Southpaws Rejoice! Introducing the Sinn Military Type IV, a Limited Edition Destro Version of the 103

Sinn’s latest release is a highly technical take on their classic 103 Series chronograph. The 103 represents something old fashioned and pure in the Sinn catalog — it’s a simple pilot style chronograph that comes standard with an acrylic crystal and old school friction bezel. It lacks a lot of the high end tech that makes modern Sinn watches so appealing to fans of the brand, but maintains a whole lot of charm in its own right. This new watch, the Type IV Limited Edition, is a partnership of sorts between Sinn and their Japanese and American distributors, and the watch itself pulls from other references in Sinn’s back catalog. The Type IV is limited to just 200 pieces, split between the two countries.

Sinn Military Type IV

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Black
• Dimensions: 41 x 15.5mm
• Crystal: Acrylic   
• Water Resistance: 200 meters 
• Crown: Screw down        
• Movement: Valjoux 7750
• Strap/bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet
• Price: $2,430
• Reference Number: n/a
• Expected Release: Available now 

The Type IV follows three previous limited editions, all long sold out, that represent earlier versions of watches in the ongoing Sinn Military Series. These had previously been Japanese only limited editions, and took standard Sinn designs and flipped them around just a bit to give them a more pronounced military or tactical feel. This time around, not only is American distributor WatchBuys getting in on the act, but the canvas for the limited watch is one of Sinn’s most well known enthusiast focused pieces, the Valjoux 7750 powered 103. 

So what’s different about the Type IV? Well, quite a bit, even on first glance. Right off the bat, we can see that the dial layout has been changed. Whereas the standard 103 has running seconds at 9:00 with minutes and hour totalizers at 12:00 and 6:00, respectively, the Type IV has nixed the hour totalizer completely, and moved the minutes subdial to the 6:00 position. The hour counting function has been removed for the sake of legibility and simplicity in a watch inspired by military use. 

You might be asking yourself how they did this within the confines of the Valjoux 7750’s architecture. It’s actually relatively straightforward. Notice that the other big changes here are the day and date indicators now appear at 9:00, with running seconds at 3:00. The crown and pushers? You guessed it: the Type IV has a destro layout, with all of the watch’s controls on the left case flank (this would be more convenient for pilots and soldiers wearing gloves, according to WatchBuys). The changes to the dial layout here come as a result of flipping the movement 180 degrees, and fashioning some new limited dials that accommodate the change. 

Elsewhere on the Type IV, much of the design has been inspired by 1960s era issued watches, as well as other Sinn classics. Bright red accents on the chronograph hands aid legibility, and are inspired by the design of the Sinn 156/256 chronos, which used red hands in a similar fashion. The acrylic crystal and friction bezel are also very much products of a particular time, and vintage colored lume has also been applied, but it’s not over the top at all, and works well in the context of this highly limited piece. The words “Military Type IV” frame the day-date display in a charcoal color that blends in nicely with the black dial. It’s subtle and well executed, and along with the revamped dial layout help the watch stand out from a normal 103. 

In the United States, the Type IV can be purchased from WatchBuys on Sinn’s standard H-Link bracelet. Retail price is $2,430. Sinn

Images courtesy of sinn-Japan.jp