment process, they weren't too worried that I might cause too much damage over a few weeks of wearing.
For those of you unfamiliar with the German authority in watchmaking, Sinn was founded in 1961 by German aviator and flight instructor Helmut Sinn. His goal was to produce watches and instruments for aviation, as well as chronographs for pilots. In the following decades, Sinn earned an impeccable reputation for creating watches for military and professional purposes - so much so that the Sinn 140 S (a pilot's chronograph) accompanied Dr. Reinhard Furrer during the D-1 Spacelab mission in 1985, becoming the first of many Sinn watches to be sent into space. In 1994, the brand was acquired by its current owner, Lothar Schmidt.
As a certified engineer, Schmidt directed the brand's energy and resources into innovative technologies to make Sinn watches some of the most advanced in the industry. From anti-magnetic field protection to air-drying technology and resistance to extreme temperatures, many Sinn watches are created for specific applications (such as the Sinn UX S, designed for the German KSM commandos). By creating watches for the most extreme use cases, Sinn has developed a set of technologies and manufacturing know-how that can then be applied across the entire range.
While the Sinn U1 DS doesn't feature all the bells and whistles of some of the more expensive mission timer series (EZM) models, you still get what I consider to be the most practical for most applications: a steel case, bezel, and bracelet. Sinn starts with HY-80 (submarine steel), a steel alloy similar to 316L but with lower nickel and carbon content. This material is already harder than 316L (~220 HV for 316L compared to ~300 HV for Sinn's HY-80), but the surface hardening process brings it up to an impressive ~1500 HV. In practice, this means the case and bracelet are very difficult to scratch, and they will look nearly new for many years. If you consider wabi-sabi synonymous with damage, you will undoubtedly appreciate the presence of the tegimented case and bracelet.
Another technological novelty quietly introduced by Sinn is the diver's bezel. Look at the edge of the bezel, and you'll see three screws that hold the bezel captive (hence the name). This provides extra security as the bezel cannot be accidentally knocked off. Speaking of the bezel: each click is reliable and robust, feeling more like purpose-built equipment than a piece of finely crafted jewelry. Besides the technical specifications, Sinn adds several practical details that significantly enhance the wearing experience: drilled lugs for quick and easy strap changes and a crown at the 4 o'clock position for wearing comfort.
With a 6.75-inch wrist, I usually try not to exceed 42 mm in my watches, but the short lug-to-lug measurement of 47 mm on a 44 mm diameter case (15 mm height) allows the U1 DS to wear large but comfortably. Of course, it looks every bit its 44 mm size, but it doesn't feel cumbersome on my wrist. It is simply hefty. All that submarine steel in the 44 mm case combined with the 22 mm bracelet comes at a cost in terms of weight. If you like heft, you'll get plenty of it. On the other hand, if you are accustomed to lighter watches (such as my titanium Sinn T2B), it will take some getting used to. Personally, I find the weight too much for everyday wear, and if these were my personal watches, I would swap out the bracelet for something like a grey NATO or the fantastic Sinn silicone strap with a deployant clasp.
Partly thanks to the submarine steel, and partly due to the tegimenting process, the bead-blasted case of the Sinn U1 DS has a darker hue than regular 316L steel, which actually looks very similar to titanium. This dark hue is perfect for the uber-functional U1, especially in the monochrome color scheme of the limited DS series. The classic U1 has a black dial with white hands/markers and prominently features red.
Personally, I like the so-called Lego hands and marker aesthetics, but I've never been a fan of red accents. What seems contradictory is that by removing the red accents and adding white to the bezel numerals, Sinn managed to make the U1 DS warmer and less severe. Strange, I know, but it really is so. Sinn has not sacrificed the practical readability of the U1 in this limited edition, except for the black minute hand, which obviously doesn’t stand out as much as the red hand on the classic U1.
Let's finally get to the star of the show: the dial. Sinn describes the U1 DS dial as having a “decorative grinding.” It is a textured gray that looks right at home on this dial, especially paired with the black and white accents. I have no idea what DS stands for, but I had the thought of “distilled steel” swirling in my head. I might be wrong - it's almost certainly a 25-letter German word - but it's a fitting description.
While wearing the watch, it's hard not to get distracted by the dial. The color and texture change with the lighting, shifting from dark metallic to pale gray, with a texture that can look almost like sharkskin under the right lighting, and under different light, more like grinding scratches. Either way, the tone is warmer than expected, sometimes with a hint of earthy brown tones (but don’t get me wrong, it is an absolutely gray dial). Textured dials seem to be on the rise this year, but the dial on the U1 DS stands out with its execution. Additionally, each dial is unique thanks to the decorative grinding used to create the texture.
The 22 mm bracelet tapers slightly to 20 mm at the clasp, which enhances the visual (and physical) heft of the watch. When it comes to Sinn bracelets, I hold two views. I like the smooth lines of the H-link design, and I always find Sinn bracelets comfortable. The links are fastened with two hex screws (two wrenches are included for resizing), allowing easy resizing without scratching the sides of the bracelet or damaging the screw head. So, the construction and comfort are excellent, but as always, Sinn bracelets are let down by their clasps.
Made from simple stamped metal, with a diver's extension, micro-adjustment holes, and fold-over safety latches, they are a perfectly functional mechanism that works as intended. However, in this price range, I would like to see a milled clasp with on-the-fly adjustment capability. This is especially pertinent as Sinn can make just stunning clasps - just look at the bomb-proof clasps on their silicone straps.
The Sinn U1 DS is equipped with the automatic Sellita SW 200-1 movement. The Swiss-made automatic movement was a natural choice. It is reliable, has a 38-hour power reserve, hacking function, date function, and 28.8 kbit/s frequency - not flashy, but practical and dependable. Just like the Sinn U1 DS.
When it comes to alternatives, there is no shortage of robust, reliable tool watches on the market. Nevertheless, there is only one Sinn U1 model, and it is adored for a reason. I am among its many fans. Fortunately, Sinn understands that the black-and-red color scheme isn't for everyone, and over the years, they've released several limited editions.
Personally, I find this release one of the most attractive in terms of aesthetics and execution. The dial is unique and attention-grabbing, and the white accents give the watch a striking and less austere look. With my smaller wrist, I would love to see this model in the 41 mm U50 case, but despite the large size of the U1, these watches will fit a wide range of wrists. The Sinn U1 DS is available now for $2,850. For more information on the Sinn U1 DS, be sure to visit the brand's website.
Essential Data
>Brand: Sinn
>Model: U1 DS
>Price: $2,850 on bracelet
>Size: 44 mm wide, 15 mm thick, 47 mm lug-to-lug, 22 mm lug width.
>When the reviewer would personally wear this watch: Outdoors, at the beach, or any other time when I need a tough watch that can withstand more than I can.
>Friend we’d recommend them to first: An outdoor enthusiast who is a fan of over-engineered watches.
>Best characteristic of the watch: The dial and additional white accents.
>Worst characteristic of the watch: The watch is heavy on the wrist, and Sinn needs to improve bracelet clasps.