# New ( to me ) Sinn 856S, a short review.



## pegase747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Hello to all,

As I told you here last week that I was waiting for a Sinn 856s on bracelet, I finnaly received it last monday. 
My watch bears the sn: 25xx, and is quite recent, so this is a rather rare watch, compared to omega or Rolex products. 
This ref. number 856 include 856 in steel and 856 in black steel watches.

I will assign this watch for work use, where I need a reliable well built solid watch, with a GMT feature.

My global first impression of this watch is that it looks much nicer in the real life than on photo.
Let's explain myself. On the pictures I found out that the dial was a bit busy, with the inner 24h chapter in white, the UTC hand in yellow, it was quite hard to read the time at a quick glance, and the same for UTC.

My Rolex GMT II, despite the non AR crystal, has reflective curbed white gold hands, and is really easy to read fast, also its UTC hand is red, easy to get lost in the black dial, and easy to find if required. Very smart.

Now, after receiving the 856, I have to say that it's easier to read than the Rolex, because of the oversized dial ( no bezel ), and huge wide white sword hands. The hour hand can't be mistaken for the UTC hand, being slightly longer, and hiding the UTC inner chapter while over it.
The minute hand is pointing right at the good distance to the minute chapter lines. 
The hour markers are really huge and the quite big running second hand make it look like a cockpit clock running. 
Well the readability is amazing.

The UTC hand is very discreet, and its black main body is basically not visible, being of matte black, as the dial is. 
Its yellow pointer make it easy to find, and I have no hard time to read easily regular or UTC time at a glance.

I would have preferred a yellow UTC chapter, as the UTC hand tip, like its been done on the U2, but overall I am very pleased with the configuration.

The black date wheel is great and does not interfere with anything, a real smart touch.

The lume is very good and last long. Only the regular hour & minute hands, the hour markers and 3, 6, 9, 12 are glowing. The UTC indication ( hand & chapter ) is not lumed.

A common issue, the AR coating on the crystal seems hard enough, also I expect to wear off with time. 
Now I have to say it works really great and it is easy to read the time in over light condition.

The case is amazing, mot too heavy and the right size for my small wrist. The tegiment treatment is a mostly invisible thing, but I am pleased to know it is here, and that the case will stay in great condition for a rather long time.
The black finish is really unique, and I enjoy it a lot, it really makes the dial area jump at your face, with all this contrasting hands and numerals.

The case back is not tegiments nor PVD'd and is smooth and confortable, rather flat, sloping down gradually on its sides, it bears the following indications :
"EDELSTAHL TEGIMENT . 100mT . STOSS-SICHER . WD 20BAR . Sinn 856.25xx "

The crown is big, with good grip, and with gloves it is probably possible to adjust the watch. its operation is accurate and it feels tight, athough it is very smooth.
It does not dig in my wrist as I read somewhere, but every wrist will tell a different story.

The bracelet is nice, with all solid links, and the adjustment is made by removing links, held together by screwed pins. 
There is an extension in the clasp, in case you want to wear your watch over a diving suit, or winter garments. There is a safety clasp securing the bracelet.
It seems that the bracelet PVD can hold up in time quite long. I will mostly wear the watch on straps, so it will stay in good condition for a while.

Accuracy so far is good, at +5 sec/day, but I guess the watch has to settle down a few weeks to get a realistic measurment.

This watch is not the most beloved in the Sinn line, but it has a lot of technology for itself :
Magnetic protection, Tegimented & PVD'd steel case and bracelet, Shock-protection, 20Bar WR, Copper sulphate de-humidifying capsule, great legibility.

I think it is built to last, and I will enjoy wearing mine hopefully for a long time.

How about pictures ???  

first picture...









AR coating in action, very efficient to cancel any reflection on the glass.









can it be easier to read the time ??









Legibility is exceptionnal in all angles...



























the ETA 2893-2 is gonna stay dry with the copper sulfate capsule screwed in the saide of the case. Dead flat crystal....









first wrist shot, the watch wears quite big for a reasonnable 40mm diameter case, due to an all-dial configuration.









Excuse the hairy shot, just to show the reasonnable height of the case.


















Reallistic lume shot !









I really like the look on the olive Nato...













































I hope you enjoyed the small tour...
Any comments / critics highly appreciated :-!

Cheers / Pierre


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## Ron Engels (Apr 29, 2005)

Thanks Pierre!

Good review, great pictures, and obviously an excellent watch. That olive Nato looks super indeed.
I'd be happy to have my aircraft handled by a maintenance technician wearing such a fine watch!


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## pegase747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Ron Engels said:


> Thanks Pierre!
> 
> Good review, great pictures, and obviously an excellent watch. That olive Nato looks super indeed.
> I'd be happy to have my aircraft handled by a maintenance technician wearing such a fine watch!


Thanks Ron,

Unfortunately the watch does not make the technician b-) .
But I love my job, and in any case I have no other choice than doing it right.
As you know can be dispatched flexibly with defered defects, it obeys to amazingly strict regulations and procedures.

Cheers / Pierre


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## gsm (Aug 9, 2006)

Great review and very sharp watch. I love the black pvd. Gsm


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## ferdinand (Feb 11, 2006)

Your pictures are awesome!! Now I have to hold myself back not to buy one for myself...


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## Timothy Patrick (Feb 9, 2006)

Excellent review and pics. Thanks for posting this.

I have a question. You said that the dial was bigger because of the absence of a diver's bezel. What is the diameter of the dial? I would like to compare that with my U2.

The diameter of my U2 is 33mm.


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## pegase747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Timothy Patrick said:


> Excellent review and pics. Thanks for posting this.
> 
> I have a question. You said that the dial was bigger because of the absence of a diver's bezel. What is the diameter of the dial? I would like to compare that with my U2.
> 
> The diameter of my U2 is 33mm.


Hi Tim,

Well what I meant to say is that the watch is all-dial, no bezel, so it looks bigger.
The 856 dial is 33mm, but then on the U2, there is a bezel, so the watch is much bigger.

Cheers / Pierre


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## pegase747 (Feb 11, 2006)

ferdinand said:


> Your pictures are awesome!! Now I have to hold myself back not to buy one for myself...


Ferdinand,

Go for it, you'll love it !

Pierre


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## Handel (Jan 31, 2007)

Looks super & nice review! (But I prefer it on the bracelet)


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## Handel (Jan 31, 2007)

Quick question is the AR tegimented on the 856 like the UX?


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## BertramSINN (Aug 16, 2012)

Where did you get it and where did you get the NATO. The NATO seems thin and high quality and I like the buckle. Wonderful photos and watch. I've decided on this one!

John


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## marked19 (Jan 18, 2012)

Nice review and photos. I just bought an 856 - if I hadn't already you would have convinced me.


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## Kisara (Mar 6, 2007)

Thank you for the informative review and great photos. I too agree that the UTC portion of the dial would be easier to read if the color matched the UTC hand's color, like on the U2. Regardless, the 856 UTC is still a fantastic and highly funtional watch.


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## dosei (Nov 28, 2007)

Congrats on this watch - it's excellent! And thanks for the great review!


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## Sappie66 (Dec 20, 2007)

Given that this thread is 5 years old, my question would be about the durability of the tegimented PVD. I would love to see a current photo of that watch, given the OP was a technician and that was his work watch.


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## birdmann (Aug 30, 2012)

Gnomon watches sells NATO straps with matching black PVD hardware. Awesome watch but I would get the PVD NATO as well.


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## grinhu (Oct 16, 2007)

I got one a few month ago for a friend of mine when i went in Frankfurt to purchase my EZM10.
This is a great watch, congratulations. I am sure you will have good time with this watch on the wrist, whatever the strap (olive nato is great, black looks also terrific on my friend's watch)


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