We here at Wound For Life are big fans of Sinn Watches. Their history, quality, engineering, and company philosophy match up with pretty much everything we’re about with regard to watches. Unsurprisingly, we were pleasantly surprised to stumble across an amazing piece that captures everything we love about the brand.
The Herbert Mayer special edition of the Sinn 103 sets itself apart from the standard Sinn 103. Although it features the Valjoux 7756 and is mechanically the same as the standard 103 ST, it is the subtle yet refined differences that set this apart and make it a different and unique watch in its own right. It truly feels reminiscent of the old German Flieger watches that Helmut Sinn is renowned for.
The first thing that stands out is the vintage tan colored numbers and hour markers, hands, and bezel triangle. The red-tipped chronograph hands also add a nice touch of color otherwise missing from the standard version. This makes them bright enough for easy recognition and legibility,but not being entirely red, they are not distracting at all.
Sinn 103 Herbert Mayer special edition
Aside from some color difference, the hands have also changed in shape. They are now concave sword hands instead of the standard Flieger hands. This contributes to the vintage look and also improves visibility of the dial.
One of my favorite features is the removal of the day function. While I appreciate the complication of the movement, it adds clutter to the dial which I don’t find particularly necessary. In place of the day window, the Sinn logo can be found along side the date. “Automatic” is also removed from the dial to clean things up a bit. Another feature that was added is the Herbert Mayer logo. This is a subtle charcoal gray color on the black dial — this was done just right. It identifies the special edition without scrawling the jeweler’s name across the width of the dial. And it’s a cool looking logo to boot.
Sinn went the extra mile when packaging this watch together. Included with the watch is a solid springbar tool, extra springbars, bracelet adjustment tool (with Loctite even!), and a desert tan NATO strap that compliments the vintage look of the watch perfectly. All of this comes at a great price. The special edition is only about $100 more than the standard 103 (running right about $2,000).
Sinn 103 Herbert Mayer edition shown with included accessories
Overall, the Herbert Mayer Special Edition has improvements and changes that flat out work. The use of color is balanced and accents the watch nicely without being too distracting or flashy. The changes are subtle but well thought out, all of which make this a truly unique and outstanding piece. This 103 perfectly aligns with Sinn’s philosophy for a watch that is a piece of art but is also functional, legible, and affordable all while maintaining the highest standards of quality — it’s a watch Helmut Sinn should be, and likely is, proud of.
If you’re interested in one, just pop on over to Munich or Augsburg in the Bavarian region of Germany for the weekend and hit up one of Herbert Mayer’s three locations. I was told that there are only three two pieces left.
by 
