The Sinn U1 DS With Grinding Dial

If you’re a dive watch or instrument watch enthusiast, the Sinn U1 should be no stranger to you. It is indeed the brand’s signature diver-oriented model… Modern-looking, utilitarian, over-engineered and very German indeed, up to the material used for the case and bracelet. What Sinn has recently been presenting is a new edition of its “diving watch made of German Submarine Steel” but with something rather unexpected on this no-nonsense watch, a decorative dial. Made with a special grinding process, meet the new Sinn U1 DS with Grinding Dial Limited Edition.

The Sinn U1 is a great example of an engineered dive watch. Understand by that, a watch that is very, very capable but also a bit cold. It is a watch that has been designed and developed with performance as its utmost purpose, and not to look good lounging by the pool. This focus on functionality is what makes this watch attractive to some, and to others, it will look just too technical, not charming enough… To each his own. Equipped with most of Sinn’s technologies – TEGIMENT coating, German Submarine steel case, captive diver’s bezel – and tested, certified and approved by most diving watch standards (ISO and DIN), it became appreciated by the diving community for this “purpose-built” spirit. But the brand has recently applied something that goes in a different direction… A decorative finishing on its dial…

The main idea here is to bring something less technical, warmer to this very focused watch. The dial of this new Sinn U1 DS has a so-called grinding process, where it is engraved with an irregular, intricate pattern. This engraving makes every watch unique – the impression achieved on the dial during the machining process can never be repeated. The dial has a raw metal colour and a very rough surface, which actually suits this powerful diver’s quite well. Do you think such a dial makes sense on an instrument diver’s watch? Let us know in the comments.

For the rest, no surprises. The base remains this well-known, well-appreciated robust dive watch that collectors have enjoyed for some years. This means classic U1 specifications, with a 44mm case made of bead-blasted German submarine steel (or Deutscher U-Boot Stahl if you want to be precise), coated with TEGIMENT technology (a scratch-resistant treatment). The non-reflective case is paired with a unidirectional, captive bezel (another Sinn technology) with an engraved 60-minute scale in black and white. The 4 o’clock crown screws down, and so does the caseback. This allows for a 1,000 water-resistance and a watch that meets with the technical requirements for waterproofness, as set out in standard DIN 8310 and European diving equipment standards EN 250 / EN14143.

For the dial, apart from the specific grinding pattern, the watch retains the same layout, with large and luminous painted markers and hands. The date at 3 o’clock is something that we’d love to see removed, however. Powering this watch is the ubiquitous SW 200, an automatic movement with 4Hz frequency and 38h power reserve.

The Sinn U1 DS With Grinding Dial will be a limited edition of 500 pieces, available as of May 2021. It will be priced at EUR 2,470 on a silicone bracelet or EUR 2,500 on a bead-blasted stainless steel bracelet. More details at www.sinn.de.