Sinn

Following its foundation in 1961, the company focused on the manufacture of navigation cockpit clocks and pilot chronographs and sold these through direct selling, bypassing retailers. The clocks and watches were produced according to pilot Helmut Sinn's specifications in the private label sector in Switzerland.

In the 1960’ and 1970s Sinn manufactured cases for military and consumer purposes, most notably the Heuer/Sinn Bundeswehr, of which there were two general configurations of Sinn-branded dials that included the Heuer logo: the "3H-only" - a red 3H-symbol appears just below the center, and the "clean" - no markings beyond the "Heuer" logo, and two with only the Sinn logo.

In 1985, the Sinn 140 S chronograph was among the first automatic chronographs to be used in space.

In 1994, Helmut Sinn sold the company to Lothar Schmidt. Following the sale, he acquired Swiss watchmaker Guinand in 1996. In 1998, he set up a new company in Frankfurt am Main. With this company, he offered brand watches from Jubilar, Chronosport and the newly acquired Guinand. In 2006, he retired from business activity. After handing over the management of the business to his long-standing employee Horst Hassler, he acted as an advisor to the company. On 3 September 2016 Helmut Sinn celebrated his 100th birthday. His death at age 102 was announced in February 2018.

Mission timers (in German: "Einsatzzeitmesser") for professional users also play an important role. These include special forces such as the marine unit of the German federal police GSG 9, the fire service, divers and pilots. German physicist and astronaut Reinhard Furrer wore the 140 S on his wrist during the Spacelab D1 mission in 1985, thus proving that a mechanical SINN watch with automatic movement also works with zero gravity. During the Mir ’92 mission in 1992, astronaut Klaus-Dietrich Flade flew into space with a 142 S from Sinn Spezialuhren on his wrist. In 1993, it was the 142 from Sinn Spezialuhren that was on board the Columbia on Mission D2.