Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Shifting gears (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/)

-   -   Which watch do you own? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/5927-watch-do-you-own-238.html)

The black encased Jan and Feb are for the leap years.

You will see in the upper action that the month is June 18 and in the lower section, the corresponding calendar for the month.

Does anyone have experience with Sinn watches. Super impressed with the Sinn 556 and look forward to picking it up when i go to the US next in a few months. Can anyone recommend alternatives to it (in its style/appeal) in the same price range (1k dollars) that are available in India (and the benefit of warranty etc)

Sinns are super high quality, super touch watches built to exacting standards and high levels of German precision. Cant go wrong with any of their models. The 556 is their entry level piece at around 1100 USD and one of my personal favourites. Love the clean legible no -nonsense design of the 556. Plan to pick it up someday myself. Both the 556I and 556A are killer looking, superbly sized at 38.5 mm thereby suiting smaller wrists like mine to a T.

To my knowledge there are no immediate alternatives available in India, at least none that I can think of offhand. The closest alternative to the Sinn 556 is the Damasko DA36, which is another German made watch and this brand too has a cult following just like Sinn. Similar price bracket as Sinn, but slightly larger at around 40 mm dial size.

The only problem that you might face is warranty claims, because for claiming on a watch purchased in the USA, you will either have to ship it to the US or directly to Sinn in Germany . There are no Indian dealers at this time, so no option of taking it to the friendly neighbourhood watch shop. I did hear somewhere though, that Ethos is planning to start distribution of Sinn in India, sometime in the future.

The 556 runs on the ETA or Selita movement (can't remember which) and should be fairly easy and reasonably priced to service though.

Could you post the model# please?

The model number is EUAG005W.

I don't see it listed on Orient's India site. Any pointers on where to purchase from?

I got it from Singapore. The India website shows very few models. Basically, they have an importing agent in Pune. Orient has been contemplating a presence in India, just like Seiko, but this has not fructified yet.

I see it's listed on Creation Watches, which is mentioned often on this thread. I quite like the brown dial variant, and they're offering free shipping to India via DHL Express.

Worth purchasing from there? Can someone comment on the duty implications?

Further to my post no. 3348 in this thread, I bought the steel bracelet from Strapcode for my Alpinist, along with 2 NATO straps for my other watches. Received them in about 10 days through Hongkong Post and further through India Speedpost. ( Was tracking the consignment throughout !! :) )

Now waiting for the original brown leather strap to wear out before replacing with the bracelet. Am now planning to get some more NATO straps from them.

Creationwatches.com is reliable. But be ready to fork out approx. 50 % customs duty on the price. You will get a receipt for the same. They ship by DHL and usually you should get your watch delivered in 5 to 6 days, excluding holidays.

Or choose to get it shipped through regular post while selecting the shipping methods. The watches shipped through this route are delivered by India-post and sometimes get past the customs, without any duties levied.

Thanks for the detailed response. I guess the sinn 556 is pretty much in a league of its own in that range. I'll pick it up when i go to the US next. For now i have picked up a tisell pilot type a , will share some pics and review once i receive it

Posting pictures of the HMT watches I bought over the last couple of years. All images are from my mobile, so excuse the quality.

First up the HMT Janata milky white dial on a dark blue Titan edge strap. This was bought from the official website and came on a brown leather strap.



The dome crystal and the bent hands can be seen in the below picture.



Next is the White Pilot with blue hands. This I bought from ebay with manufacturer warranty. The strap is a blue leather one which the seller provided along with the watch, need to change it.



Finally picked up the HMT Saurabh Supreme black dial automatic watch from the official website earlier this year which is in stock condition, no modifications. The lume on the hands are quite decent.

This might have the kinda famous Buren micro-rotor movement... a quite unique machine vs. other automatics. I had one once but I think the date wasn't advancing or something and for lack of available spares I let it go. Mine had a round case, but I prefer the look of yours. Very nice piece and a nice rediscovery.

-Eric

Yes, it is one of the early micro rotors. I have taken it to a specialist Vintage jeweler. I called him and he knew exactly what watch it was, says he still stocks all parts. As it so happens my wife's cousin visited us last week from Barbados. She had her dad's Rolex and her mum's Tudor. Both about 50 years old. I checked with Rolox and Tudor, but it would cost an arm and a leg.

So i took all three watches to this Vintage shop. He will open them up, check them out and give me a quote in the next week or so.

Once I have the watches back, Ill post some images.
Jeroen