Press Release: Sinn U1-D Ultimate 1...

SINN U1-D ULTIMATE 1 - DUNE UNEARTHING A NEW STEALTH INSTRUMENT

German watch brand Sinn collaborates with longtime exclusive retail partner, The Hour Glass to present the fourth installation of its iconic U1 limited edition series – the U1-D, after a 4-year hiatus.

Limited to a special edition of 350 pieces to commemorate the 35th anniversary of The Hour Glass, the U1-D is by far the most radical and creative in design. Available exclusively through The Hour Glass boutiques, this long-awaited collectible edition is anticipated to create a flurry of excitement amongst sports watch fans and avid Sinn followers alike.

U1-D – Mission Dune

Taking inspiration from military codes, the Sinn U1-D is sharply dressed in sartorial ruggedness of a sand trooper warrior: featuring a smooth matte grey-tone dial, contrasted with charcoal indices and sand-beige detailing – a significant departure from the brethren models’ all-black design.

Available in a distressed tan brown calf leather strap with white stitching, the watch also comes in Camo Zulu strap – final touches to the guerilla grunge style of the mission timer. Being a completely unexpected take, The Hour Glass leads with this global unprecedented twist to this most iconic U1 series of Sinn.

“Sinn is one of the most reliable and enduring watch brands, especially in the category of instrument watches for professional use. The U1-D exemplifies the proud spirit and dedication of German engineering and creativity – a testament to Sinn’s credence for being a trusted watch brand by the young and watch collectors alike, says Mr Lothar Schmidt, CEO of Sinn. 

Emboldened with Sinn proprietary technologies, the U1-D case and bezel are fortified with Black Hard Coating on TEGIMENT Technology, making it especially scratch-resistant. It also features a captive diver’s bezel – a special design that prevents the rotating bezel from becoming detached or accidentally knocked, causing the set time to be lost.

Fourth installation of the Sinn U1-series exclusive to The Hour Glass

Exactly 7 years ago in 2007, the first Sinn U1-limited edition series was conceived specially for The Hour Glass to mark the momentous Tempus watch exhibition. One year later in 2008, the second edition U1-Black was launched to a limited collection. 2010’s Ultimate U in 47mm took the diver watch to a boldly oversized masculinity.

This fourth installation, Sinn U1-D is set to follow hot on the heels of its predecessors – all sold-out capsule collections exclusive to The Hour Glass.

“The U1-D is designed to be a stand-out combat piece in the U1 collection. Inheriting the salient Sinn technological DNA, the U1-D takes a bold stance outside its design comfort zone to reveal a distinctively different and refreshed persona. It is an evolution of the signature U1, upping its cool factor with an element of rebellion and toughness,” says Ms Wong Mei Ling, Managing Director of The Hour Glass Singapore.

About U1 – A 10 year retrospective

Introduced in 2005, the U1 set a new standard for diving watches in the industry.

The birth of the Sinn U1 dive watch was coined “indestructible” due to its sturdy German submarine steel case – a first to be used in the watch industry, boasting superior resistance to external influences, and is seawater-resistant and anti-magnetic.

Sinn engineers succeeded in their search for a steel with the desired resistance, at the German submarine manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Lauded for its enduring robustness, the Sinn U-series watch cases are the very steel of the external hulls of the German Navy’s new submarine class 212; hence the name “U” – for U-boat.

U1’s diving capabilities venture beyond its durable watch case: Sinn’s U-series dive watches are tested and certified based on European diving equipment standards by DNV GL, a German marine and offshore specialist authority. This ensures great functionality of the time instruments, even for professional dives.

Careful thought has also been given to its actual performance in deep sea diving, hence its minimalist designed dial with clear luminescent indices and hands, for high visibility under limited lighting.

Promising high level of performance and robust functionality, Sinn enlists a tribe of iconic dive watches comprising of the U1, U2, U200, U1000 and UX – all of them fulfilling the role as the ultimate wrist companion for professional divers and sports enthusiasts around the world.

The Sinn U1-D is exclusively available through The Hour Glass boutiques, retailing at $4,800. Special edition of 350 pieces only. 

Below are some photos that I took and I would like to share them with my readers.....

 It is basically a well executed piece just like the rest of the U1 series. I have spoken to a number of collectors and they preferred this as compared to the all black version. I personally love the combination of the black case and "patina" markers on the bezel and the hands.

         

The U1-D Mission Dune comes with a Calf leather strap and Camo Zulu strap, both complimenting the watch equally well.

Technical Data

Model U1-D Special Edition of 350 pieces – Exclusive to The Hour Glass

Movement: – Mechanical movement (SW 200-1) – Self-winding mechanism – 26 bearing jewels – 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour – Shock-resistant according to DIN 8308 – Anti-magnetic according to DIN 8309

Case: – Case made of German submarine steel with Black Hard Coating and TEGIMENT® Technology, making it especially scratch-resistant – Captive diver’s bezel with TEGIMENT® technology and Black Hard Coating – Sapphire crystal glass, anti-reflective on both sides – Screw-fastened doubly sealed crown – Water-resistant according to DIN 8310 – Pressure-resistant to 100 bar (=underwater depth of 1000m), certified by DNV GL – Resistant to low pressure at high altitudes – According to technical demands of diver’s norm DIN 8306 – According to the European diving equipment norms EN205 and EN14143, certified by DNV GL

Functions: – Hours, minutes, sweep seconds with stop-seconds – Date display – Diver’s rotating bezel with luminous triangle Sinn Technologies:

– Black Hard Coating on a TEGIMENT® technology – Captive diver’s bezel – Temperature resistant technology, therefore functionally reliable at temperatures from – 45 °C up to + 80 °C

Measurements/ Weights:

– Case diameter: 44 mm – Watch thickness: 14.3 mm – Weight: 113 g – Width between strap lugs: 22 mm Dial/Hands: – Matte grey dial – Indices coated with luminescent colour – Hour, minute and second hands coated with luminescent colour

Guarantee: – 2 years Strap: – Calf leather strap and Camo Zulu strap. 

About Sinn

Established in 1961 in Frankfurt, Sinn celebrates half a century of uncompromising quality and innovation. Purchasers of Sinn watches are truly people of conviction. They include those with a great affinity for technology and a fascination for how Sinn Spezialuhren has developed solutions in areas such as magnetic field protection and scratch resistance. Many of them also have to reply on their watches in their professions because their lives depend on it – such as divers, pilots and special unit GSG 9 of the German federal police. They all swear by the performance, resilience and durability of the watches, as well as their quality and precision.

Functionality is the top priority and ultimately determines the design. The watches only boast the technological features that are truly needed. As owner Lothar Schmidt, an engineer, puts it: “Our products have to speak for themselves.”

About The Hour Glass

Established in 1979, The Hour Glass is one of Asia’s premier luxury retail groups with 37 boutiques in nine key cities throughout the Asia Pacific region. The Hour Glass prides itself as the world’s leading cultural retail enterprise; pioneering the promotion and appreciation of contemporary luxury and horological culture. Having been recognised by international publications such as Monocle, Wallpaper and Vanity Fair as one of the most influential specialty retailers in the world, The Hour Glass has been accorded the ‘Best Watch Retail’ honours by Singapore Tatler in 2014.

The Hour Glass has achieved international acclaim in the industry for its approach towards redefining specialty watch retail which includes the creation of thematic salons and placing an emphasis on developing consumer oriented cultural engagement platforms to promote the values of authentic luxury. L’Atelier, a boutique dedicated to expressing the patrimony of traditional watchmaking; and Malmaison, a first multi-category luxury emporium in its stable to retail the finest and carefully curated collections in horology, sartorial tailoring, fragrances and leather goods – were bestowed the ‘Best Retail Concept of the Year’ award by Singapore Retailers Association in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Malmaison lauded for its unique and differentiated shopping experience, bagged the highly coveted ‘Best Shopping Experience’ award by Singapore Tourism Board in 2012. L’Atelier and Malmaison were also awarded ‘Most Innovative Retail Concept of the Year’ by the Federation of Asia-Pacific Retail Associations (FAPRA) in 2010 and 2013 respectively. 

** Launch Party pics here Sinn U1-D launch party!