Sinn is a brand we have great respect for. They are one that strives to do things the right way, constantly improve, and make watches of the highest quality that are still affordable. I was able to get my hands on one of their new pieces that embodies the Sinn spirit: the Sinn 140 St S.
Upon initial inspection, the 140 St S is a slight departure from the norm for Sinn. The tonneau or cushion case is not a common one for the German brand but it is a case style that always appeals to me. It reminds me of those unique 70’s watches we just can’t seem to get enough of.
Although Sinn doesn’t make a watch with this style of case very often, this one is historically significant. The forerunner of the 140 St S, the 140 S, was thought to be the first automatic chronograph in space, taken to Spacelab in 1985 demonstrating that an automatic movement could operate in a weightless environment. An event which is commemorated on the case back. It was later determined the Seiko 6139 beat the Sinn to space by over 10 years, but since the 140 S performed so admirably, it shouldn’t take away from the accomplishment. There is further history with Sinn and the 140 series of watches. The SZ01 movement traces its roots back to the venerable Lemania 5100 with its centrally mounted minute counter, which was a popular feature among military and space program users and a movement we are also fans of.
The SZ01 movement is an extensively modified Valjoux 7750, with the most obvious change being the central minute counter of the chronograph. In addition to cleaning up the dial, this aides in accurately identifying elapsed time more quickly and simply. Visually, the watch is very striking. One aspect in particular I gravitated towards is the bright chronograph, minute, and hour counter hands. Against the black case and dial, they stand out and are an excellent addition of color to an otherwise subdued watch. They also further aid in rapid viewing of the chronograph function when in use. These hands are, to my preference, more orange than their appearance in some publicity photos in which they tend to look red. When the chronograph is not in operation the minute and seconds counter hands lay perfectly in line with one another and look like a single hand. The aircraft silhouette on the minute counter is a nice touch as well and harkens back to the original Sinn 140.
In addition to the central minute counter, the Sinn 140 St S also showcases one of my favorite features in any watch, an inner rotating bezel — and this one is seamless. Of all the inner bezels I’ve used — with the crown on the left — this is one of the easiest to operate. I had no issue adjusting it while the watch was tight on the wrist. And although I love it, the same cannot be said for my Flightmaster (shhh, don’t tell anyone I talked bad about it).
On the wrist, the 140 wears quite comfortably. Even though the watch is 44mm wide and 15mm in height, the contoured and low-lying case enables it to sit nicely on the wrist. I often say the height can have even more of an impact on how “large” a watch wears, more so than the diameter. Compared to watches with similar dimensions, I wouldn’t hesitate to say this one wears a bit smaller. However, with all that said, it is a noticeably heavy watch — largely due to the solid steel bracelet. Fortunately, the bracelet evenly distributes the weight around the wrist, keeping the 140 from feeling top heavy. I would personally wear it on Sinn’s silicon rubber strap, which is one of the best ones in the industry, but the bracelet is impressive nonetheless. It feels solid and secure, and is as well made as the rest of the watch.
On a related note to the heft, this thing just feels like a tank that can handle anything. It ‘walks the walk’ with features such as 100m water resistance, dehumidifying technology, anti-shock, and anti-magnetic protection. Technology like the dual anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal meant I never had an issue with reflections, glare, or legibility at any angle throughout various lighting conditions. Sinn’s reputation for quality and innovation can also immediately be perceived with the case. It is tegimented steel that is PVD coated. This combination from Sinn makes it nearly impossible to scratch yet also ensures the steel is extremely hard and crack resistant which isn’t always the case with PVD cases. I had my hands on the watch for several weeks and put it through its paces. When I was done with this review it still looked brand new.
When I found out I had the opportunity to review this which, I was understandably excited. From the minute I opened the box and throughout the review, my expectations were exceeded. It was a joy to wear and use. The weight took a little getting used to since I was transitioning from a smaller vintage piece, but that was an easy adjustment. Everything was crisp and had a feel of quality from the winding, to the chronograph pushers, and the killer inner rotating bezel. I have not been inclined to wear a black watch for quite a while but the Sinn 140 St S changed my mind. As always, an outstanding piece from one of our favorite brands that never ceases to impress.
by 
Chris
Really good write-up. Strangely, despite being a amalgamation of elements I’m not really a fan of individually, I like the way it all comes together. Maybe it’s the way the watch escapes looking like a collection of references to other pieces. It seems like the genuine article.