The Unofficial Sinn U series ownership experience thread

[tonupbklyn]

thanks, Tim.
i've been viewing all your great pics of the watch.
hoping to land one soon!
- M

[dirkpitt73]

Hi Guys,

First off, Tim - after reading this entire thread in one sitting, I almost feel like you're an old buddy and would welcome the chance to join you and you're U's for a beer if I'm even in the great white north of Timmons, Ontario!

That out of the way, let me also say that I pulled the trigger on a U1 today from Watchbuys. It feels like a long journey to this decision but I think that's mostly because I tend to obsess over stuff like this - been looking for about a month. I get the urge for a new watch every year around this time and started off thinking I was going to get a UX. I've been reading the High End Quartz forum for awhile and have always admired Sinns. I figured a HEQ movement in a Sinn - perfect combo, right?

Well, after reading a number of user experiences here and elsewhere, I began to wonder if the UX was my best choice. The Breitling Colt II Quartz uses the same movement, albeit in a much more mundane (but easily serviceable, non oil-filled) case. One of these two seemed to be the direction I was going.

I'd read the positive Watchtime review of the U1 and U2 earlier this year. I like the U2 but my budget is low $1kish, so I decided to seriously check out the U1. Not quartz as I'd originally set out, but for ultimate accuracy I have my radio controlled G-Shock. When I first saw the U1 dial I too was a little put off. Too blocky I thought. Over time though, its grown on me. I can see how it's extremely legible and the whole notion if the indices and hands looking like an actual sub profile are interesting.

So, back to deciding on the U1, I was on the fence re: U1, UX and Colt II. My wife is technically giving this to me for Christmas (she's given up actually buying me a watch without my input), so I decided to show her the highest res pics of all three I could find. Her comments - Colt: too busy; UX: don't like the hands; U1: unique, likes "blockiness" of dial which fits with robust style of the case.

So, the three-way tie was broken and the U1 it is - I'm really psyched about getting it. Thanks to everyone for all the great info in this thread, it's definitely further validated my choice. I'll definitely post my ownership thoughts and pics after the holidays.

All the best,
John

[Crusader]

U1: unique, likes "blockiness" of dial which fits with robust style of the case.

Well said (by your wife), John ... the appeal of the squarish indices and hands of the U1 is their consistency with the "tool watch character" of the watch. Like the 656, it is an extremely "coherent" (for lack of a better word) design.

[tonupbklyn]

can anyone definitively confirm the weight of the U2 - case only.
Tim, you've indicated 170g for case only, but an earlier entry in this thread (by U2inSpe) indicated 114g with the rubber strap as 60g.

Perhaps you meant 170g for the case AND the rubber strap??

Just bought a used U2, and ordered a new SS bracelet from watchbuys.
should be getting both on Wednesday, so i'll feel the weight myself.
but wanted to the info prior to, so that i know what to expect.

thanks, all!
- M

[Tim got his boots back]

Hi M. I have some mail to get out, possibly tomorrow and I will make a point of wearing my U2 with the ss bracelet and will ask the friendly girls at the post office to weigh it for me. That should be a very accurate weighing but until then, I would go with U2inSpe's weight recordings as he definitely has made a specific effort to weigh them. I would judge his efforts at being accurate. U2inSpe is a valuable contributor to this forum and I, like all of you guys, really appreciate his efforts here.

If anybody out there besides M. and I gets a chance to weigh in their U2, we would appreciate it if you could report it here.

cheers,
Tim

[tonupbklyn]

a previous post by oyster had his UX w/rubber steel bracelet at 210 grams.
i'd imagine the U2 to be heavier than the UX, given the mechanical movement and the thicker crystal.

i'm guessing it's going to hit somewhere around 230-250 grams.

the Sinn site has the 142 ST at 109 grams without the bracelet.
you figure the bracelet weighs, what, 70-90 grams?

in any case, i'm hoping the U2 is going to be significantly heavier than my 142. my panerai (albeit in Ti) and SMP GMT almost feel like swatches after i wear my 142 for awhile.
funny enough, i also have a swatch automatic :)

[tonupbklyn]

i found this page that has a link to an article from a german magazine that tested a slew of diver watches.
pretty heavy competition...and the U2 comes out on top!

it shows specs, and indicates that the U2 comes in at 188 grams. this must be with the rubber strap because a few of its competitors that come with standard steel bracelet are coming in far over 200 grams (a whopping 248 grams for a UTS Professional Diver 1000!!).

the U2 is by far the heaviest amongst those with standard rubber straps.
with the steel bracelet, the U2 is going to feel NIIIIICE!

you can click "UHREN Diver Test" to download the article.
it's in German.

- M

[tonupbklyn]

another cool link - this time an article comparing U1 vs. U2.
http://www.zegarkiclub.pl/forum/view...9e8e1fa21c5597

[Tim got his boots back]

Great articles for sure M. The Uhren Diver test was reported here and the findings were no surprise to those who own the U2.

This weekend past, I was at my friend's place and helped him take off and mig weld up a muffler for a Toyota Camry. I was under the car messing around with the U2 on. We banged with the hammer and pried and bumped around up there bringing a ton of rust and salt down from the underside of the muffler and car and mig welded with sparks and slag flying everywhere. I scraped the U2 up against the hangers and bumper and hitch a few times. With all of the above, the U2 came through with flying colors. No blemishes to report. The U2, except for that dent on the bezel due to the drop on the masonary block (read past reports in this thread), is pristine, as new as the day I received it, almost a year ago. After a rather rough day, it was running at 5 seconds fast. Not bad.

So, add rust, salt, sparks and slag to the -33 celsius to +38 celsius temperature range and the snow and ice of a few vicious winter storms and a couple really brutal bangs and a bezel denting drop and a ridiculously drastic -33 to +30 rapid temperature change test in a minute or two to the almost year of ownership and I would think that this is got to be one of the toughest watches I've heard of.

The funny thing here is that this happened on the weekend and I didn't even plan it or think much of it until tonight. It never occured to me to add this to the list here as it really wasn't front and center in my thoughts. That's what life is like with the U2 after 11 1/2 months of ownership and 3200 hours of wrist time. It's just there and isn't even thought of anymore. I can crawl under an old rusty, salt covered Toyota and bang around without even thinking of my watch. That's because this isn't a precious exquisite time piece to me but rather the opposite. It's like my old Seiko 6309 diver watch which took soooo much abuse for 13 years underground....it's just MY WATCH, my constant companion and goes with me everywhere. Just like my leatherman wave multitool and my old hunting cap. This is my new 6309. I'm hoping to grow old with this watch and be buried with it.

So, that's it for now. Happy Holidays everyone!!!

cheers,
Tim

[dirkpitt73]

My U1 arrives tomorrow, I can't wait! I'm really anxious to see it in person, from what I've read it's even more impressive in the flesh. I notice the U2 is sold out at WatchBuys, I bet those guys have sold a lot of U-series watches this season.

Cheers ...