Hanhart 417 ES 1954

Sturdiness, reliability, and readability. It is according to these three principles that Hanhart manufactures the 417 as the first pilot's chronograph for the newly founded German armed forces. Hanhart supplied the Bundeswehr with the original model for almost ten years, until the brand shifted its focus to the production of handheld stopwatches from 1963 onwards. The few surviving examples of the historic 417 have since become sought-after vintage chronographs for collectors.

After the successful debut of the 417 ES with a 42 mm case almost two years ago, the long-established brand from Gütenbach, situated in the Black Forest, is now focused upon capturing the essence of the watch. The new 417 ES 1954 – with ‘ES’ standing for ‘Edelstahl’ (German for stainless steel) and ‘1954’ noting the model's very first year of production – marks the return of Hanhart's most legendary chronograph in its historically correct size of 39 mm as part of the official, non-limited collection.

In a way, the watch also acts as a time machine, as it combines the style-defining details of the past with contemporary state-of-the-art materials. Particularly refined are the sharp, highly polished chamfers, that mark the transition from the satin-finished lugs to the sides. As a typical Hanhart design element, the fluted bezel rotates smoothly in both directions. Its red position marker is just as reminiscent of the historical model as the details on the dial of the watch. The bi-compax layout and the lettering seem to be the spitting image of the early 417. The numbers, fonts and the logo from the old days have all been revived.

To ensure precision and reliability, the chronograph is equipped with the trusty hand-wound calibre SW510 with ‘Swiss Made’ quality. In addition to stop-seconds, it offers a 58-hour power reserve when fully wound. The historic 417 was likewise manually wound, although its range of action outside the cockpit was severely limited due to its low water resistance. The new 417 ES 1954 is water-resistant up to 10 bar.

A black calfskin ´Bund´-style strap ensures a high level of comfort from the very beginning. In addition, Alcantara lining promises a particularly pleasant feeling to the skin. A stainless-steel pin buckle featuring the historic Hanhart logo secures the watch to the wrist.