Hanhart goes back to the roots of the most famous chronograph b re-launching the new 417 ES 1954 in the original case size of 39mm.
Press Release with commentary in italics.
New: Hanhart returns their 417 ES 1954 to the original
The retail price for the Hanhart 417 ES 1954 is set at EUR 1,980 including VAT.
Commentary
The Hanhart 418 ES is the marque’s most famous and popular models. The watch was the pilot chronograph which was first introduced with the German armed forces in 1954. Through the ups and downs of the brand, the 417 was re-introduced in a 42mm case in 2020. We reviewed the watch in detail with our hands-on article here. A 150 piece limited edition variant known as the Red Lion was released in Nopvember or 2021, and since sold out. This watch was cased in a 39mm case, and was equipped with the same Sellita SW510 movement as the standard production model. With the success of this smaller 39mm case, led Hanhart to re-release the same 417 ES (ES = Edelstahl – German for stainless steel), and we have today’s novelty.
Cased in 39mm steel case, returning to the original case size of the 1954 watch – the very first year of production of the 417. Other elements remain the same as the 42mm version, though due to the case size is perhaps more similar to the limited edition Red Lion. The same corrugated bi-directional friction coupled bracelet still carries the red marker for 12. The same Sellita SW510 movement is used in all three versions. And the bund strap is also designed in the same manner.
But as a result of the smaller case size, which many collectors will hail as a more wearable size, the dial is smaller. As the movement is the same, this means that the relative locations of the sub-dials on the bi-compax design are closer together. This makes the feel of the watch which is tighter, but not so tight as to seem crowded. And in our view, the overall aesthetic balance is better than the 42mm version.
Even the pricing has remained the same as the current pricing for the 42mm 417 ES, though we note that this has increased slightly since our review in 2020 from EUR 1,774.80 to EUR 1,980. Incidentally the Red Lion was also released at EUR 1,980.
Release details
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 stop- watches 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 fo- cused 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 de- tails 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 histor- ical 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 be- ginning. 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.
Hanhart 417 ES 1954 Specifications
CASE
Stainless steel, satined/polished
Diameter 39 mm, Height with glass 13.5 mm (11,55 mm without glass) Crown with the historic Hanhart “h”
Fluted rotating bezel, continuously rotatable, with red marking Anti-reflective convex sapphire glass
High-domed sapphire glass
Screwed-down stainless steel case back
Water resistant to 10 bar/10 ATM according to DIN 8310
Continuous serial number
Shockproof with Hanhart movement protection
Antimagnetic up to 16.000 A/m according to DIN 8309
Engraving of the historical logo on the case back
DIAL AND HANDS
Historical Logo
Super-LumiNova® Light Old Radium coated numerals and hand Minute and Second hand bent at tip to prevent parallax errors
STRAP
Black calfskin strap with white stitching and leather underlay Alcantara on the inside
Pin-buckle with historical logo, Lug width 20 mm
MOVEMENT
Manual wound chronograph
Sellita SW 510 M
Symmetrical button arrangement
28.800 A/h, 4 Hz, 23 jewels
Power reserve minimum 58 hours after full winding
FUNCTIONS
Small second
30-minute counter
Bicompax Chronograph with central stop-second
