Helmut Sinn founded Sinn watches in 1961 and focused production on producing navigation cockpit clocks and chronographs for pilots.  The company used a direct to consumer approach bypassing retailers to sell their timepieces.  The company continued growth through its lower sale prices.  In 1994, Helmut Sinn sold the company to Lothar Schmidt.  Lothar Schmidt has run the company successfully since and Helmut went on to purchase other brands.