Introducing The Hanhart 417 ES, A Handwound Chronograph With ‘50s Style

Earlier this year we brought you news of a collaboration between Hanhart and The Rake & Revolution, who released a new 417 Chronograph LE with a bronze case and a bund strap. The watch was a rendition of the model worn by Steve McQueen (and much of the German Air Force through the ‘50s), and it even came with a trick Belstaff jacket to complete the look. If you weren’t so keen on the cool guy get-up, you’re in luck. Hanhart is releasing the 417 ES with a steel case that features all the same panache sans the optional waxed cotton jacket.

The 417 ES is an historical model that Hanhard produced in limited quantities through the ‘50s, and Hanhart has accurately recreated it with these latest releases, right down to the leather bund straps. While the 417 had a chrome brass case, the ES model was pure stainless steel and that’s what we see recreated here, the ES standing for “Edelstahl”, German for stainless steel. Many of the original brass 417 watches did not have text on the lower half of the dial, so the inclusion of “shockproof” feels more accurate with the ES model seen here. 

The 42mm case remains the same in design, meaning the distinctive coin-edge bezel returns, complete with the red stripe at the top. The case measures 13.3mm in thickness and 49.5 from lug to lug, so don’t expect many issues with wearability. Those measurements should be taken with a grain of salt if you choose to wear it on the black calf leather bund strap, however, as that will cover a large footprint on your wrist. There shouldn’t be a compromise to comfort here though as the strap is lined with Alcantara. 

The bicompax dial is sharp as ever, with the running seconds at 9 o’clock and a minute totalizer at 3 o’clock courtesy of the Selitta SW510 hand-wound movement within. You’ll get 58 hours of reserve to work with on a full wind, providing ample room for a weekend’s worth of wear, plus some room to spare. The Selitta represents a notable jump from the original caliber 42 used in the ‘50s, without adding more heft or weight to the overall package. It also helps to keep the price in reasonable territory at $1,970.

The Hanhart 417 ES chronograph is available to order right now from WatchBuys in the US. More from Hanhart.