Sinn Rallye Chronographs 956 & 917

A timepiece that masters even the greatest challenges with ease – that's what you get with the Sinn Rallye chronograph from the Frankfurt-based luxury watch brand Sinn Spezialuhren. Its sister models the Sinn 956 and Sinn 917 are equally glamorous timepieces imbued with the spirit of car racing.

The Sinn Rallye chronograph and other specialist Sinn watches

Sinn is known around the globe for its high quality wristwatches. After being established in 1961, this German company rapidly made a name for itself through its exciting innovations in the field of watch technology. The Sinn success story began with the development of extremely reliable professional pilot chronographs and navigation clocks. Today the company produces high performing wristwatches not only for pilots, but also engineers, divers – and yes, racing drivers.

Especially designed for the rigours of the rally circuit, the Sinn 956 and Sinn 917 are just what you need for mastering even the most difficult routes. It was in 2009 that Sinn watches demonstrated for the first time that they were the perfect companion for professional rally trips. That year, world champion Walter Röhrl and his co-driver Peter Göbel won the prestigious Costa Brava rally with the support of a Sinn 917 GR.

But what makes these chronographs so adept at serving the needs of professional rally drivers? As you would expect, a racing driver watch has to be extremely rugged and reliable. If it lets you down in a key moment, it can ruin your chances of success. For this reason, the Sinn 917 and 956 are crafted so as to deliver the most unfailingly high precision. Strong vibrations, changes in pressure, magnetic fluctuations – none of these can put these superlative timepieces off their stroke.

Rugged watches from Sinn

When you're talking about a rally trip that can often last for several days, endurance, precision and adaptability are key. This applies to the driver, to his vehicle, and it's just as true for the watch that's strapped to his wrist for all the different stages of the competition. To guarantee that they meet these requirements, Sinn rally chronographs are loaded with state of the art technology. All models are waterproof and pressure-resistant up to 10 bar. Not only that, they're vacuum-proof, shockproof and they have anti-magnetic protection too.

All this would be nothing without impressive timekeeping capabilities, and here too Sinn watches stand apart from the crowd. For example, thanks to their Ar-dehumidifying technology, the Sinn 917 and Sinn 917 GR both offer significantly higher accuracy that is common even among sports watches. Sinn Spezialuhren also recognise the value of first-class materials. The models in the 917 and 956 collections are encased in high quality stainless steel and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, which will keep their precision movements good as new even after years of continual use.

Much more than just a time display: The Rallye chronograph in action

Needless to say, the features of the two rally chronographs are perfectly tailored for rallying. One vital feature is the precise stop function. This uses three displays on the dial to show the hours, minutes and seconds that have elapsed since the start of the time measurement.

In addition, the Sinn 917 chronograph has two tachymeter scales on the outer edge of the dial that allow you to calculate the speed of your vehicle – a real boon for drivers. The double tachymeter scale shows two speed ranges. The 30 to 60 km/h range on the inner ring is designed specifically for classic car rallies. Meanwhile the 60 to 500 km/h range on the outer ring caters to more high speed competitions.

As for the Sinn 956, this has a counting down ring with which target times can be set and verified to the exact second. The last 15 seconds of the scale are highlighted in red to reflect the tension of the approaching deadline.

Design inspired by rallying

But it's not just their high level of functionality that makes the Sinn 917 and Sinn 956 so appealing to rally drivers. Sinn Spezialuhren also steeps itself in the world of rallying when it comes to the looks of the watches. One particularly eye-catching detail is the power reserve display in the style of a fuel gauge on the Sinn 917 GR and Sinn 956 Klassik models. In fact, the layout of the entire dial is reminiscent of a car dashboard. It's this coordination of function and design that makes this series so beloved by motor enthusiasts.

With several variations from which to choose, the Sinn Rallye chronograph range is a delight for classic car lovers and modern race fans alike. With dials in light beige and brown leather straps, the Sinn 917 and Sinn 956 collections have an elegantly nostalgic look. Or if you prefer a more contemporary style of sportiness, there are options too. The Sinn 917 and Sinn 917 GR models are also available with a stainless steel bracelet, and the Sinn 956 with black dial with silver numerals looks cool and modern.