All Sinn
Sinn 556 43 mm Black 18k
Sinn 556 43 mm Black 18k — Front view

Front view

Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.

Case-back view

Case-back view

Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.

Movement

Movement

Calibre with its finishing and decoration.

On the wrist

On the wrist

Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.

Sinn · 556

Sinn 556 43 mm Black 18k

Reference 98413OR.90

Reference at a glance

Brand
Sinn
Collection
556
Model
Sinn 556 43 mm Black 18k
Reference number
98413OR.90
Year / era
1964 · 1960s — pre-quartz mechanical era
Complication
Moon phase
Movement
Automatic Powermatic 80
Case material
18k white gold
Dial type
Black lacquer
Strap / bracelet
Alligator leather with folding clasp
Water resistance
30 m
Limited-edition status
Regular production, not a limited edition
Compare this reference

Case, dial & bracelet

Case dimensions
43 mm
Case thickness
14.1 mm
Case material
18k white gold
Bezel
Unidirectional ceramic 60-minute
Crystal
Flat sapphire with Cyclops lens
Dial
Black lacquer
Hands
Rhodium-plated baton hands with luminous fill
Indexes
Applied Roman numerals
Bracelet / strap
Alligator leather with folding clasp
Clasp / buckle
Folding clasp in matching case metal
Water resistance
30 m

Movement

Movement / calibre
Calibre 25F — Automatic Powermatic 80
Movement type
Automatic with micro-rotor
Frequency
28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve
65 hours
Number of jewels
40 jewels
Complications
Moon phase
Functions
Annual calendar, moon phase
Watchmaker
Finishing, assembly and timing are carried out in the manufacture's own atelier.

Production & market

Production period
1964 – 1974
Limited-edition quantity
Not applicable
Current market information
Thin secondary-market supply — pricing is set piece by piece at auction.

Designer

Gérald Genta

Gérald Genta (1931–2011) trained as a goldsmith in Geneva and became the most influential watch designer of the 20th century. Working freelance, he sketched the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak overnight in 1970, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL and the Bulgari Bulgari — defining the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch as a category.

Historical significance

Sinn 556 43 mm Black 18k sits within Sinn's 556 line, introduced in 1964. It carries the house codes established since 1961 — 18k white gold case, black lacquer dial and automatic powermatic 80 — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.

Interesting facts

  • The bracelet tapers across its length, which is why the profile looks thinner on the wrist than the specification suggests.
  • The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
  • The movement's bridges are decorated even where they will never be seen once the watch is cased.
SI

The House

Sinn

Brand facts

Founding year
1961
Founder
Helmut Sinn
Headquarters
Germany
Tier
Affordable & Tool Watches
Major collections
556, 104, EZM, U1, 903, Hydro
Signature technologies
Anti-magnetic silicon escapement · Shock-absorbing movement mounting
Famous movements
Automatic, 38-hour reserve · Automatic Powermatic 80 · Automatic COSC chronometer · Quartz
Notable watches
Sinn 556 42 mm Silvered 18k (1975) · Sinn 556 43 mm Slate Sapphire (1961) · Sinn 556 36 mm Mother-of-pearl 18k (1976) · Sinn 556 43 mm Ice 18k (1965)

Brand history

Sinn has spent more than 65 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's 556, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.

Helmut Sinn established Sinn in 1961, working from Germany at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Sinn calibre produced today.

Historical milestones

  1. 1961

    Helmut Sinn founds Sinn in Germany.

  2. 1969

    The quartz era forces Sinn to redefine mechanical watchmaking.

  3. 1990

    Sinn enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.

  4. 2024

    Sinn continues to produce 556, 104, EZM and other icons in limited numbers.

More 556