Same pattern on the 144 GMT DIAPAL! I wonder if there's also been a price increase, switching from a modified 7750/SW500 to a column wheel chrono…

 

Watch Buys (www.watchbuys.com), the sole distributor of Sinn in the United States, warns of a price increase September 1. But they are taking "special orders" for watches not in stock at the current (lower) prices. Very tempting to get the 144 DIAPAL that you mentioned. Both my DIAPAL Sinns (EZM 10 and 757) are cam-lever Not that there's anything wrong with that. Heck, I think nearly 50 years of durability and reliability have shown us that! But yeah, pressing the pusher on a column wheel chronograph...ooooh....so crisp!

 

Nice catch pinch! I believe, the La Joux-Perret column wheel movement was first used by Sinn in the 910 Anniversary and 910 SRS going back to about 2018 or so. I was not aware of Sinn using it in the 103 until your fine post above. Thanks for that! The continual churn of movements in certain Sinn models is probably, over time, going to make the various watches more or less collectable or desirable in the future. I may do a time line graphic of the 103 and 104 to show how what's under the hood has evolved!

The La Joux-Perret website https://www.lajouxperret.com

 

Mmm the only thing that could make it better is if it came with pizza. Very tasty and titanium too.

 

Upping the game

 

This movement is not the LJP8252, IMO. This one is a reconfigured LJP8120 which has been used in many big brand chronographs. After the 910 anniversary and 910 SRS, Sinn started to use this movement in 903s.

Here is a bit of writing on the LJP8120 and previous usage in some unique chronographs.

My First Sinn is a 40th Birthday Present to myself: Sinn...

Last year, October was my 40th birthday, and I had decided to add a mechanical chronograph to my cheap as chips collection. Provided that this will be my first mechanical chronograph, I did a bit of research and settled on two choices. Hamilton Intra-Matic H38416541 (Blue) Sinn 903 ST BE I...

www.watchuseek.com

LJP Chronograph movements.

https://www.lajouxperret.com/nos-produits/chronographe-manufacture

 

Hubba hubba! Time to start saving again.

 

WatchBuys will accept special orders for most Sinn models at the old pricing into August - certain Sinn models have earlier cutoff dates at the old pricing depending upon Sinn’s availability.

You should contact WatchBuys about specific models and order deadlines.

 

In North America, you can see all Sinn watches that now use a column wheel construction (based on either La Joux-Perret 8252 or La Joux-Perret 8000) at this link:

Column Wheel Chronographs

www.watchbuys.com

 

Interesting that of the 13 Sinn watches with column wheel movements, only two are in stock.

 

Until the price increase goes into effect in September I think you're going to see most of Sinn stock "temporarily unavailable" because they're not ordering any new stock till the price increase I believe. You can order an individual watch but they're not going to stock it until September.

On another note I noticed that most of the column wheel chronographs are combined with the DIAPAL oil-free escapement making it harder to see what the cost increase would be for just a column wheel escapement alone since they're tossing in another technology as well. But it does seem like the cost with the two combined is about 50% more than your standard chronograph without either technology.

 

It's a nice upgrade which provides a bit of an extra on the movement side, not just the benefit for Sinn of moving away from having to rely on the Swatch group. I hope the price increase isn't that bad tho.

 

What is Sinn's deal with putting a GMT hand on a dial that doesn't have a GMT scale? The 904 [EDIT, I meant 903] is nice though.

 

What is Sinn's deal with putting a GMT hand on a dial that doesn't have a GMT scale? . . .

Which model are you referencing?

 

While a nice upgrade, I’ll be curious to see how big the price increase is. A significant price increase might put them in a new category competition wise.

 

While a nice upgrade, I'll be curious to see how big the price increase is. A significant price increase might put them in a new category competition wise.

The column wheel upgrade is a very nice upgrade indeed. My feeling (or opinion, since it is really worth nothing to anyone else) is that 1) with current design and production technology, the column wheel is probably not as difficult or expensive to produce as it was when Valjoux/Lemania/Martel were making theirs decades ago, and 2) Sinn's marketing department likely assumes that a major jump in price will drive potential customers to look elsewhere, so it's possible the price increase will be nominal to avoid alienating customers.
I may go-a-Googlin' and see if there is any discussion about manufacturing column wheel chronograph movements in this day and age. Might be an eye-opener! I can't cite the source (because I simply cannot remember), but I do remember reading that the cost to manufacture a column wheel versus a cam lever today is not much of a difference. I'll search the Internet if I get a chance (and remember).

 

Wow this is a VERY exciting development!!!

 

I noticed two days late myself, came here straight away to see who started a thread 😛

A surprise column wheel chrono upgrade most of their lineup is indeed a nice thing to have! I see no mentions of an upgraded power reserve in any of their documentation of the new movements, so I'm assuming Sinn will continue to occupy the 40-45 hour range for at least a while longer?

 

Any decrease in thickness to the watch with the new movement or still same thickness as before?

 

I'd like an answer to that question too. I love my 103 St Sa, but it's thickness is it's only drawback for me.

(Edit. According to WatchBuy's website it's still 17mm thick…bummer&#8230

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

From what I can tell on WatchBuys and the Sinn website, it looks like the column wheel movement is only going to be in the Diapal models and the 903/910 models. The non-diapal 103s and other Sinn chronos will still use the concepto or sellita movements.

 

Nice to see and nicer to use, and certainly not out of line given the price points. Longines has been shipping a column wheel adapted movement for a while on the BigEye and some other chronos, with an extended PR. Of course it’s a whole lot easier with insider access to ETA/ Swatch tech, but good to see Sinn looking further afield to add some value to its chrono lineup.

 

Nice to see and nicer to use, and certainly not out of line given the price points. Longines has been shipping a column wheel adapted movement for a while on the BigEye and some other chronos, with an extended PR. Of course it's a whole lot easier with insider access to ETA/ Swatch tech, but good to see Sinn looking further afield to add some value to its chrono lineup.

That Longines Avigator Big Eye is such a sweet looking watch. When I finally got to hold one, I discovered the minute counter was a dragging sweep like the old Lemania 5100. I'm so used to the Valjoux jumping minute counter that I prefer it.
I didn't get the Longines. So glad the LJP movements have jumping minute indicators. Currently trying very hard to justify getting a Sinn 144 DIAPAL when I have four other Sinns on the chopping block waiting for me to list. The problem for me is that sometimes when I order a watch, I lose interest in having it by the time it comes.
Are there such things as watch psychologists? I might benefit…

 

I've always wanted the Sinn 144. I love the white subdials of the Jubilaeum II (the tegimented case and bracelet is a nice upgrade too) and I like the column wheel DIAPAL movement of the 144 with the second time zone. Just still not sure if they justify the $980 to $1,350 extra over the base 144.

I love the tech and the DIAPAL column wheel movement in the Anthracite dial but prefer the dial and subdial color combination of the Jubilaeum II. Now if they could only drop in the DIAPAL column wheel movement into the Jubilaeum.

 

The Jubilaeum does have a great dial. I’m just “gun shy” about wearing a black watch. And yes, I know there have been significant improvements in the treatment of watch cases, especially with a Sinn tegimented case. I’m just not a fan, which is odd considering I’m such a fan of the watches Ferdinand Alexander Porsche designed with IWC. His design with Orfina in 1973 was the first all-black watch on the market, and it was a success.
I’m all over the 144 DIAPAL though. Still fighting the urge to splurge. Need space in the watch box first!

 

The Jubilaeum does have a great dial. I'm just "gun shy" about wearing a black watch. And yes, I know there have been significant improvements in the treatment of watch cases, especially with a Sinn tegimented case. I'm just not a fan, which is odd considering I'm such a fan of the watches Ferdinand Alexander Porsche designed with IWC. His design with Orfina in 1973 was the first all-black watch on the market, and it was a success.
I'm all over the 144 DIAPAL though. Still fighting the urge to splurge. Need space in the watch box first!

I feel the same gun shy about a black PVD watch. I'm not sure how well the finish will hold up. I've read that the case finish is very durable but the bracelet isn't as durable. I think I'd keep it on the rubber more often anyways. The DIAPAL 144 is nice too but it's not just the white subdials I prefer, but I also like the stick hour markers over the arabic numbers of the DIAPAL 144.

I think if I had to choose a DIAPAL column wheel chrono it would be the 103. The more I look at the pictures online of the DIAPAL 103 the more I'm falling in love with this one as well. I like how you can hide the 12 hour second time zone hand under the main hour hand. If I had to choose between the DIAPAL 103 and 144 I would go with the Titanium 103. 103 is 2.5mm thicker over the 144, but the Ti would make a make it more wearable.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but my searches haven't really turned up explanations as to why a column wheel movement is better. Can someone explain? Is it better or just different? All this talk of DIAPAL is making me want to head in THAT direction, however!

 

Pardon my ignorance, but my searches haven't really turned up explanations as to why a column wheel movement is better. Can someone explain? Is it better or just different? All this talk of DIAPAL is making me want to head in THAT direction, however!

See link in post #23.
From what I can gather, the cam lever was a budget alternative to the column wheel some 50 years ago. Modern manufacturing techniques now allow the column wheel to be made at about the same cost if not cheaper. Basically, yeah, they're just different.
Some swear the column wheel has a smoother start, whereas the cam lever can jump a bit depending on the how the gear teeth line up when they are engaged. Also, the feel of the column wheel is more positive than the cam lever (precise snap versus "mushy").

 

So I’m late to this discussion. Can anyone update what the price increase was on the 103 diapal line? Both titanium snd stainless? Just curious about how much more it’s going to cost me for sleeping on Sinn for so long.
Also, why are the pushers different on the st vs ti models? Is it just to differentiate the models or is there some performance aspect of note?
Also, im pretty ticked that I missed out on the ne Classic 12. Wonder why the didn’t use the column wheel in it.

 

So I'm late to this discussion. Can anyone update what the price increase was on the 103 diapal line? Both titanium snd stainless? Just curious about how much more it's going to cost me for sleeping on Sinn for so long.
Also, why are the pushers different on the st vs ti models? Is it just to differentiate the models or is there some performance aspect of note?
Also, im pretty ticked that I missed out on the ne Classic 12. Wonder why the didn't use the column wheel in it.

Does the sole U.S. distributor's website answer your questions?

Sinn 103 Watch Collection

www.watchbuys.com

Not sure about the pushers differences.

 

$100 on a $4000 watch isn’t too bad. Thanks.

 

I'd love the "base" 103 St plexy day-date equipped with the column-wheel LJP movement...

 

Does anyone know what the clutch mechanism is on this new movement? not sure if it’s horizontal like the 7750 it’s replacing, or vertical (fancy!)

 

I believe its a vertical clutch system