What We Know
Sinn just dropped a new take on their classic 103 St pilot chronograph to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Lufthansa, one of the world’s largest airlines. The new watch, which — fittingly — is limited to just 100 pieces, takes the model 103 and strips it down to the bare essentials. The result is the Sinn 103 St Sa Lufthansa, a watch that’s slightly outside the norm for Sinn and replete with details nodding to the German flag carrier.
The most obvious of these is the use of Lufthansa’s signature shade of yellow for the hands and subdials markings associated with the chronograph function. The only other “colors” used are several shades of grey, each of which is pulled directly from Lufthansa’s style guide (Lufthansa’s iconic dark blue didn’t make the cut for this one). Other Lufthansa-inspired details include a special engraving on the watch’s rotor, visible through a sapphire display caseback, and an opening in the chronograph seconds hand meant to evoke the shape of an airliner window.
Notably, this is not the first collaboration between Sinn and Lufthansa (though it is the most limited I’m aware of). The first of these (again, that I’m aware of), was the 747-piece limited edition Sinn 144-747.CARGO. Released 25 years ago, this was a very cool take on the Sinn 144 that included a scale around the rehaut that indicates target flight altitude for a Boeing 747 loaded to a given gross weight under normal atmospheric conditions. This was followed up by the 777-piece limited edition Sinn 857 UTS TESTAF LH Cargo in 2013. That watch was a more brutish, utilitarian offering and featured several representations of the Boeing 777.
Now we have a watch meant to celebrate the commercial aviation side of things, built around one of Sinn’s most popular models. Like the standard production Sinn 103 St Sa, the new watch measures 41mm across and is 17mm thick (yes, you read that right). The lug width is 20mm, and the watch comes with two straps: an olive grey textile option and a black cowhide leather strap. Here, the rotating bezel is laid out simply, with a 12-hour scale and no extraneous detail, and the slightly ghosted grey captive bezel is laid out similarly simply.
Inside the 103 ST SA, you’ll find a Sellita SW500 movement, and the new watch is limited to 100 pieces and priced at €2,890 (about $3,250 as of the time of writing) — although through Lufthansa’s website, the watch is also available for 781,000 miles.
What We Think
Is it weird if I say this might be my favorite version of the Sinn 103? Even ignoring the airline connection — which would be cool, even if only because of the previous LEs that set the stage for this watch — I love seeing this watch so stripped down, and the punchiness of the slightly orange-y Lufthansa yellow against the various greys adds just enough visual interest that I don’t mind losing any of the dense detail that is so often the hallmark of Sinn’s professional offerings.
I’d love to see Sinn take some of the lessons learned with this watch and apply them to some of their other more technical watches, especially considering the likelihood that I’ll ever even see one of these hundred watches is exceedingly slim. One thing that’s not slim, though, is this watch. 17mm is really very thick, and there’s not much getting around that. Now, I’ve worn enough Sinns over the years to know they often wear better than their stated thickness would suggest, but still… ooph. It’s a hefty number.
Still, I am very into this watch, and I think the connection to Lufthansa was implemented tastefully enough that it shouldn’t push away interested buyers who don’t feel a strong connection to the airline itself, but it’s tactile enough that it feels deliberate and not like an afterthought. Also, it’s kind of amazing that you can actually buy one of these with airline miles, assuming you’re ready to part with the better part of a million miles.
The Basics
Brand: Sinn
Model: Sinn 103 St Sa Lufthansa
Reference Number: 103.231
Diameter: 41mm
Thickness: 17mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Dial Color: Grey
Indexes: Painted block markers.
Lume: Yes, on hands and indexes.
Water Resistance: 20 bar
Strap/Bracelet: Comes with two included straps, one in black calf, the other in olive grey textile.
The Movement
Caliber: Sellita SW500
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, and date.
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewels: 25
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Anti-magnetic, as per DIN ISO 764
Pricing & Availability
Price: €2,890 (~$3,250) or 781,000 Lufthansa Miles (through Lufthansa Worldshop)
Availability: Available to purchase directly through Lufthansa, with estimated availability coming at the end of Week 44 (~Nov. 1)
Limited Edition: Yes, 100 pieces.
