Sinn has had a cult following for quite some time. Helmut Sinn first introduced the brand in the early 1960's when he was a flight instructor specializing in blind flight, where the pilot must rely on his flight instruments to stay on course without being able to see outside the plane. Sinn wanted to produce more affordable, but equally as reliable flight instruments. Thus began the Sinn company. Now, in 2017, Sinn is staying true to its origins, by creating affordable timepieces that provide unparalleled technology built into their watches.
Copper Sulfate Capsule
The Sinn 856 does not stray from this ideology, as it has a copper sulfate capsule built into the side of the watch to absorb moisture from inside the case. It also is filled with an inert gas, Argon (Ar), which helps take away any moisture in the watch as regular air can create condensation. As the capsule begins to absorb moisture, the faint blue color will, overtime, turn to a deep sea blue thus signifying to change it to a new one. This helps remove any fogging of the watch and extends the service time. The average time is about 7 years to service the watch. The Sinn 856 contains the Sellita SW300-1 movement that is "COSC" level, so far it has been keeping great time of about +6/seconds a day but it is still in its break in phase. The sapphire crystal is double AR (anti reflective) coated both top and bottom and helps provide a clear, easy to read dial, which is the crux of a pilot watch.
How does the 856 fit? It fits extremely well, the case is 40mm, so it is not on the excessively large side, but not too small either. I find this to be a sweet spot for most people, the tapering of the lugs is smooth and helps give the watch a curve that helps to form to the wrist. The case is tegimented, which is a process that hardens the steel to about 72 Rockwell (it is extremely scratch resistant) and helps ward off scratches from daily use. It also features an anti-magnetic case to 1000 Gauss which stops electronics from magnetizing your watch. The sword hands are very easy to read in the dark and the date window is very flush with the design. The only downside is the C1 lume, it has an intense brightness at first, but dulls out quickly, leaving a low glow.
The Sinn 856 is a comfortable, understated, but extremely tech filled watch that I think caters to the tool watch type of buyer. Its extremely legible with the double AR coated sapphire crystal and for anyone looking for a rugged, everyday watch, the 856 fits the bill perfectly. At less than $2000, with all the features this watch provides, it is unbeatable for the price.
40mm case, 11mm tall