Sinn Meisterbund UWD 33.1 Gold BaselWorld 2016

DonCorson · 2016-03-26T13:33:42Z

DonCorson reviews Sinn's Meisterbund, a BaselWorld 2016 highlight with a UWD manufacture movement. Discover Sinn's move upmarket, German craftsmanship, and community insights on this limited edition gold watch.

DonCorson

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

30 replies8541 views20 photos

DonCorson's BaselWorld 2016 report shines a spotlight on Sinn's strategic move upmarket with the "Meisterbund" watch, featuring a manufacture movement from UWD. This article delves into the collaboration behind this limited edition piece, highlighting Sinn's commitment to quality and innovation beyond their traditional tool watch offerings.

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Sinn, watchmakers in Frankfurt am Main, are well known as makers of down to earth tool watches. A great relationship of quality to price and the use of advanced materials charactorise their models.

This year Sinn is showing a gold cased 3 hand watch with a manufacture movement from UWD in Dresden as a step toward moving a little up market. In my eyes the watch is a great success and at the price they are quoting the 55 pieces (one watch per year of Sinns existance) of the limited series will be sold out in no-time. The watch is named "Meisterbund" as an allusion that it is make by an alliance of 3 companies, masters of their domain. The first master is Sinn themselves, the second is UWD (Uhren-Werke-Dresden) who makes the movement and the third is SUG (Sächsischen Uhrentechnologie GmbH Glashütte) in Glasshütte who makes the gold case.

UWD in Dresden is the brainchild of Marco Lang of Lang & Heyne. The hand wound movement UWD 33.1 is made in german silver (maillchort), the metal not treated in any way. The decoration is very sober, but very well done giving the movement a glow that is unusual for watches in this price range. Sinn is taking the first batch of UWD movements for this model and I hope we will be seeing many more.

The watch as a whole is very convincing. Everything fits and has its place. The dial is very classical, but can't be mistaken for any other. There may be people who will not really like a detail like the font style or the consistant two digit numbering (my case). But the watch design is consistant and satisfying. Those tiny gripes do not stop me from declaring this to be the my "Best Watch of BaselWorld 2016".

Some more usual models from the Sinn line-up. First a chronograph with flyback second hand (Schleppzeiger in German). The movement is an ETA 7750 modified by SOPROD with a column wheel and some nice finishing. You would never believe that it is a 7750 by pressing the buttons which have that charactoristic silky feeling of a column wheel chrono.

This aviators "B-Watch" is in B-Watch style but of a size that can be worn normally in the wrist. The WW2 B-Watches were huge and made to be worn outside of warm clothing or even strapped on the leg.

The U212 is a divers watch made of a special steel developed by ThyssenKrupp for the outer skin of the German 212-Class Submarines. It is tested according to the European Diving Equipment norms. A copper sulfate capsule absorbs any moisture that should get in the case. As copper sulfate turns blue when it is moist the capsule which forms the dot at 6 hours is an indication that the watertightness is given as long as it remains white.

About the Horological Meandering Ref. U212

The Horological Meandering U212, known as the "Meisterbund," represents a notable collaboration for Sinn, marking a strategic move towards a more upscale market segment. This limited edition of 55 pieces, commemorating Sinn's years of existence, distinguishes itself through its alliance with UWD (Uhren-Werke-Dresden) for movement production and SUG (Sächsischen Uhrentechnologie GmbH Glashütte) for case manufacturing, highlighting a collective mastery in watchmaking. This model is positioned as a testament to German horological craftsmanship, offering a different proposition from Sinn's traditional tool watches.

The U212 features a gold case crafted by SUG in Glashütte, housing the hand-wound UWD 33.1 movement. This movement, developed by Marco Lang of Lang & Heyne fame, is constructed from untreated German silver, known as maillechort, and exhibits a sober yet meticulously executed decoration that imparts an unusual glow for its segment. The watch presents a classical dial design, maintaining a distinct identity while ensuring legibility.

This reference appeals to collectors seeking a unique blend of traditional German watchmaking and collaborative innovation. Its limited production run and the involvement of specialized German manufacturers like UWD and SUG make it a significant piece within Sinn's evolving catalog. The U212 offers a compelling option for those interested in the intersection of quality, material science, and horological partnerships.

Specifications

Caliber: UWD 33.1

Case: Gold

Key Points from the Discussion

Sinn's decision to use the UWD movement is seen as a long-term strategy to reduce dependency on ETA and align with a Germanic identity, allowing them to credibly move upmarket.
The UWD 33.1 movement's sober yet well-executed decoration in German silver offers an unusual glow for its price range, suggesting a high level of craftsmanship.
The "Meisterbund" watch is praised for its consistent design and overall convincing execution, despite minor aesthetic preferences like the font style or two-digit numbering.
The 55-piece limited series of the Meisterbund is expected to sell out quickly, particularly within Germany, due to national pride in local products and a strong market for well-heeled buyers seeking alternatives to more expensive brands like GO or ALS.
Sinn is recognized as a true watchmaker with a history of innovation in materials and processes, and their professional training programs contribute to their authenticity, rather than relying on superficial elements like blued screws.
The chronograph discussed, featuring a flyback second hand, is identified as likely using an ETA 7753 movement modified by La Joux-Perret, not Soprod, and is a rattrapante due to the third pusher at 8 o'clock.

The Discussion

KMII

Mar 26, 2016

Lots to like!

The UWD movement in the Meisterbund is truly nice - and I hope it will get placed into a steel / white gold case at some point. As for the Schleppzeiger chrono - flyback or rattrapante (or both)? Thought the latter due to the third pusher at 8 o\'clock but could be wrong... The B-Uhe looks fairly wearable and while I am not a massive fan of pre-aged looking lume generally, they managed to pull it off relatively well IMHO. Thanks for sharing!

skyeriding

Mar 27, 2016

It should be a non-flyback rattrapante as its a modified 7753

Or to be precise, I believe its an ETA 7753 (i.e. a 7750 with re-arranged subdials to 3/6/9) that has been modified by La Joux-Perret - quite sure its not Soprod. Such a rattrapante movement with dual column wheels has already been used before by Panerai as their calibre OP XVIII (they could be the exact same movement?). Flyback and rattrapante are independent terms - a flyback means the chronograph can be resetted even while running. Meanwhile, the pusher at 8 signifies its a rattrapante - you

KMII

Mar 27, 2016

Thought it was a rattrapante :)

Whether flyback or not was hard to judge for me from the dial side, without additional info Thanks for your explanation!

DonCorson

Mar 28, 2016

Thank you skye, I stand corrected [nt]

Clueless_Collector

Mar 26, 2016

The Meisterbund is very nice! I noticed the wear/tear on the leather strap already...

is the design of the lugs too short? It's showing on both sides, near the case. Otherwise, the movement looks really good. Rgds Raymond

KMII

Mar 26, 2016

Noticed that as well...

Was not sure what caused it, though.

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