Buffy Acacia The 1960s Hanhart 415 ES took over the 50s 417 ES and brought back the wing logo. Its red ring indicates the rarely used industrial hundredths of a minute scale. It is equipped with the Sellita SW510 automatic chronograph and costs 2,390 euros.
Chronographs have been Hanhardt’s mainstay since the 1920s, when the German brand rose to meet the demands of athletics for affordable and reliable stopwatches. Naturally, it evolved into a wrist-worn chronograph, creating a model that remains the best-selling watch today. The Hanhart 417 ES is the star of the show thanks to its association with Steve McQueen. However, the lesser-known Hanhart 415 ES from the 1960s also returned to the catalog, bringing an element of nostalgia not seen in recent decades.
Although it may be unknown to the general public, collectors of vintage chronographs will be thrilled to see the printed logo on the Hanhart 415 ES. Hanhart’s pair of wings that pop out from each “h” propel the text forward, and the italicization gives the impression that the text is zooming. Whether your passion lies in the realm of aviation motorsport or not, the logo captures the feeling of being pushed back into your seat by acceleration. The dial also includes a rather unusual unit of measurement, indicated by a red ring and hundredths scale. Industrial minutes are the same length as regular minutes, but are divided into 100 units. You rarely need to use industrial minutes to time yourself, but it’s a cool historical curiosity and gives a nice color to the dial.
Overall, the reissued dial is very accurate to the 1960s original. The only obvious difference is the addition of a registered trademark symbol next to the Incabloc impact resistance, which is probably an unfortunate requirement for modern legality. Still, having the Incabloc logo there is a nice touch that shows vintage accuracy. The brassy gold color of the hands is not something you normally see, but it contributes to the overall warmth and aged effect of the dial, as does the yellowed Super-LumiNova of the pencil hands. The minute counter and running seconds subdials may seem a little small to some, but they are accurately reproduced. Of course, there is still the usual tachymeter around the dial for normal chronograph functions.
Aimed to satisfy vintage purists, the Hanhart 415 ES measures 39mm in diameter, which was quite chunky at the time, but now strikes a satisfying compromise between wrist presence and comfort. Masu. The 46mm lug-to-lug length fits any wrist, and the case thickness is 13.5mm, which is relatively slim for an automatic chronograph that’s water-resistant to 100 meters. The outer edges of the rug are polished and the inner edges are brushed, giving it a luxurious and sturdy look in equal measure. The watch also features a bi-directional rotating 60-click bezel with markers at 5-minute intervals to track elapsed time separately from the chronograph.
The 415 ES is powered by the Sellita SW510 automatic chronograph movement, which is based on the classic ETA/Valjoux 7750 architecture. The Sellita version has been popular for several years and is praised for its reliability, maintainability, and performance. Featuring a 4Hz beat rate for smooth second hand movement, the 58-hour reserve provides enough power for the chronograph to run for long periods of time. The movement is hidden by a sturdy caseback that features the Hanhardt wings logo in polished relief against a sandblasted background.
Hanhart 415 ES pricing and availability
The Hanhart 415 ES is available now from the Hanhart website. Price: €2,390 (~US$2,510)
Brand Hanhart Model 415 ES Case dimensions 39mm (D) x 13.5mm (T) x 46mm Case material Stainless steel Water resistance 100 meters Crystal Sapphire, anti-reflective coating Dial Black Bracelet and strap Black, light brown, or dark brown calfskin leather Movement Sellita SW510, automatic power reserve 58 hours Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph Availability Current available price €2,390
