A man of the sea and the sky, Vincent showcases his one watch that does it all.

Most collectors dream of a one-watch collection, the proverbial holy grail watch that can follow them on all of life’s adventures. We’ve all had that heart-stopping moment where we feel the necessity to scrap our entire collections, save for one perfect watch. But, rarely do we find examples that can meet this lofty goal; with requirements for decent water resistance, bright lume, clarity of dial, and a complication that can actually be used in the real world. Enter the collector at the heart of this article today, Vincent Carret, who was gifted one of these ‘perfect’ watches for his 60th birthday.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

A now retired commercial pilot for one of France’s main airlines, builder of multiple Hatz aircraft, avid sailor, and surfer, Vincent is someone who epitomizes the present-day renaissance man. Whether he is spending the day sailing the coast of Quiberon, France or flying over Mont Saint-Michel, his lifestyle requires a tool that can handle any situation.

The ideal watch for someone of Vincent’s caliber would need to have robust water resistance, and a complication that could aid him with his in-flight tasks. This in itself presents quite a dilemma, as most watch brands and models choose to focus on either one out of these two areas. This is why our minds gravitate to the Rolex Submariner for water activities, and to the Rolex GMT Master for air. Therefore, the question must be asked, is there a watch built for both? The answer is yes, and it can match up against the two earlier mentioned models with ease.

Master of Air and Water

When one thinks of the term “value proposition”, the brand Sinn immediately springs to mind. The German powerhouse manufacturer is legendary in watch collecting circles for offering incredibly capable tool watches for fair pricing compared to the wider industry. Their dedication to the use of innovative materials and modern design aesthetics allow them to stand out from the crowd. Thus, when it came time to gift Vincent with the ideal watch, this brand was the only logical choice. More specifically, the Sinn 104 St Sa I reference.

With a stainless steel case, lume-filled indices instead of numerals, 200m of water resistance, and a captive pilot’s countdown bezel, this Sinn model is the ideal one-watch collection. The very capable water resistance would allow Vincent to use this watch on his sailboat “Le Libellule” and on his wrist while he surfs the crashing waves off the coast of Quiberon. While the countdown bezel would be ideal for measuring ETA or fuel consumption for his flights around the French countryside.

Beating at the heart of this watch is the Selitta SW 220-1 movement, which is anti-magnetic to 4800 A/m, and has day-date functions. It came paired on a supple cow-hide leather strap, which complements its pilot aesthetic, while many other options are available from the manufacturer for water-based activities.

Built for adventure

Vincent has cherished this watch for the past year, strapping it onto his wrist everyday. It will follow him along his new project of building his third plane. We could not think of a more perfect collector and watch pairing than this, and are so excited to see how this watch ages along with Vincent on his many adventures, each scratch and mark a signifier of a great day had.

-Mister Wrist(er)