Introducing: The Return Of The Sinn 156 With The New 156.1 And 156.1 E
Have a quick look at the images in this article. Isn’t the 156 just the archetypal Sinn watch? Well…no, it’s actually not. This model is an adaptation and evolution of Bundeswehr-issued pilot’s watches from other brands. However, you can leave it to the good people at Sinn to take a good thing and make it better. These are the new Sinn 156.1 and 156.1 E.
The latter model is a 300-piece limited edition for €4,290, while the Sinn 156.1 is a regular-production model with a price of €3,950. The 156.1 E comes with a black leather strap and a bracelet. The 156.1 comes on a leather strap as standard but can be configured in any way you like on Sinn’s website. Let’s dive in!
From Leonidas to Sinn 155, then 156, and now Sinn 156.1
Sinn has cleverly integrated historic watches by other brands into its catalog since opportunities arose during the Quartz Crisis and beyond. The Breitling Navitimer adaptation that became the current Sinn 903 is a prime example. The Sinn 156 is perhaps lesser known, but it’s equally clever.
The story began in 1967 when Leonidas started supplying the Bundeswehr with pilot-specced chronographs. The oversized watches featured a Valjoux 222 hand-wound flyback chronograph caliber at first, followed by caliber 230 later. Heuer acquired Leonidas and took over the military contract in the process.
Helmut Sinn started acquiring these watches from the Bundeswehr as they became obsolete in the 1980s and 1990s. He refurbished them and brought them to market as the Sinn 155, housing new Sinn-signed dials. Sinn later introduced the successor, the 156, with a Lemania 5100 caliber inside. This movement provided the watch with its characteristic central minute counter for the chronograph. This model has not been in Sinn’s catalog for a long time, so today’s release makes a lot of sense. The 156 makes its return as the Sinn 156.1 and 156.1 E.
The new Sinn 156.1
Aesthetically, these new watches are quite faithful to the original Sinn 156. However, looks can be deceiving as a lot changed from a technical perspective. For starters, these aren’t built around Lemania 5100 anymore. Inside, you will find Sinn’s caliber SZ01. This caliber’s base is the Valjoux 7750, but it now features the characteristic central minute counter among other changes. This automatic chronograph features a date at 3 o’clock, chronograph seconds and minutes on the central hand stack, running seconds at 9, and an hour totalizer at 6 o’clock.
The bead-blasted stainless steel case still measures 43mm across, 51mm from lug to lug, and 15.45mm thick. Its non-ratcheting rotating bezel is also Tegimented and then turned anthracite through physical vapor deposition. The result should be a dark gray that does not fade. Similarly, the crystal is now sapphire instead of Plexiglass for even greater wear resistance.
The 156.1 has a 100m water resistance rating and, crucially for a pilot’s watch, is also resistant to low pressure. The functions of the watch are color coded. The regular model has all time-related features executed in white and the chronograph hands in red. The limited edition uses beige for time and white for the chronograph. Another new feature that was missing from the original is the lume pip on the bezel.
Vintage style, modern execution
These new Sinns ooze vintage style. In particular, the limited 156.1 E with its beige lume almost looks like an actual old watch. The domed sapphire crystal certainly plays a role in the old-world vibes too. It helps that Sinn takes a highly functional approach to design. The handset, for instance, is timeless through its simplicity and focus on legibility. These hands seamlessly blend with the original case shape and vintage aesthetics, even if they are quite modern in isolation. The same goes for the date window, which is inspired by the Kollsman window of a bariatric aviation altimeter. It all just blends very well. The regular Sinn 156.1 has a “normal” date window, by the way.
As vintage as they might look, these are built like modern Sinn watches in every way. I reckon the Tegimented bezel and the sapphire crystal will be appreciated by the modern watch buyer. The great water resistance and low-pressure resistance further enhance the indestructible nature of the new Sinn 156.1.
The size will surely be controversial. Fans will applaud Sinn for sticking to the original dimensions, while the smaller-wristed folks may write these off the second they see the diameter. Having worn original Heuers of this style and size, I can only attest that they are big in the right way. I would happily wear them on my 17.5cm wrist.
What do you think of the new Sinn 156.1 and 156.1 E? Let us know in the comments below!
