Sinn 556A

The 556A from the German brand Sinn is a great watch that can be considered as an affordable alternative to the Rolex Explorer. Its 316L steel case is 38.5mm wide and 11mm thick and it has a black dial.

The 556A has a 20mm lug width and comes with a high quality stainless steel bracelet. We love those dimensions, it is definitely designed with the same spirit as the Explorer, it is classic and will not go out of fashion. The Sinn 556A is marked "A" for Arabic numbers. There is also the Sinn 556i which has baton indices and a date window at 3 o'clock.

Sinn's inspiration for the design of this watch is the historic Sinn NaBo clocks long manufactured for use in cockpits as a navigational tool. Even today Sinn continues to produce these clocks which are used in both civilian and military aircraft, as well as specialty cars.

Ref: Sinn 556A
Diameter: 38.50 mm
Thickness: 11.00 mm
Lug width: 20.00 mm
Caliber: ETA 2824-2

The Sinn 556A is a great everyday automatic watch. It is often compared to the Rolex Explorer. Sold on eBay

The sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating protects the black matte dial which contrasts well with the indices. The indices are not applied but have a generous layer of SuperLuminova lume. The four anchor Arabic numerals on the quarter hours allow for a quick read of the time. The hands also play well against the matte black dial providing excellent contrast: it's one of the reasons this design has worked so well in cockpits around the world.

The Sinn 556A is powered by a reliable ETA 2624-2 equipped with a golden oscillating weight which you can admire through the transparent caseback that is also made of sapphire crystal and A-R coated. In terms of waterproofness this little beast it rated at 200m (20ATM).

The case is entirely brushed, meaning scratches will be less apparent: one more reason for which this is a great everyday watch!

The date window on the Sinn 556A is present at 4 o'clock. We find it remarkably well executed: unlike most 4 o'clock date windows, this one is horizontally displayed. It is very discrete, keeping the visual balance of the dial while still being there when needed. Sinn really did a great job here.

To conclude, the Sinn 556A offers a great mix of performance, durability and classic Sinn design. Although it's not cheap at a price in the range of $1150, this watch definitely has a great personality and can definitely follow you in your next adventure.