The 857 UTC VFR by Sinn is a pilot’s watch, certified by the newly-instituted German standard DIN 8330, specially devised for watches used in aviation, where they may be subjected to magnetic fields, positive and negative variations in pressure and temperature, and G-forces. In addition to these qualities, this watch has a dial of superb clarity, with generous areas of SuperLuminova on the hands and dial markings. The solution adopted for the date window is neat and unobtrusive.

The watch, though simple, has a useful set of functions. The rotating bezel with one-minute ratcheting makes it possible to time events to the nearest minute. The short GMT hand reads off a 24-hour scale. In the version with leather strap, the orange stitching coordinates with the orange highlights on the dial.

The beadblasted steel case is fairly large at 43 mm diameter and 12 mm thickness, and it is finished with Sinn’s Tegiment process that improves the steel’s scratch resistance. The crown is screw-down, and the solid caseback is screw-in: these factors contribute to the watch’s water resistance rating of 20 bar, 200 metres. The brand’s Ar-Dehumidifying system, with a replaceable capsule of copper sulphate that absorbs any water vapour preent in the watch, is accompanied by special seals and a modified atmosphere inside the case. As a result, the watch functions without fogging through a temperature range from -45°C to 80°C.

The watch is powered by the self-winding ETA 2893-2, which runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hertz. Power reserve is about 42 hours. Settings are made from the crown, winding in the first position, date correction and 24-hour hand adjustment in second position, and time adjustment with stop second function in the third position.

Price

The Sinn 857 UTC VFR costs €1,990 with leather strap, €2,220 with steel bracelet, €2,210 with silione strap. It is available on line at the Sinn website.