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Posted: 4/22/2018 9:15:46 AM EDT
I'm shopping/comparing various watches for an everyday wear hard use watch. I love the SINN U1 and it seems to be more reasonably priced than the Rolex Submariner or the Omega Seamaster. Is one of these watches more rugged than the others. I know that many wear the Rolex Submariner in very rough environments and they keep on working. I'm not climbing Everest with this watch but would like to shoot, hunt, camp with it. Is the SINN proven to be a reliable watch? Do one of these have a more accurate and durable movement and crystal than the others? I realize the SINN's aesthetics aren't for everyone but I keep going back to it. Overall opinions?
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I have a Sinn U2 that I like a lot. I wear it at my desk job, but also when tinkering in the garage.I've had it for a few years and it shows absolutely zero signs of wear.
I've worn it shooting a number of times, but it always seems to run fast after I go shooting, so I usually take it off before shooting. Sinn makes robust and accurate watches. |
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Sinn, Omega, and Rolex all make top notch watches.
I've owned / own all but the Sinn, but want one of the old EZM divers, only draw is that its a monster at 18mm thick - made from German submarine steel though. |
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A buddy of mine has a Sinn and a Rolex Sub-C. I drove him to Dallas to get the Rolex on his 40th birthday. Having said that 99.9% of the people who know what a Rolex is will have no clue what a Sinn is.
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Omega is not a very hard use watch, I've killed a Seamaster (automatic) and a 8500 Planet Ocean (shooting a 50 cal and it died). I will not buy another Omega. I've only worn a Sinn for a few months, just never fell in love with it. Rolex has been the only "higher end" watches in my collection for several years now. I wear a Rangeman for a work/beater watch and try to keep my Rolex's looking nice.
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Ive been researching the same thing minus the omega instead add a breitling Superocean 2. Just preference but to me the omega does nothing for me. They look too flashy/pretty boy etc lol. No offense to those that love them.
Anyway one thing I came across was that the sinn doesn’t have an in house movement some care some don’t. I figure if talking Rolex money then it should have an in house movement. But for 2k I still think the u1 is awesome. Only other concern I have is that an hour away is a Rolex service center so that’s nice. I’ve heard guys say the super hard u1 case might be too hard. Meaning it would cause more shock to the internals during a fall or hit than a steel cased watch? Not sure about that though. I don’t care about resale. I want a badass tool watch That’s not madenof plastic. Probably can’t afford the submariner I love. So I’ll probably end up with the breitling or u1. Or maybe even a Resco watch! Around 2k. Company is in California where they are assembled. ETA movement and seamvery nice. |
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I know several people who own Sinn watches (a few are U1's). I love the watch and will have one sooner or later. None have ever complained about them. One guy I recently met had a Sinn watch on that he bought in 1989. He let me look at it. It looked almost new... I have seen several used like new U1's sell in the $1300 to $1500 range.
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I have a seamaster and a datejust. Having owned both and worn other watches, I would choose Omega. Get a planet ocean and never look back.
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Excellent photo.
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@jimmybcool I had to. Sinn makes some real nice timepieces. I was just looking at some in Frankfurt. I'm partial to GMT models and a Rolex Batman bezel GMT is on my list. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/18568/3D8A0C52-250E-4EEC-B921-BA628627F023-528680.jpg View Quote |
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@jimmybcool I had to. Sinn makes some real nice timepieces. I was just looking at some in Frankfurt. I'm partial to GMT models and a Rolex Batman bezel GMT is on my list. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/18568/3D8A0C52-250E-4EEC-B921-BA628627F023-528680.jpg View Quote SINN's are supposed to be pretty tough but i'd still recommend taking it off for any sort of impact activity (shooting, etc). mechanical watches are all relatively delicate. i wear my marathon navigator quartz beater for shooting, wrenching, gym activities and highly recommend everyone getting some sort of beater |
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Quoted: beautiful GMT - i daily a SMP300 and don't consider it a tough watch, i'm pretty gentle on it. SINN's are supposed to be pretty tough but i'd still recommend taking it off for any sort of impact activity (shooting, etc). mechanical watches are all relatively delicate. i wear my marathon navigator quartz beater for shooting, wrenching, gym activities and highly recommend everyone getting some sort of beater View Quote |
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I’ve worn a GMT II for 25 years while doing everything. It’s been in deer guts, everything. Still looks new.
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I wear mine daily and it shows. I've got a beater Tag Heuer F1 and a Chase Durer, but haven't worn either in a long time. I need to pick up a Marathon GSAR. I'm surprised my Omega has survived the abuse it's been through. It's going in for service soon and then I may retire it except for nicer occasions. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: beautiful GMT - i daily a SMP300 and don't consider it a tough watch, i'm pretty gentle on it. SINN's are supposed to be pretty tough but i'd still recommend taking it off for any sort of impact activity (shooting, etc). mechanical watches are all relatively delicate. i wear my marathon navigator quartz beater for shooting, wrenching, gym activities and highly recommend everyone getting some sort of beater Bought a second one and the bezel was misaligned and kept +5/day. And somehow the street price is bumped above 1k now, smh... I can't win with marathon lol |
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Quoted: I had two gsars and sold them. I wish I had kept my first gsar - the bezel was aligned perfectly and it kept +1/day. Sold it to my dumb ass mongloid friend who knocked the bezel loose and somehow enabled it to turn in reverse. It also started losing minutes per day. Bought a second one and the bezel was misaligned and kept +5/day. And somehow the street price is bumped above 1k now, smh... I can't win with marathon lol View Quote |
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I can't decide between the jumbo day date or the black case and bezel GSAR. Leaning towards the black case because I like the tritium setup better. First world problems. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: I had two gsars and sold them. I wish I had kept my first gsar - the bezel was aligned perfectly and it kept +1/day. Sold it to my dumb ass mongloid friend who knocked the bezel loose and somehow enabled it to turn in reverse. It also started losing minutes per day. Bought a second one and the bezel was misaligned and kept +5/day. And somehow the street price is bumped above 1k now, smh... I can't win with marathon lol What size is your wrist? The jsar/jdd is bigly yuge and wears pretty large. Even though it's about the same size as a 47mm Panerai, it makes the pam feel small |
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I have a couple of Seamasters and a Submariner, but no Sinns and its on my radar screen. Seamster is more of a regular use watch and is prices more reasonably but they are not hard use watch in my opinion. Submariner seems to be a bit more hard use but is ridiculously priced and has its buyers. I don't have any experience with Sinn but for everyday hard use (Hard use is relative), I would recommend the Sinn but I would not buy U1 unless you need it and can wear it!. U1 is built like a tank but its heavy and thick. Also Sinn line is priced more reasonably. Make sure you look at the reviews online and find stores that carry the watches and try them on before you buy. Unfortunately there is only one Sinn distributer in the US but they have shows all over the US.
As for movements, they all mostly use modified high end ETA movements, but Sinn takes it up one notch by their oil filled or Argon Filled or other advancement. As far as I know, no one else is as advanced! You get a hell-of-a watch for their price, but not everyone recognizes them but everyone knows/recognizes Seamster and Submariners. For outdoor/range/camping etc I use a tough solar Seiko or my Protrex watch, and I would recommend the same. My intention is to buy a EZM 3 for everyday office/informal/hard use(relative), use my Seamasters for casual/dressy events and the Submariner for uppety events. Hope that helps. |
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The Most Extreme Dive Watches on the Market | Armand The Watch Guy |
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Wrist size shouldn't be a problem. I have links added to everything. http://hillierr.com/arfcom/omega.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: Lol totally. I recommend everyone having a tritium watch. Lume is cool and all but if I'm doing a night shoot or out late in the woods I prefer having the markers constantly lit. Maybe one day I'll get back into a tsar as a beater once I'm done slowly destroying my navigator lol. What size is your wrist? The jsar/jdd is bigly yuge and wears pretty large. Even though it's about the same size as a 47mm Panerai, it makes the pam feel small http://hillierr.com/arfcom/omega.jpg |
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Ive had a seamaster pro on my wrist damn near every day for going on a decade. I take it off shooting sometimes when I’m going to be moving steel targets, but that’s because I’ve been smashed by them enough times to know it will probably happen again.
I shoot 45s, rifles, camp, hike, swim with it. All that stuff. I like it. I wanted a Rolex but they shot up in price recently to the point where other options look better. One thing I like is that it’s less known than Rolex. You have to be at least a bit into watches to know its expensive. I’m fine with having a couple grand on my wrist but I don’t want to have a big “rob me” indicator if I can help it. |
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Is the green the anniversary model? Nice Pepsi bezel too. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
I also have a Coke bezel for the GMT II. |
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thanks for all the replies gentlemen. I love the Sub but seems like prices are astronomical now. I'd feel real retarded sir if I smacked the bezel off my 6K Sub.
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Do you want everyone to know you have an expensive watch or just people into watches?
Top end watches are very much a status thing (obviously, a stupid casio can keep time just as well), so understand who your audience is. Maybe 1% of the population knows what a Patek Philippe is. But that 1% consists of I-bankers and expensive women. |
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thanks for all the replies gentlemen. I love the Sub but seems like prices are astronomical now. I'd feel real retarded sir if I smacked the bezel off my 6K Sub. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
thanks for all the replies gentlemen. I love the Sub but seems like prices are astronomical now. I'd feel real retarded sir if I smacked the bezel off my 6K Sub. $80 a year and wear it like a Gshock, but yes the market is nuts. Rolex is limiting sports models while pumping up Tudor offerings. Tudor is now the new Rolex when it comes to sports models for the “masses” and the Rolex stainless models are going up in “exclusivity”. Quoted:
Do you want everyone to know you have an expensive watch or just people into watches? Top end watches are very much a status thing (obviously, a stupid casio can keep time just as well), so understand who your audience is. Maybe 1% of the population knows what a Patek Philippe is. But that 1% consists of I-bankers and expensive women. No one cares what you wear, if they do chances are they are a watch fan or the mentioned 1% Get what you want and wear it. The most expensive way to go is to buy something other than what you want. You will buy many “me too’s” before finally getting it. |
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OP. Have you considered a Ball watch? If you are receptive to he brand they are selling direct to the consumer and are attractively priced.
In my opinion, no real automatic is going to survive with true hard use (as compared to a quartz or completely digital watch). True, some better than others but difference is not that great. I’ve been wearing a Ball for 10 years and it’s been abused and I had to get it rebuilt. With the direct purchase, I bought another and use my first watch when I know I’ll be rough. Or I take it off. |
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I have a couple of Seamasters and a Submariner, but no Sinns and its on my radar screen. Seamster is more of a regular use watch and is prices more reasonably but they are not hard use watch in my opinion. Submariner seems to be a bit more hard use but is ridiculously priced and has its buyers. I don't have any experience with Sinn but for everyday hard use (Hard use is relative), I would recommend the Sinn but I would not buy U1 unless you need it and can wear it!. U1 is built like a tank but its heavy and thick. Also Sinn line is priced more reasonably. Make sure you look at the reviews online and find stores that carry the watches and try them on before you buy. Unfortunately there is only one Sinn distributer in the US but they have shows all over the US. As for movements, they all mostly use modified high end ETA movements, but Sinn takes it up one notch by their oil filled or Argon Filled or other advancement. As far as I know, no one else is as advanced! You get a hell-of-a watch for their price, but not everyone recognizes them but everyone knows/recognizes Seamster and Submariners. For outdoor/range/camping etc I use a tough solar Seiko or my Protrex watch, and I would recommend the same. My intention is to buy a EZM 3 for everyday office/informal/hard use(relative), use my Seamasters for casual/dressy events and the Submariner for uppety events. Hope that helps. View Quote |
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Quoted: Meh that’s what insurance is for. $80 a year and wear it like a Gshock, but yes the market is nuts. Rolex is limiting sports models while pumping up Tudor offerings. Tudor is now the new Rolex when it comes to sports models for the “masses” and the Rolex stainless models are going up in “exclusivity”. View Quote |
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Ive had a seamaster pro on my wrist damn near every day for going on a decade. I take it off shooting sometimes when I’m going to be moving steel targets, but that’s because I’ve been smashed by them enough times to know it will probably happen again. I shoot 45s, rifles, camp, hike, swim with it. All that stuff. I like it. I wanted a Rolex but they shot up in price recently to the point where other options look better. One thing I like is that it’s less known than Rolex. You have to be at least a bit into watches to know its expensive. I’m fine with having a couple grand on my wrist but I don’t want to have a big “rob me” indicator if I can help it. View Quote With the titanium bracelet, I'd still get the occasional, "Nice watch" and look, from certain types, even though they didn't know what it was. With the rubber strap, not even a second glance, except for folks who recognized it. |
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The Tudor Black Bay 58 in 39mm looks a lot better than the Rolex Sub too. A great offering and very reasonably priced...comparatively. I definitely want one now that it is smaller. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: Meh that’s what insurance is for. $80 a year and wear it like a Gshock, but yes the market is nuts. Rolex is limiting sports models while pumping up Tudor offerings. Tudor is now the new Rolex when it comes to sports models for the “masses” and the Rolex stainless models are going up in “exclusivity”. |
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You want tough???
The Sinn with their tegimented steel, shock resistance, anti-magnetism, etc... is one of the toughest watches you can find. They are excellent and will be just as tough as a Rolex. A Damasko will be stupid tough as well. Probably the toughest mechanical watches out there. Through hardened and silly strong. You won't get any "street cred" with either of those, though. No normal person knows what they are. If you run into a fellow watch geek, they'll be all about it. Personally, I think fit/finish on Sinn and Damasko is on par (if not slightly above) Omega. Not quite up to Rolex levels, though. Sinns and Damaskos are tougher than almost anything else out there though. Other thing to think about.....Upkeep. Seriously do your research. For example, some Sinns are filled with odd gasses, etc... and must go back to Sinn for maintenance (and it's expensive). Make sure you know what model you're buying. Rolex and Omega (most models) are going to be in house proprietary movements that are more expensive to upkeep and/or fix. |
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Some pretty decent deals out there on pre-owned SeaMasters. Check that out, it may be a way to go. I would certainly consider it.
I have a Seamaster on my wrist and I like it a lot. I have owned various Subs over the years as well......they are solid as hell. |
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I’ll say this - the glidelock on the SubC (and other SS divers) + new bracelet blows the comfort levels out of the park compared to other watches.
The Pelagos system is good but not quite there, however; the SMP “speedy” bracelet with the PO clasp conversion is a very very close second. The 2254 I sold here on the EE has it and made the watch / bracelet so much more comfortable. |
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Since you mentioned hunting Sinn now makes a dedicated hunting watch called the 30-06
https://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/HUNTING_WATCH_3006.htm Sinn Hunting Watch 3006 Hands On Munichtime 2017 |
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One time I was waiting to give AIM my money and an elderly man made a comment. Other nurses would ask to borrow for vital signs and the answer was no.
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I think I like the Sinn just a little more than the others. I have had a (PVD) U-1 for a few years that I picked up in Frankfurt. I also have a Rolex Sub and a GMT and an older Omega Sea Master. They are all nice watches. I think the movement on the Sinn seems to be more smooth. I like the fact that no gives me a second glance with the Sinn unless they know their watches.
Regards |
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You want tough??? The Sinn with their tegimented steel, shock resistance, anti-magnetism, etc... is one of the toughest watches you can find. They are excellent and will be just as tough as a Rolex. A Damasko will be stupid tough as well. Probably the toughest mechanical watches out there. Through hardened and silly strong. You won't get any "street cred" with either of those, though. No normal person knows what they are. If you run into a fellow watch geek, they'll be all about it. Personally, I think fit/finish on Sinn and Damasko is on par (if not slightly above) Omega. Not quite up to Rolex levels, though. Sinns and Damaskos are tougher than almost anything else out there though. Other thing to think about.....Upkeep. Seriously do your research. For example, some Sinns are filled with odd gasses, etc... and must go back to Sinn for maintenance (and it's expensive). Make sure you know what model you're buying. Rolex and Omega (most models) are going to be in house proprietary movements that are more expensive to upkeep and/or fix. View Quote |
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Yeah.....they're tough as fuck. Extremely nice watches. They're very well regarded by any serious watch person. Technically, there is nothing to complain about unless you just don't like the style.
Sinn and Damasko are what Rolex and Omega were years ago. They are cutting edge and the most robust watches you can buy. Extremely high quality and you get a hell of a lot for your money. Omega and Rolex are overpriced at this point. 10 years ago, they were ok. You won't get "street cred" wearing a Sinn or Damasko unless another watch geek notices. Personally, I'd rather not be tagged as someone who wears really expensive watches though. Quoted: Any personal experience with Damasko? I’m interested. View Quote |
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I have two Sinns.
A 104A and a UX. The UX is the most badass dive watch made, IMHO. 5,000 meter water resistance. The oil-filled case is made from U-boat steel, which is antimagnetic and highly salt water resistant. The high accuracy quartz movement is accurate within 15-20 seconds per year. Nothing comes close to that performance even for 10X the cost. |
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Sorry for the necropost, but I felt compelled to weigh in as a fellow horophile. Lots of great input in this thread already.
I own 2 Sinn 104-series pilots, a Rolex Sub and Omega SM, among others. All of your choices and recs are solid for a hard use watch. Sinn is a high quality, watch aficionado's brand with a proud history. Some consider them underpriced. Omega has come a long way aesthetically IMO and still has a halfway decent price point, but their prices are rapidly approaching Rolex's in the race to capture more of the luxury market. If wrist cred is a priority, Rolex wins every time. My first Sub purchase 17 years ago was inspired by a chef buddy who wore his every day in the kitchen. I was impressed how beat to shit it was while still doing its job. As has already been mentioned, resale value and maintenance costs might be a consideration. Lots, if not all, of Sinn divers are oil-filled. Then there's quartz vs. mechanical. Both require periodic maintenance, with quartz relying on a battery but keeping the most accurate time. At the end of the day, get the one that turns you on the most. Otherwise you're just gonna spend more money in the long run trading up to what you really had your eye on to begin with. |
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I've since dumped the 114060 (Submariner ceramic) posted in this thread back in the spring and I'm firmly in the drilled lug 5 digit camp.
Like the maxi hands on the SubC so had my CW21 swap a set onto this... Attached File worked on a chiller system with it on, the tech's thought I was nuts |
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Love the strapped Sub look, Slayer. Badass. I don’t have the stones to throw mine on nylon, so I live vicariously through guys like yourself.
I’m not a huge fan of the Rolex redesigns, so I feel lucky to have picked up one of the last iterations of the 5 digits shortly before the change. |
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Love the strapped Sub look, Slayer. Badass. I don’t have the stones to throw mine on nylon, so I live vicariously through guys like yourself. I’m not a huge fan of the Rolex redesigns, so I feel lucky to have picked up one of the last iterations of the 5 digits shortly before the change. View Quote Attached File |
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