Latest Review
The Sinn 103s are easily some of our favorite chronographs on the market. Not only do they have gorgeous vintage styling, directly pulling from the earliest Sinn’s of the late 60’s, they are exceptionally made and surprisingly affordable, with models starting at $1,640. We reviewed this “entry-level” variant of the 103 a couple of years ago, which is notable for its domed acrylic crystal for a retro feel. Over the years, Sinn has realized various versions of the 103, some with more modern tech, other’s with special LE dials, creating a nice variety to seek out. Well, Sinn just announced a new limited edition version of this watch that is sure to turn heads, the 103 A Sa B. Or more simply, a blue 103.
The 103 A Sa B takes the 103 design and infuses it with color. Both the bezel and the dial have been turned blue for a fairly striking result. The bezel is a dark blue with a satin sheen and standard 103 markings. The dial is then a rich vibrant sun ray. While I’m a fan of blue, too much can be over the top, but luckily Sinn tempered the dial with cream sub-dials, which also brings to mind the inverse panda 103 Klassik. This was a smart move as balances out the blue and maintains the 103’s vintage charm.
This isn’t since Sinn’s first dance with color, in fact this watch was inspired by the now retired 203 Arktis, which was known for its icey blue color. For those who missed out on that watch, this is a great way to get something similar, but altogether unique. Also in the theme, Sinn recently launched blue dialed versions of their relatively new T1 and T2 dive line, which have a matte, almost Mediterranean blue… and a color that was previously used on a very successful LE run of their U1000… So yeah, Sinn is no stranger to blue.
Color aside, the 103 A Sa B is also feature packed. It has a domed sapphire crystal, a sapphire crystal case back and a top-grade Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph with exceptional decoration. It also features Sinn’s patented Ar-Dehumidfying technology. We discussed this at some length when we review the EZM 13, but to abbreviate, by filling the watch with an inert gas, it greatly reduces the humidity inside. This prevents fogging as well as prolongs the life of the movement. Lastly, it features Sinn’s captive bezel mechanism which is more secure than standard bezel assemblies.
The 103 A Sa B is fitted with a blue leather strap and comes with an additional grey nylon mil-strap as well as strap changing tool in a special collector’s box. On the grey nylon, this watch really looks amazing, so that’s a great addition. It’s a limited edition of 500 and comes in at a price of $2,230. That’s a great value when you consider all that this is not only a expertly made watch, crafted in Germany, but one that features a better-than-average grade 7750, special Ar tech and is a limited edition to boot. So, if you’ve been debating adding a blue watch to your collection, now might be the time to pull the trigger before they are all gone. Available now for pre-order from watchbuys.com.
