Sinn 103 C – A Rare Connection to Mathey-Tissot
The Sinn 103 C was produced in the 1970s for “Helmut Sinn Spezialuhren” in very limited numbers. Its design is based on a chronograph by Mathey-Tissot, a name that is considerably less well known today than many of the major Swiss watch houses of its era.
Mathey-Tissot was regarded within the Swiss watch industry as something of a behind-the-scenes authority in watchmaking. The company had extensive experience in the production of high-quality chronographs and repeating watches, and also manufactured watches for other renowned names in the Swiss watch industry.
These connections between brands, specialist manufacturers and suppliers were a characteristic feature of the watch industry at the time. Such collaborations played an important role in the development of early Sinn chronographs and also explain why some models exhibit such close technical and stylistic parallels with other historical chronographs.
The Sinn 103 C is a particularly interesting example: a rare Sinn version whose design has its roots in a Mathey-Tissot chronograph.
SINN 103 C
The case features a screw-down case back. The black dial is fitted with three large sub-dials finished in white.
The chronograph features a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock with red and black markings, as well as a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. The running seconds are displayed at 9 o’clock.
The black bidirectional rotating bezel is marked in minutes and features a triangle with a luminous pearl at 12 o’clock.
The exterior of the case back is marked “STAINLESS STEEL SWISS MADE” and bears the six-digit serial number.
Inside, the watch is powered by the hand-wound Valjoux 726 chronograph movement, with the movement signature located beneath the balance wheel.
The serial number is six digits long and begins with “333 XXX”.
CASE BACK
The exterior of the case back is engraved with “STAINLESS STEEL”, “SWISS MADE”, and the six-digit serial number.
The serial number begins with “333 XXX”.
The case has a diameter of 40.8 mm and a height of 14.3 mm. The lug width is 20 mm.
MOVEMENT
Inside, the watch is powered by the hand-wound Valjoux 726, a classic column-wheel chronograph movement featuring 60-second, 30-minute and 12-hour counters.
The running seconds complement the chronograph displays.
The movement has 17 jewels and operates at a frequency of 21,600 A/h.
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