Sinn U50 vs SDR and Tegimented vs Non-T Review

The Sinn U50 and U50 Pro followed similar trajectories in my mind before I purchased them. I dismissed both designs and came back to them later. The downsized U50 was still too big at 41mm and the hands too brutalistic. Turns out, it wears like a dream and the hands were a perfect choice for the design. It’s the ultimate example of, “You have to see it in person”.

When the Pro was released, I thought it was a silly waste of a watch. The look was too tactical, the more reflective domed crystal a downgrade from the flat, the 10 o’clock crown a pain to set with no upside, and the well-implemented date window was gone. What misguided watch-enthusiast would be fooled into buying this?

You guessed it. The Pro’s design somehow started to make sense. It felt like the watch I had been searching for and never found. Less than a year after getting the U50, I picked up a used Pro with the intention of keeping the one I liked and selling the other. While often criticized for its second-hand price, a gently used U50 Pro actually trades for the price of a new U50 T (or even slightly less).

My purpose here is to compare some of the U50’s available choices, particularly the steel vs. SDR bezel and the tegimented vs. non-tegimented steel finishes. I feel it’s worth sharing about both subjects because my opinion on both has changed since owning these watches.

Bezel Choice

Both bezels are impressive. A single piece of tegimented steel (even on non-T models), these 60-click bezels are a highlight and their action is just as chunky and exact as the appearance suggests. The SDR is stark and tactical, while the standard bezel appears softer with more apparent detail. The standard bezel has more texture in its finish and the outer grip is much more prominent.

I assumed the non-SDR version would wear smaller due to the steel vs. black dial contrast. This was incorrect. The SDR version definitely wears smaller. I have confirmed this with a regular SDR model in addition to the Pro. While hard to capture in person, this perceptual difference is obvious to me in person. The SDR bezel wears like a sub-40mm watch and the steel bezel feels closer to 41. Having said this, they both wear comfortably and I would encourage anyone to follow their natural preference when choosing a model (even for the small wristed like myself).

Tegimented vs. Non-T

When I got the standard non-T U50, I figured I was missing out on a nice feature in order to get a better price. While that is technically true, I think the steel color bezel looks better with the untreated case and bracelet. The tegimented bezel takes the brunt of impacts anyway. It’s my opinion that tool watches usually look better with scratches and the lighter color of the non-T steel is a nice contrast to the black dial. If not for diving, the standard U50 feels like a rugged mountaineer’s watch that's hungry for some scratches to tell its stories.

The U50 Pro comes with tegimented case and bracelet. On this model, I like that the contrast between SDR bezel and case/bracelet is softened by the darker steel. The darker metal suits the more tactical look of the black bezel. I don’t think I would enjoy the abrupt transition from black bezel to lighter-gray steel. The tegimented steel is noticeably darker and is closer to the color of titanium than steel. While I like scratches, it makes more sense for this all-business version to not have time for them unless the insult is severe. The tegimented steel often appears darker than titanium (I attribute this to the blasted finish in addition to the tegimenting). I did not include pictures of tegimented steel vs. titanium as I found the photos misleading.

Closing Thoughts

If I were to be buying a U50 for the first time now, I would be choosing a U50 non-T or a U50 SDR-T. While not the most versatile watches, I would definitely choose a U50 if I were making a 2-watch collection. The reason that I wound up going with the Pro is that that I grew tired of the amount of red on the standard models. However, I think the standard U50 is the most distinctly “Sinn” of the choices. The SDR versions could more easily be mistaken for a Sangin, Luminox, Ares, etc. I still second guess my choice to sell the standard model as it is so darn good and the red is tastefully done. The standard is the most charming on the wrist and if I were going to be a one-watch guy, that would likely be my choice.

In my opinion based on the specs, the Pro is actually a worse watch than the standard and SDR versions of the U50. My earlier criticisms of the Pro still stand. The difference is that this is a mostly emotional hobby and I just prefer the Pro. I kept reaching for it over the standard version even after the honeymoon wore off. The darn thing is getting more than 2x the wrist time of my beloved BB58 Navy. This hobby can be unpredictable.