Introducing the Hanhart S-Series Collection, a tribute to the Saab 105

Hanhart’s new S-Series is a small collection of limited edition tool watches released in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the famous Saab 105 into the Austrian Air Force. The Saab 105 is a truly legendary aircraft, developed as a joint venture between Saab and the Swedish military. Unlike a lot of military planes used as inspiration for limited edition watches, the Saab 105 was never actually meant to see combat (although later versions made specifically for the Austrians were outfitted for this purpose) – it was designed as a trainer aircraft, and for decades was among the most flown planes by Austrian and Swedish service members, making it something of an aircraft cult classic.

Hanhart S 105 OE, S 105 OE GMT, and SK 60

• Case Material: Stainless steel with black PVD
• Dial: Black
• Dimensions: 40mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Water Resistance: 10 ATM 
• Crown: Screw down  
• Movement: Sellita SW 200 / ETA 2824 (S 105 OE), Sellita SW 330 / ETA 2893 (S 105 OE GMT and SK 60)
• Strap/bracelet: Black leather strap
• Price: Approximately $1437 (S 105 OE GMT & SK 60), Approximately $1103 (S 105 OE)
• Reference Number: n/a
• Expected Release: November
  

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The new watches from Hanhart are all inspired by Saab 105 instrument clusters to one degree or another. The collection consists of two GMTs and one with just time and date. The S 105 OE and S 105 OE GMT are stripped down and sleek in their black PVD coating, and are meant to evoke the cockpit of the Austrian version of the Saab 105. The SK 60 GMT, with its striking yellow accents on the seconds and GMT hands, is an homage to the Swedish version of the aircraft, known as the SK 60. 

As is customary for Hanhart, these watches are designed for ultimate legibility. The brilliant white hour markers and hands burst forward from the black void of the dial and case to present incredibly legibly. Hanhart is guided by the principle of building watches that make no compromises in their robustness, and there’s something about a blacked-out aviation watch that exudes reliability and toughness to me. 

At 40mm, with a thin bezel and short lugs, the watches in the S-Series rest comfortably in modern sports watch territory. One of the charms of these military aviation-inspired watches is how brands differentiate themselves largely through subtle, sometimes downright minute, differences in dial design, as case geometry in this genre of watch has an almost standard template. The S-Series case is similar to a lot of watches in this category, from brands like IWC, Laco, Archimede, and others, but the small details of these particular dials may draw rapt attention from certain enthusiasts, where others could hold no interest at all. It just goes to show that even within the smallest watch sub-sets, there really is something for everyone. 

Each watch in the S-Series is limited to 105 pieces and will be available in November. Hanhart is allowing pre-orders with the ability to choose your limited edition number of choice as they remain available. More information can be found on the Hanhart website. Hanhart