# Sinn 103 ST SA Chronograph Review



## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

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*I ran a search on the web and was surprised to find that this watch had never been properly reviewed so I figured I'd have a stab at writing one myself. *

*But first, a little background info. I have been selling watches at an AD for almost ten years and in that time, I have handled a lot of watches. Over the last decade, I have managed to amass a collection of twenty watches, both vintage and new. Almost half of this collection consists of Omega watches, from Seamaster dress models of the '50s and '60s to the Speedmaster Professional 'Moonwatch' and the recent Co-Axial enhanced Planet Ocean series. I tend to choose watches based on looks, reliability and value-for-money (don't we all?). *
*Within my collection, there are five dive watches, three of them Omega, two of them Seiko. I also have one TAG Heuer Aquaracer quartz chronograph as well as the above-mentioned Speedmaster, which, as many of you would know, is a hand-wound chrono.*
*I used to have a Breitling Shark Chronograph, but I sold it some years ago. Since then, I have always wanted to get another Valjoux 7750-powered chrono. However, with so many dive-style watches in my collection, I decided that my next chrono would have to look more 'pilot' or military in its design. And while part of me wanted to hunt for a Heuer or Sinn Bundeswehre Chronograph from the 1970s or '80s, a larger part of me wanted to purchase something brand new instead. I had seriously considered a Breitling ChronoAvenger, but when I tried one on, I realised that a 44mm Chrono was just a little too large for my wrist. *
*As for the Valjoux 7750 calibre, I have to say that in all the years of selling watches, it has proven itself to be a reliable and robust stopwatch movement, with very few of them developing any notable issues. One idiosyncrasy with this movement is that the chrono hands can be prone to resetting slightly off-centre, but this is an easy fix and I have only seen it happen a few times over the years. *

*Which brings me to the Sinn 103 ST SA. I have been after one of these for over five years, but could never seem to get the finances together to purchase one. Also, these were not available here in Australia until recent months when a store in my city began carrying the brand. I had dealt with this store on numerous occasions and had developed a good rapport with the staff so in I went and tried on a 103 series "panda dial" model. I was wearing my 42mm Omega Planet Ocean. I should point out that I have 6.5 inch wrists and a 42mm watch tends to occupy a lot of real estate on my wrists. The 103 that I tried on had a diameter (according to the Sinn catalogue) of 41.75mm. Ahh, what's .25mm between friends? It was a perfect fit. And to me, this has always been a classic size for a chrono of this style. While I didn't mind the panda dial, my Breitling Shark Chrono had a similar colour combination where the dial was blue, but the chronograph sub-dials were silver. For those who may not know, the Sinn 103 with a black dial and white sub-dials has sometimes been referred to as the "panda dial" version. If you're still confused, head for the nearest zoo&#8230;in China.*

*Anyway, my main problem with these contrasting sub-dials is that when the hands are positioned in front of them, at say, 6:28, for example, they can become 'lost' against the sub-dials. Now, I'm not a Special Forces guy, so it's not really life-or-death for me, and while the contrasting dials do give the watch a certain mid-sixties military look (in my mind, anyway), I prefer legibility. Especially these days, as I rush towards my mid-forties.*

*So, after trying this watch on, I placed an order for the all-black dial. I gave the store the exact model number as I knew it- 103.061. But I had one more stipulation for the watch. Since it was German-made, I wanted it to have a German Day-wheel. This meant that I would have to wait longer than the standard two weeks for delivery, but them's the breaks. I'd waited more than five years to buy this watch. An extra few weeks wasn't gonna kill me.*

*Six weeks later, it arrived. Meanwhile, I was trying to memorise the days of the week in German. By the way, today is Mittwoch!*

THE PACKAGING

*I have seen some fancy watch packaging in my time. Highly polished or laquered wooden boxes with leather-wrapped cushions inside them with the watch clamped nice and snug around it. *
*Well, the Sinn didn't come packaged like that. Good! This is not a watch that should concern itself with over-done packaging. After all, you wear the watch, not the box it comes in. Having said that, the packaging is better than some other watches in the same price-range, and perfectly suited to the watch inside. If I had bought a Sinn Regulateur model instead, it would have arrived in a polished wooden box, but this watch is another story altogether. This is a tool watch. This one is all about the watch and doesn't need a glitzy box. *

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THE PAPERWORK 

*All paperwork was nice and clear. The Warranty Card was a plastic credit-card style one instead of a cardboard type. Always a sign of quality and a little more effort, IMHO. There was a fold-out instruction pamphlet in German&#8230;*

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*&#8230;as well as a little dvd with English operating instructions. I have yet to play it. I figure that I know how to operate a chronograph wristwatch without my house burning down.*

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*THE BITS AND PIECES*

*Also included was a pair of very small Allen-Keys and a small bottle of Loctite glue, which had me a little worried. Loctite is sometimes used as an added measure for keeping screws&#8230;uh, screwed tight. The Allen-Keys are used for adjusting the bracelet, which doesn't use screws or pins, but instead has double-sided hexagonal bolts holding the links together. *

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*You are required to hold one bolt still while you turn the other one on the opposite side of the link. Very easy to do&#8230;if you're an octopus OR you have a bracelet stand handy. I have adjusted these types of bracelets before. Cartier use double-sided screws in many of their watches, so I just took my time and unscrewed the bolts. I noticed that the threaded ends of the bolts had Loctite on them, but I didn't put any glue on the screws before putting the bracelet back together. In my experience, it's not entirely necessary. If, however, I notice any screws coming undone, then I will use the Loctite that came with the watch. Somehow, I don't think I'll need it.*
*There was also a little screwdriver supplied. One end has a very small screwdriver blade attached (possibly for removal/replacement of the bezel screws) and the other end has a thin pin for the fine adjustment of the clasp. *

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*THE WATCH ITSELF*

*Firstly, let me just say that I posted a few photos of this watch on the Omega Forum here on WatchUSeek and one member commented on how the Sinn 103 was "a lot of watch for the money". I have to agree. *









*Notice the scuff on the bezel at the 53 minute marker? I was reaching for a Chanel J12 watch at work and the bezel grazed the display cabinet a little too hard. Ahh, the hazards of working in a watch store. Oh well, they ARE meant to be worn. And now that it has a scuff on it, it is truly mine.*

*The attention to detail on the Sinn was indeed impressive. I had specifically wanted the 103 ST SA because, among its many features, it also had a countdown bezel. This has already proven itself useful to me for timing my lunch breaks, since, when set for a half-hour break, a quick glance at the bezel will tell me that I have 10 minutes left, for instance, rather than showing the twenty minutes have elapsed. *
*As for its other features, there are many. For example;*

**Screw-down chrono pushers.*

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*This is a feature that you won't find on a TAG Aquaracer Auto Chronograph which sells for a couple hundred dollars more here in Australia (at the time of writing). Nor will you find it on the Omega Seamaster Chronograph, (RRP $4800.ooAUD @ Dec '09) which has similar looking collars around the pushers, but they do not unscrew. The Breitling SuperOcean Chronograph, for example, does have screw-down pushers on it, but it also has a much steeper price tag. In Breitling's defence, the SuperOcean Chrono is COSC-rated, so that would have something to do with it's pricing. Same thing goes for the Omega Seamaster Chrono mentioned above. But if the 103's time-keeping is anything to go b- I'm getting ahead of myself. More about that below.*

**The bracelet features solid end-links, as opposed to folded metal ones, thus making for a sturdier construction. *

**It has a convex sapphire crystal case-back, showing the nicely decorated Valjoux 7750 movement. As soon as I took delivery of this watch, I brought it 'round to my watch-maker to check the time keeping. On his Witschi timing machine, the watch showed a gain of 1.6 seconds per day. This test was done in all five main testing positions. Fantastic!*
*I took the watch back to the store I work for and tested it on our machine, which measures timekeeping in the dial-up position only. The result was +0.00 s/d (seconds per day).  I don't know if the watch will always keep this kind of time or whether it will settle down into something faster or slower, but I'm very happy with it's timekeeping. The real test, of course, is how the watch behaves out in the real world strapped to my wrist. I have set the time exactly down to the second about three hours ago and I'll check it in approx 21 hours to see what kind of deviation I get.*

**The watch itself is 200m water resistant, provided, of course, that the crowns are all screwed down.*

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**The dial is a great example of clarity and function. For a chronograph, especially a 42mm one with a lot of white on a very black dial, I find it highly legible. The hour and minute hands stand out above all others which, let's face it, telling the time is what a watch is supposed to do. Everything else should be secondary. The layout of this dial exemplifies the brand's pilot's watch heritage.*

**Anti-reflective coating on the front sapphire crystal. This is a feature found on more expensive watches and there are some mid-to-high-end brands that don't offer this. Notice the German day-wheel. Just in case you thought the watch was trying to tell me something. Tuesday in German is Dienstag. The day-date Valjoux 7750 movement is normally referred to as Version B, due to the addition of the day wheel.*
*I love the number font on the dial. That 4 is great! I'm easily impressed, aren't I ?*

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**Dehumidifying Technology Capsule Recess. This watch doesn't have it, but the case is designed to accommodate a small capsule filled with a highly water-absorbent powder which is designed to alert the wearer of any water entry or moisture inside the watch. The powder starts off whitish and if it comes into contact with water, it begins to turn blue. This is found on other Sinn dive models, but it's available as an option on this model.*

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What else can I tell you?

*The all-polished stainless-steel case is approximately 16mm thick. It's one of the things about chronographs. I get a lot of customers who like the look of a chrono, but don't like the thickness. That's the trade-off. However, I have to say that after wearing this watch for the last two weeks or so, I have gotten used to the thickness and it really doesn't bother me at all. *










*The lugs have a nice downward curve which helps achieve a better fit on a smaller wrist and allows the bracelet to 'flow' from the edge of the case.*

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*The clasp is a standard fold-over arrangement with holes for fine adjustment and a fold-over lock. The Sinn name is deeply engraved across it. I have yet to remove the protective blue plastic from the clasp since, from my experience, 30 seconds later I tend to find a few scratches and scuffs on the clasp. I should just bite the bullet and remove the plastic.*

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*The bracelet is a combination of brushed links with polished segments in the middle. Nicely done and reminiscent of watch bracelet designs of the 1970s. *

*CONCLUDING REMARKS*

*I realise that there are other Sinn models that have been getting all the glory in recent years. The U1 and U2 dive models have been very well-received by many Sinn collectors and dive watch fans alike. The Sinn 103 ST SA chronograph represents an outstanding value for the money and while it doesn't have some of Sinn's technology in it, such as Diapal oil or tegimented submarine steel, it does have numerous features usually found on much more expensive watches from some of Switzerland's finest watch-making houses. *
*Its design and execution showcases many aspects that make German design and engineering philosophies one of the best in the world. *
*As I stated earlier, I have wanted this watch for a long time and I'm very happy to report that it has not disappointed me in the slightest. If anything, it has surprised me with just how well-made it is. I had looked at the Bell & Ross Pilot Sapphire chronograph a couple of years ago and I found it slightly insulting that it was selling for twice the price of the 103 and was, except for some minor dial layout differences, essentially the same watch. Not forgetting that B & R used to have dials that read "Bell & Ross by SINN" ten years ago. That alone reminded me of just how well-made the 103 really is. *
*And as I sit here writing this review with the 103 ST SA clamped around my wrist, I know that this is one watch that I'll keep for the rest of my life.*
*Thanks for reading!:-!*

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*I hope you found this review informative and/or enjoyable. Any errors contained herein are my own as are any opinions. I am in no way affiliated with Sinn watches. I just think this is one of the best watches I own.*

*All photos by teeritz. Shot on location at the dining table on the pages of National Geographic Magazine, Vol. 161, No.1, January 1982 issue.*
*Teeritz is dressed by, oh, I dunno, around one in the afternoon on his days off.*

*Special thanks to Columbia pencils and Pelikan fountain pens.*


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## heb (Feb 24, 2006)

*Terrific review of one of the true "standards" in auto chronographs*

Hello,

I've owned the handwound "B&R by Sinn" version for 11 years now (purchased 2nd hand) and it has served me well.

Congratulations on your purchase,
heb


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## dukerules (Oct 3, 2008)

*Re: Terrific review of one of the true "standards" in auto chronographs*

Great review, and lovely watch. I owned one earlier this year. Sold it to fund an incoming, but I really liked the piece, and would not mind getting another in the future.


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## por44 (Dec 21, 2007)

Thanks for the review - Well done!


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## ignite-me (Dec 11, 2009)

Thanks for the review. I might get this 1 day sooner


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## travis (Jun 4, 2007)

great read! fun and informative. love the 103!


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## scm64 (May 12, 2007)

My LE says hi. Great review.


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## subseasniper (Jan 11, 2010)

Great review, thanks very much.

I am saving hard for this watch and am hoping to get one soon.

Any chance of some pics of the clasp and bracelet, I am interested in seeing how the clasp looks/works?


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## whifferdill (Jan 11, 2007)

Great! Nice to finally see another review of this Sinn classic. A lovely overall impression of the St Sa which is nice to see for me, having once owned the Ti UTC version and deliberating ( still! ) about going back to the 103. |>


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

subseasniper said:


> Great review, thanks very much.
> 
> I am saving hard for this watch and am hoping to get one soon.
> 
> Any chance of some pics of the clasp and bracelet, I am interested in seeing how the clasp looks/works?


Since you ask so nicely, here are some pics.

close-up of the clasp.









wet-suit extension open.









clasp open with wet-suit extension closed.









and clasp open again from another angle.









bracelet off the watch. I've switched over to a leather strap for the summer months so I can adjust the fit throughout the day as my wrist swells up in the heat.









Great watch, btw. Has become a favorite in a very short time.


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## subseasniper (Jan 11, 2010)

Thank you very much for those. I was delighted when i found your review as a friend put me onto Sinn watches and there seemed to be little in the way of good pics/reviews of the 103. You have certainly redressed the balance and helped me make my decision as to what watch to go for. 

That bracelet looks nice, I never realised it had a wetsuit extension, something I'd probably never use but hey, a nice touch.

I am now more determined than ever to get this watch, my wife is so pleased with you.

Thanks again.

SSS


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## Beau8 (May 24, 2008)

Well done~Great photos too! ;-)


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## danielb (Aug 29, 2008)

Whow, thanks, very nice review!


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## Teflon (Jun 28, 2009)

Hey! Great review. 
Can anyone tell me the distance from the top lugs to the bottom lugs? I have a very small wrist and want to know if the lugs would hang over my wrist.

Thanks!
Hamish


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## WatchAdct (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks for a great review!


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## subseasniper (Jan 11, 2010)

Teeritz,

Could I be a real PITA and ask you a big favour?

Could you possibly post some video footage of the watch, specifically some close ups of the hands working and the chronograph working.

I would really like to see the watch in action but cant find any footage on the internet.

Thanks,

SSS


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

Teflon said:


> Hey! Great review.
> Can anyone tell me the distance from the top lugs to the bottom lugs? I have a very small wrist and want to know if the lugs would hang over my wrist.
> 
> Thanks!
> Hamish


It's a fraction over 45mm. My wrists are 6.5 inch and it's a great fit.



subseasniper said:


> Teeritz,
> 
> Could I be a real PITA and ask you a big favour?
> 
> ...


Sorry, sub, but I'm not that high-tech when it comes to the 'net and I have no video equipment to do so. There must be some footage of a Valjoux 7750 powered watch somewhere.:-s


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## igorRIJEKA (Oct 6, 2008)

Great review and great watch :-!


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## akira23 (Dec 15, 2009)

Nice Review! Attention to detail & I love the 'map'!:-!


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## L.O. Little (Feb 27, 2006)

Great review of a great watch! :-!

I have a 103 St Sa (German day-wheel), as well as a Speedy Pro (3570.50, Moon Watch). I love my Speedy Pro, but I wear my 103 at least twice as often. The 103 St Sa, with its domed sapphire case back, is more comfortable, and seems to be a lot more resistant to damage. Anybody looking for a watch with a 7750 movement, the 103 is a great pick.


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

I too have the Speedy Moonwatch! Cool! Looks like I got a place to stay if I'm ever in Texas, sir. Along with the Sinn 103, they make the perfect pair of chronographs and both are very different to each other. Now, if I could just find a diver's chrono that I like...


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## ron.of.the.north (Feb 4, 2009)

Well written review, thanks! The Sinn 103 is one of my favorites. I like the look of the Panda dial as well, but you have a good point about readability. I don't have a 103 at this time unfortunately, but I do happen to have a 1952 version of that fountain pen...


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## Cisse (Jul 22, 2014)

Just got hold of a white dial LE. Stunning watch. Will post pics soon,


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## loosecannon (Oct 29, 2009)

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## speedy07 (Jun 9, 2007)

Wow, The 103 LE in white is Stunning ! Even sharper than the black dial.


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## 41Mets (Dec 25, 2014)

This was the first review I was able to find. I since traded an Omega SMP for the Sinn 103 A SA. Perhaps the Omega has a slightly higher monetary value (though my watch was not in quite as good condition as the Sinn I received in trade). This Sinn with the Panda dial is so absolutely gorgeous. I don't care that the white subdials are the same color as the hands. Actually the lume on the hands is slightly different white so to me it stands out from the subdials with no problem. I have found a preowned bracelet that is on its way (here in a few days!!!). I have it on the leather right now. I love this watch. I didn't have any chronographs and I'm happy to have this instead of the Omega. For the OP, who has Omegas in addition to the Sinn, how do you compare in quality? Here are some pictures!!


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

jaywinston41 said:


> This was the first review I was able to find. I since traded an Omega SMP for the Sinn 103 A SA. Perhaps the Omega has a slightly higher monetary value (though my watch was not in quite as good condition as the Sinn I received in trade). This Sinn with the Panda dial is so absolutely gorgeous. I don't care that the white subdials are the same color as the hands. Actually the lume on the hands is slightly different white so to me it stands out from the subdials with no problem. I have found a preowned bracelet that is on its way (here in a few days!!!). I have it on the leather right now. I love this watch. I didn't have any chronographs and I'm happy to have this instead of the Omega. *
> For the OP, who has Omegas in addition to the Sinn, how do you compare in quality?* Here are some pictures!!


Whoa, this is a blast from the past! I, too, wasn't able to find reviews of the 103 Series, so that's why I wrote my own.

To be honest, if I had to choose between my Omega Speedmaster and the Sinn 103 St Sa, I would keep the Sinn because it's a more practical watch in many ways. The water-resistance is greater, the crystal is sapphire, the chrono pushers are screw-down. 
Although, the Speedmaster has the bigger history and what-not and it has a robust movement in it. The NASA association holds no allure for me. I just like the Speedmaster because of its classic design.
Comparing the two, the Sinn is very comparable. The case finish is even, bracelet and clasp are high quality, the dial details are crisp, and the watch overall is very well put-together. 
Actually, it's not easy to compare to Omega, since the Speedmaster and Sinn are so different to each other. However, put the Sinn up against the IWC Pilot's Chrono and, for my money, the Sinn comes out on top.


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## 41Mets (Dec 25, 2014)

Sometimes when you read these threads you don't realize how long ago they were written! But it did help me make a decision so thanks! I have no regrets as of now. It didn't come with the bracelet but I found one preowned for half price and its oh so close to arriving to me!! I'll need to spend a little time polishing the polished links but I'm excited. I generally have prefered a bracelet over a strap...


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

jaywinston41 said:


> Sometimes when you read these threads you don't realize how long ago they were written! But it did help me make a decision so thanks! I have no regrets as of now. It didn't come with the bracelet but I found one preowned for half price and its oh so close to arriving to me!! I'll need to spend a little time polishing the polished links but I'm excited. I generally have prefered a bracelet over a strap...


I have to say that the 103 looks good on strap or bracelet. I sometimes put mine on a brown croco-embossed leather strap and the watch begins to look like a TYPE XX pilot watch from the 1950s. Great watch. It was one of my Grail pieces.


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## 41Mets (Dec 25, 2014)

Well th bracelet should arrive tomorrow- fingers crossed. I also ordered a horween light honey colored leather strap thinking a light strap might really bring out the white dials!!


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## fatboyslimboy57 (Jul 22, 2014)

nice in depth review. How do you find the lug to lug, I also have 6.5" wrists. I am afraid of that 16mm though, depending on how they build out the back it could stick out greatly.


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

fatboyslimboy57 said:


> nice in depth review. How do you find the lug to lug, I also have 6.5" wrists. I am afraid of that 16mm though, depending on how they build out the back it could stick out greatly.


Definitely sits high, due to a convex sapphire case-back, but it's a well-balanced watch.


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## ZORD (Aug 24, 2012)

fatboyslimboy57 said:


> nice in depth review. How do you find the lug to lug, I also have 6.5" wrists. I am afraid of that 16mm though, depending on how they build out the back it could stick out greatly.


I will pop in on this one as well. I have 6,3" wrist and the L2L is great. Regarding thickness...it has a fantastic presence if you like thicker watches.


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## blackbox1011 (Jun 6, 2015)

nice watch! on my list


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## Chainsaw (May 23, 2010)

Very nice review, thank you


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## Driv3r (Jan 7, 2014)

Thanks for the excellent review


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## kguerreiro (Mar 26, 2014)

Great Photos! Never owned a "made in germany " timepiece before but if i did it would be a Sinn


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## Veritas0Aequitas (Jan 5, 2015)

Awesome photos and a great review! Thanks for that


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## Split-Personality (May 7, 2009)

Opened this thread not because I am interested in this exact watch... but because I know the OP only puts out the best reviews going. 

Hope you're well Teeritz, I'm eyeing up a U1 as my next watch.


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## frankdonald (Apr 22, 2015)

Great review, thanks !!!


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

Split-Personality said:


> Opened this thread not because I am interested in this exact watch... but because I know the OP only puts out the best reviews going.
> 
> Hope you're well Teeritz, I'm eyeing up a U1 as my next watch.


Aww, thank-you, S-P! I'm alright, hope you're well too. Cheers!


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## Split-Personality (May 7, 2009)

All good this end cheers! When you doing a review on the U1 then? =)


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## teeritz (May 27, 2006)

Split-Personality said:


> All good this end cheers! When you doing a review on the U1 then? =)


Actually, I briefly considered a U2 model at one point, but the expense would put me further away from my grail watch, the Submariner 5513, so I passed on it.


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## Veritas0Aequitas (Jan 5, 2015)

Another great looking diver! Wear it in good health!


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