INTRODUCING: The Sinn 103 Classic 12 celebrates the brand’s 60th with a reverse panda dial

Ricardo Sime

I love brand anniversaries. They present the perfect opportunity for a brand to do something new or to celebrate their past by pulling something special out of their archives. In 2011, Sinn gave us the grey dialled, bi-compax, 358 chronograph to celebrate their 50^th anniversary. With this year being their 60^th, I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for us. And sure enough, they didn’t disappoint. Introducing the new Sinn 103 Classic 12 chronograph; a 600-piece numbered limited edition from the brand, released in celebration of their 60^th anniversary.

The 103 Classic 12 begins life with identical dimensions as that of the current 103 lineup. The case is still 41mm, with a 17mm thickness and a 20mm lug width. Lug-to-lug here is 47mm, with a case made of polished stainless steel. Both pushers and the crown are screw down, giving the watch 200 metres of water resistance. Domed sapphire crystal adorns both the front and back of the watch. Furthermore, the watch head still weighs 88 grams.

From there, this new offering presents a return to the classic 60s 103 design. Here, we are treated to a creamy reverse panda dial which plays with chamois (off-white) colour hues. The colour can be found on the ceramic bezel (a first for the 103 collection), which now display the hour numerals instead of a 60 minute markers. The colour is also used for the lume of the syringe hands and indexes, as well as the paint of the subdials, and date wheel font. This all plays well with the glossy black sunburst dial. Some would simply generalize this colour as fauxtina yet here its use creates a unified design that reminds us of the fact that this is an anniversary piece.

If we go back to the bezel, you’ll find that it ratchets, with 12 total positions, representing 12 hours. This can be rotated and used to display a secondary time zone.

If we focus in on the dial, we are presented with a completely different layout when compared to the current 103 collection. Whereas the current lineup features a 12, 6, 9 layout, the new 103 Classic 12 is done in a satisfyingly symmetrical 3, 6, 9. Each subdial features a concentric circle pattern. The wider circles towards the middle of the subdials contain the numerals while the narrower circles, towards the outer edge of the subdial, contain the indexes. The 3 and 6 o’clock subdial contain your 30 minute and 12-hour chronograph counters. While at 9, you’ll find your running seconds. Finally, tucked away at 4:30, is the date window, displaying a colour matched date wheel.

Moving to the back of the watch, on the caseback, you’ll find the number of the limited edition engraved as well as “1961-2021” and “60 Jahre” (60 years). Pear through the sapphire crystal and staring back at you is a Sellita SW 510 movement. The movement is anti-magnetic to DIN 8309 standards (Germany’s ISO 764 equivalent), beats at 28,800 bph and has a power reserve of 60 hours. It’s a tried and tested movement that should serve you well for years to come.

The watch is packaged with two different straps. One is a beautiful dark green wild boar leather strap that pairs well with the chamois dial colour accents. The other is a black, alligator embossed, classic leather strap with contrasting white stitching. These are both excellent additions yet a bit of a cherry on top for me would have been if the black strap came with chamois colored contrast stitching.

Overall, the 103 Classic 12 is a well-executed anniversary piece that I think many fans of the brand will appreciate. It deviates from the current lineup enough to warrant attention and potential ownership. It also hearkens back to the classic 103 design while adding modern accents such as the ceramic bezel and date. All this while not losing the Sinn qualities that define the brand.

Sinn 103 Classic 12 pricing and availability:

The Sinn 103 Classic 12 comes in a numbered limited edition of 600 pieces. The watch will come with two straps, a spring bar tool and spare spring bars. Price: $3270 USD