Sinn Introduces Two New Limited Chronographs: the Racing Inspired R500 and the 103 Sa G

New watch announcements from Sinn are something that are always worth looking forward to. Not only because the brand has carved out space as an enthusiast favorite over the years, but because with Sinn, quite simply never really know what it is that you’re going to get. There’s always some genuine excitement in looking at new watches from the German brand, since they have a great deal of history to draw on, but also fully embrace new technologies and constantly push and challenge themselves. We’ve already seen one big announcement from Sinn in 2020, with what for many people is probably a solid watch of the year candidate, so you could say that the pressure might be off with the late-in-the-year slate of releases, and to that end, we’re getting a handful of new watches that are more fun and adventurous than revelatory. 

First up, the R500 “Racing Stopwatch,” a bullhead chronograph cast in high strength titanium and limited to 300 pieces. While many associate Sinn with aviation inspired watches, this purpose built racing watch is actually based on a model from Sinn’s past, and has a 70s style funk that is somewhat uncommon for the brand. 

Everything about the R500 is geared toward making it easy to read and operate from behind the wheel of a car. Obviously, the crown and pushers located at the top of the case make for easier access for a driver, regardless of whether he or she happens to be right or left handed, and the pushers appear to be appropriately large and easy to manipulate. A more subtle design element is the slope of the case, with the dial angled toward the wearer, which should make reading the watch just a bit easier with at least one hand on the wheel. 

The dial layout has been thought through to be as legible as possible, with the sub dials in a high contrast white against the black main dial. The tachymeter scale is an obvious choice for a racing inspired watch, and has been lent prominence by Sinn with text in a crisp white that is perhaps a bit larger than what we’re used to seeing in similar scales on other chronographs. A fuel gauge inspired power reserve indicator at 12:00 is maybe a bit on-the-nose, but a useful feature nonetheless, and it gives the dial just a hint of color.

We’re curious to see how this watch actually wears – it has a lugless design with a diameter of 42mm. The case thickness goes from 16mm at 12:00 to 13mm at 6:00, and of course the titanium material will make this watch considerably lighter on the wrist than it would be in stainless steel. It looks appropriately chunky in photos, but we suspect the R500 might be more comfortable than its measurements would indicate. The R500 is powered by a Valjoux 7750 automatic movement, modified by Sinn to relocate the crown and pushers, and to include a power reserve indicator. The retail price on the R500 is $4,380. 

Also new from Sinn, the 103 Sa G, the 103 chronograph you know and love, but, well, green. Very, very green. Sinn has played with color on the 103 platform previously (remember this blue variant from a few years ago?) and it’s interesting to note how the character of the watch changes with adjustments both large and small. This watch isn’t just a green 103, though. Like the blue 103 Sa B E Limited Edition before it, the 103 Sa G is a 103 that has reworked at both the micro and macro levels, resulting in something more cohesive than merely a new colorway. 

The blue 103 was all about the contrast between the electric blue dial and the vintage-tinged lume on the hands and hour markers. Here, Sinn has gone all in on green, and I think it’s the right choice. The dial also appears to have a textured effect that other versions of the 103 lack making this one stand out a bit. Sinn calls it a “metallic green” dial, and we’re curious to see what it looks like in the metal, as it seems to accomplish a difficult trick by providing a level of contrast to the hands and hour markers, which are all part of the same green color family. 

The 103 has long been available with a choice of sapphire or acrylic crystals, but with this limited edition buyers are limited to Sinn’s sapphire crystal, which has been milled to resemble the traditional dome you’d find on one made of plastic. This is an entirely new crystal for the 103 with a higher dome, and according to Watchbuys, Sinn’s American distributor, it’s one of the most requested features from customers at their road shows. 

The 103 Sa G retains the familiar case geometry of previous versions of the watch, and has a polished finish with an exhibition caseback. The diameter is 41mm with a thickness listed at 16mm, but a good chunk of that is from the aforementioned domed sapphire crystal. The 103 Sa G is limited to 500 pieces, and starts at $2,860, with a top price of $3,090, depending on the strap or  bracelet selected. Sinn