Sinn U2 Issues - Could Use Some Advice

[Jimbo]

Hi everyone. I recently purchased a Sinn U2 non-T watch on secondary market. It was a private sale by the first owner. The seller has a good reputation, and all the paperwork and serial numbers check out.

The U2 has a UTC function to track another time zone. It’s not a true traveler’s GMT function, so only the UTC hand can be quick changed.

The watch seems to work fine, but the UTC hand does not perfectly align with the local hour hand. For example, if the local time is 12:00 noon, the UTC hand will say something closer to 12:15. This is consistent for each hour.

It’s not a deal killer, but it’s annoying. It seems to have been a problem with U2s early on, but this was a January 2012 original purchase.

Has anyone that has owned Sinn with a UTC function experienced anything similar, or if you have owned a U2, did you experience the same?

If so, what did you do about it? How did you fix it? How much did it cost as the watch is now 6 months out of warranty?

Thanks


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[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Hi everyone. I recently purchased a Sinn U2 non-T watch on secondary market. It was a private sale by the first owner. The seller has a good reputation, and all the paperwork and serial numbers check out.

The U2 has a UTC function to track another time zone. It’s not a true traveler’s GMT function, so only the UTC hand can be quick changed.

The watch seems to work fine, but the UTC hand does not perfectly align with the local hour hand. For example, if the local time is 12:00 noon, the UTC hand will say something closer to 12:15. This is consistent for each hour.

It’s not a deal killer, but it’s annoying. It seems to have been a problem with U2s early on, but this was a January 2012 original purchase.

Has anyone that has owned Sinn with a UTC function experienced anything similar, or if you have owned a U2, did you experience the same?

If so, what did you do about it? How did you fix it? How much did it cost as the watch is now 6 months out of warranty?

Thanks


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I own a 756 UTC, the second time zone aligns perfectly as I leave it hidden most of the time.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Russell996

I own a 756 UTC, the second time zone aligns perfectly as I leave it hidden most of the time.

What do you mean by “leave it hidden most of the time”?


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[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

What do you mean by “leave it hidden most of the time”?


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The second time zone on a 756 is also 12 hour so you can park it under the home time if you only want a single time zone showing.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Russell996

The second time zone on a 756 is also 12 hour so you can park it under the home time if you only want a single time zone showing.

Ah, I see. The U2 has a 24 hour UTC hand, so can’t hide the 4th hand.

But if you don’t hide your 4th hand, it moves spot on with the hour hand?


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[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Ah, I see. The U2 has a 24 hour UTC hand, so can’t hide the 4th hand.

But if you don’t hide your 4th hand, it moves spot on with the hour hand?


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Yes, perfectly in time.
When you adjust the 24 hour hand, I assume the increments don’t allow you to set it perfectly? So both at noon, the 24 hour hand is slightly out?

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Russell996

Yes, perfectly in time.
When you adjust the 24 hour hand, I assume the increments don’t allow you to set it perfectly? So both at noon, the 24 hour hand is slightly out?

Yes, there is no incremental adjustment of the 24 hour hand. It clicks into position in discrete steps. If you do try to finesse the position with the crown in the 2nd position, it clicks back into to out of place position when you push back in the crown to get ready to wind it closed.


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[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Yes, there is no incremental adjustment of the 24 hour hand. It clicks into position in discrete steps. If you do try to finesse the position with the crown in the 2nd position, it clicks back into to out of place position when you push back in the crown to get ready to wind it closed.


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Unfortunately sounds like an adjustment is needed to the hand position to correct the alignment.

[brandrea]

A picture is worth a thousand words

Sorry to hear OP. Sounds like you need service to adjust.

[Dan Pierce]

My 757 UTC, purchased from the original owner on Helmut Sinn's 100th birthday, has an independent hour hand for the second time zone. It aligns perfectly and as stated above, can be hidden behind the 12 hour hand if desired.

The chronograph hand started to reset a minute past zero after about a year of ownership. Sent it to WatchBuys for service. It was fixed, complete service, including the copper sulphate capsule, at no charge to me. Been flawless ever since.

I would send it in and you should be good to go.
dP

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

My 757 UTC, purchased from the original owner on Helmut Sinn's 100th birthday, has an independent hour hand for the second time zone. It aligns perfectly and as stated above, can be hidden behind the 12 hour hand if desired.

The chronograph hand started to reset a minute past zero after about a year of ownership. Sent it to WatchBuys for service. It was fixed, complete service, including the copper sulphate capsule, at no charge to me. Been flawless ever since.

I would send it in and you should be good to go.
dP

I have a picture. See the UTC hand not exactly at the hour mark? Would you risk sending it to a trusted watch repair shop that is not Sinn or RGM?


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[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I have a picture. See the UTC hand not exactly at the hour mark? Would you risk sending it to a trusted watch repair shop that is not Sinn or RGM?


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Yes, sure do. That should be an easy fix. However, they might require a full service as well, but maybe not. If you intend to keep it, well worth the effort.

I have a great local watchmaker and took my 757 to him first. His recommendation was to send it to the US Sinn authorized service center, RGM. Also, another advantage of sending to RGM is they refill the watch w/ argon gas [or is it nitrogen?] during service to help dissipate any possible future moisture issues.

https://deployant.com/9-reasons-to-enjoy-sinn/
dP

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Yes, sure do. That should be an easy fix. However, they might require a full service as well, but maybe not. If you intend to keep it, well worth the effort.

I have a great local watchmaker and took my 757 to him first. His recommendation was to send it to the US Sinn authorized service center, RGM. Also, another advantage of sending to RGM is they refill the watch w/ argon gas [or is it nitrogen?] during service to help dissipate any possible future moisture issues.

https://deployant.com/9-reasons-to-enjoy-sinn/
dP

I know. That makes sense, but the costs if sending it to RGM and/or Sinn Germany scares the crap out of me. I don’t care about the shipping costs, but $500 plus for a check up plus duties if it does get sent to Germany plus the time sink. Yes you have to pay to play, but geez. I just got the thing. Wondering if it’s worth it if the watch otherwise runs okay.


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[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I know. That makes sense, but the costs if sending it to RGM and/or Sinn Germany scares the crap out of me. I don’t care about the shipping costs, but $500 plus for a check up plus duties if it does get sent to Germany plus the time sink. Yes you have to pay to play, but geez. I just got the thing. Wondering if it’s worth it if the watch otherwise runs okay.


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I realize this is ancient history now and you’ve probably decided to live with it, but I thought I’d chime in to remind you that opening the case on this thing will release the moisture repelling gas and likely expose the copper sulphate capsule to moisture in the air… In other words, you’ll be undoing one of the U2’s more ‘high tech’ features if you don’t get it serviced at RGM.

That being said, I wouldn’t blame you for prioritizing being able to look at your watch without going crazy over, say, being able to take it on a 2000m dive next week, so maybe a few cubic centimetres of gas is an acceptable price to pay to maintain your sanity. ;)