Introducing: The Hanhart 417 ES Heritage Flyback 39 And 42
Hanhart is a German brand with a deep history of making pilots’ chronographs. These pieces are known for their distinctive ridged rotating outer bezels and single red chronograph pusher. However, not all Hanhart models feature the latter detail, which brings us to today’s piece. Fans requested the distinctive pusher, and Hanhart has answered with the new 417 ES Heritage Flyback.
Classic details are key when speaking about classic brands. Hanhart does this well with the 417 ES and 415 ES lines. However, in the eyes of collectors, key characteristics related to the aesthetics and movement were missing. The new 417 ES Heritage addresses these requests head-on without any deviations. Oh, and did we mention that it comes in two sizes?
The Hanhart 417 ES Heritage Flyback
The latest 417 ES is available in a 39mm case (with a 46mm lug-to-lug) or a 42mm by 49.75mm version. Each case features a blend of polished and brushed finishes and is 13.3mm thick. A domed sapphire crystal with an antireflective coating maintains the vintage look while contributing to modern capabilities. For example, the watches have a beefy 100-meter depth rating and a screw-down crown. Regarding accessories, each watch is available on a wide variety of leather straps or a stainless steel bracelet with a push-button folding clasp.
Vintage looks, modern specs
Collectors were keen on seeing the traditional Hanhart red pusher on the 417 ES line, and the brand has delivered. Instead of a coating, the pusher obtains its bright red hue using HyCeram. The material is made from 60% ceramic and 40% resin, which results in a robust, long-lasting finish.
The front view of the 39mm and 42mm models is virtually identical. A matte black dial contains Super-LumiNova X2 C3 Arabic numerals and two subdials. One displays running seconds, and the other shows a 30-minute totalizer. Luminous syringe hour and minute hands are paired with a lume-filled central seconds chronograph hand. Finally, the ridged, bidirectional external timing bezel has a red indicator.
The flyback demands a red pusher
In addition to looking great, the red pusher has a purpose. As a pilot’s watch, the 417 ES Heritage is equipped with a flyback chronograph movement. This means the movement does not need to be stopped, reset, or restarted using a combination of both pushers. The lower pusher can reset the movement while it is running. For a pilot using the chronograph for vital operations during flight, the red pusher was a reminder not to reset the chronograph mistakenly.
A manual wind AMT5100 M caliber
The 417 ES Heritage uses the hand-winding Sellita AMT5100 M. This column wheel flyback chronograph was also requested by fans who enjoy the experience of interacting with their watches. Specifications-wise, the movement has a frequency of 28,800vph and 58 hours of power reserve. It’s a relatively basic-looking movement with a large grained finish and blued screws. Still, it is on display via a sapphire crystal on the 42mm model. The 39mm model has a solid, screw-in case back.
Thoughts on the 417 ES Heritage Flyback
I had the opportunity to go hands-on with a different version of the 39mm 417 ES, and it was impressive. The size is perfect, and the watch was well-built. Shiny details, including the bezel and top pusher, made it less one-dimensional than a typical military-style watch. It’s also hard to ignore the allure of a manual winding flyback movement.
Reasonably priced
The Hanhart 417 ES Heritage offers a lot of bang for the buck. Considering the movement, finishing, and water resistance rating, I was pleasantly surprised to see a price of €2,590 on a leather strap and €2,790 on the bracelet. That seems like good value for a classic pilot’s chronograph that also addresses the requests of the brand’s diehard fans.
