Sinn

Sinn was founded in 1961 in Frankfurt am Main by Helmut Sinn, a former pilot and flight instructor who set out to build navigation clocks and pilot's chronographs and to sell them directly, without retail mark-up. The early catalogue centred on instrument watches such as the 103 chronograph and the 140 and 142 space chronographs; a Sinn 140 S was worn by Reinhard Furrer aboard Spacelab in 1985. In 1994 Helmut Sinn sold the company to Lothar Schmidt, an engineer who had previously worked at IWC, and it has traded since as Sinn Spezialuhren GmbH.

Under Schmidt the brand became known for engineering solutions rather than styling: Ar-Dehumidifying Technology with copper sulphate capsules to keep moisture out of the case, Tegiment surface hardening for scratch resistance, DIAPAL lubricant-free escapements, Hydro oil-filled cases and submarine steel for the U-series divers. Signature references include the 556 and 856 three-handers, the 104 pilot's watch, the U1 diver and the EZM mission timers. Sinn still designs, assembles and regulates its watches in Frankfurt.