Sinn’s Own Bundeswehr Gets Left on Red: The Sinn 158 Pilot Chronograph

In light of the success of Sinn’s “Dark Star” chronograph, Sinn decided to go all-in to the Bundeswehr chronograph style with the 158.

February 24, 2020
By: Logan Hannen

The Bundeswehr, a Pilot’s Flyback Chronograph, was commissioned by the West German Federal Defense Force and manufactured by Leonidas, and later Heuer in the 1960’s and 70’s. In the 80’s and 90’s, Helmut Sinn, passionate about these distinctive tool watches, created his own. This new release, the 158 Pilot Chronograph, is the brand’s newest release in that historic collection.

Sinn 158 Pilot Chronograph
Source: Sinn

Specs
Case Material: Bead-Blasted Stainless Steel
Case Diameter: 43mm
Crystal: Domed Acrylic
Strap/Bracelet: Black Calf Leather
Water Resistance: 100 Meters
Movement: Sellita SW510

In light of the success of Sinn’s “Dark Star” chronograph collaboration with Revolution Magazine, Sinn decided to go all-in to the Bundeswehr chronograph style with the 158. We see a 43mm bead-blasted steel case with a matte black bezel and bi-compax chronograph layout. The dial is highly legible, featuring bold Arabic numerals for all but the 9 and 3 o’clock positions, where the subdials for the chronograph live.

As you can see, the 158 is a thick watch. At 15.5mm in height, the watch might not be able to slide underneath a shirt cuff, but the cupped caseback shape helps it to nestle into the wrist and sit a bit more closely. This is all to allot for the movement, the Sellita SW510 (based on the legendary Valjoux 7750). While it’s not a Flyback like the original Bund, it is an automatic chronograph with a 48 hour power reserve and reputation for its toughness, perfect befitting of a tool watch like this.

It comes stock on a black calf strap with red stitching, to play with the red accents on the dial, and this is one of the major initial divergences from the Bundeswehr formula. Traditionally, the watches come stock on a “bund” strap, so called after the Bundeswehr name. It features a traditional strap, along with a pad that slides over the back end of the watch to keep it separated from the wrist.

The Damage

The Sinn 158 Pilot Chronograph will retail for €2590 (approximately $2800) and is limited to 500 pieces.

The Take

The ‘Bund’ is one of the most respected, yet somehow undervalued pieces on the vintage market. Sure, the Heuer and Leonidas examples get a lot of love from truly passionate collectors, but they have yet to grab the attention of the mass market. Which, on the bright side, has kept them affordable. Here’s a great example

.The same is true for many military watches; while they’re some of the market’s greatest gems, they haven’t had their ‘moment’ of incredible popularity. So what gives?

The start of the modern popularization of military pieces can be traced back to the Rolex Milsub, a watch worn by the British Navy that was specially designed and produced by Rolex to meet their specifications. While looked over for decades, in the last 20 years, these tough Submariners have exploded in popularity/price and increased the attention paid to other wartime watches.

With this Sinn, we see the market reflect this fascination. Is this release another important moment in the coming wave of appreciation for milspec wristwatches? Will the vintage Bund’s by Heuer and Leonidas start their rise? I think so, and I’m glad to see a brand as thoughtful as Sinn take the lead.