Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Flieger Chronograph
The Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Flieger Chronograph is offered in four new versions as part of the Swiss-German marques’ 140th anniversary celebrations. Available with Panda or Reverse Panda dials and offered in two case sizes, 39mm and 42mm, Hanhart has indulged the would-be wearer with a mouthwatering array of choices.
Winter is upon us and the ground is coated with a blanket of snow. While I’m not averse to eating Haute Cuisine, these biting temperatures call for a hearty pie with a generous portion of chips. A large helping of sticky toffee pudding with lashings of double cream tops everything off nicely and helps provide sustenance in my native gas-strapped England.
While I appreciate wonderful expressions of Haute Horlogerie endowed with numerous complications, there are occasions when I simply crave a no-nonsense watch that indicates the prevailing time clearly. Hanhart has just unveiled a new 417 ES Flyback Panda and on the face of it, this model promises to satisfy my appetite for such horological cravings.
Hanhart, the Swiss-German brand, founded in 1882
Hanhart, the Swiss-German brand headquartered in Gütenbach, Baden-Württemberg was founded in 1882. Originally located in northeast Switzerland, the company relocated to Germany in 1902. Known for making affordable stopwatches, the brand began making chronographs in 1938 with the release of the single-button ‘Calibre 40’. During the Second World War, Hanhart made military watches including flieger chronographs.
Today, Hanhart makes a broad selection of models including divers’ watches, but all references are equipped with a chronograph. Indeed, this complication is an essential component of the brand’s DNA.
The Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Flieger Chronograph
The Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Panda embraces the utilitarian design of its flieger chronograph models from the 1940s, albeit with contrasting counters. The Panda dial is dressed in white with black counters. Alternatively, the company also offers a so-called Reverse Panda dial, comprising a black display with white counters. The use of contrasting monochromatic tones imbues each dial variant with an additional quotient of style, surpassing the aesthetic charms of the 417 ES’s flieger antecedents.
Save for the Panda dials, Hanhart has stayed true to the design of its original military watches supplied to the German Air Force in yesteryear. The syringe-type hour and minute hands collaborate with Arabic numerals, imparting meaning clearly. The two-register layout proves easy on the eye and upholds the design language of the Hanhart Flyback 1942 pilots. The bezel is fluted, resembling the edge of a coin, respectfully paying tribute to the two-buttons chronograph ‘Calibre 41’. The bezel also incorporates a soupçon of red at noon, a detail that will forever be associated with the brand.
Hanhart offers the 417ES in two case sizes, 39mm and 42mm, both of which are made of stainless steel. The latter model was actually released two years ago and has apparently proved a roaring success for the company. Earlier this year, the firm also released a further version, the 417 ES 1954 measuring 39mm. Now, eager to mark the 140th anniversary of the company, Hanhart has unveiled four new versions of the 417 ES Flyback. Personally speaking, I favour the 42mm case option as it is endowed with an exhibition caseback, granting sight of the AMT5100 M calibre.
This hand-wound movement is from Sellita, the Swiss movement specialist known for producing impressive calibres. In this instance, the AMT5100 M calibre, a product of Sellita’s manufacture AMT department, is equipped with a flyback chronograph or ‘Temposchaltung’ as they say in Gütenbach. While the chronograph is operational, the flyback function allows the wearer to press the pushpiece at 4 o’clock and in one simple step: stop, reset and restart the stopwatch function. Purists will like that the movement features a column wheel, while the power reserve of 58 hours is better than many rival chronographs. The watch also features a stop-seconds function.
While some traditionalists may yearn for a vintage Hanhart Valjoux 23 flyback, the AMT5100 M calibre clearly makes a compelling case for acquisition, especially considering this chronograph’s agreeable asking price of €2,390. The Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Panda is a wholesome dish, free of pretentiousness. Would I buy a Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Flieger? Definitely.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Hanhart 417 ES Flyback Flieger Chronograph
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 39mm, height 13.5mm, water resistance 10ATM (100m), sapphire crystal to the front and solid case back.
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 42mm, height 13.5mm, water resistance 10ATM (100m), sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, 30-minute counter, stop seconds, flyback chronograph
- Movement: Sellita AMT5100 M; hand-wound movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz), 25 jewels, power reserve min. 58 hours
- Strap: black calfskin strap with white stitching and leather underlay. Alcantara on the inside. Pin buckle.
- Price: €2,390 inc. 19% German VAT (RRP as of 13.12.2022)