Reply With QuoteI think Hanharts are really, really nice watches - and this one is no exception.
Fantastic story and excellent results, thanks for sharing!
About 8 months ago was I invited to a good friend’s house for Sunday lunch – roast lamb, and very nice it was too.
Just after lunch, my friend, who wears an old beaten up Rolex Oyster (he is a builder by trade) but has never expressed an interest in watches, handed me a envelope which contained a press cutting from his local new paper. The article was about how a near-by auction room recently sold a “Luftwaffe” watch. The watch in question was a 1940 Hanhart, smooth bezel Cal 40. Ohh nice I thought, as I have been been on the lookout for Steve McQueen 417 ES version of the same watch myself .
Therefore imagine my surprise when he produced this!!
Ratty I think you would agree, but rare. We just did not know then quite how rare.
Anyway my friend asked my opinion and we both agreed that it was well worth getting it restored. Plus I knew just the person to help us.
The watch was duly dispatched to Andrew Leftly at Time World Services (a member here and on the MWF) who I have had the pleasure to meet and view is rather own impressive collection of military timepieces at the SWGTG a couple of year back.
As warned by Andrew, days turned to weeks and week turned to months – well he did have to find the right parts (handset and crown, cannon wheel, etc) , but last week I got the call to tell me it was finally finished and here is the result.
Stunning I am sure you would agree for a 73 year old watch.
Very rare yes! But perhaps more importantly, the earliest known example of this particular watch - number 20 ! Possibility even a pre-production model or from the initial production run.
How it turned up in the UK remains a mystery, as does whether or not it was issued to the Luftwaffe as it’s not marked. But even so it’s a very nice thing to have.
Perhaps it also demonstrates that “barn finds” still exist and perhaps one day it will be my turn to find something like this in my local auction room, 2nd hand or charity shop.
Hope, unlike mains, springs eternal.
Last edited by Andyg; 18th November 2013 at 17:08.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
I think Hanharts are really, really nice watches - and this one is no exception.
Fantastic story and excellent results, thanks for sharing!
That is quite remarkable. Do original production and sale records still exist for these watches?
Great story and beautiful restoration.
Just right with no mucking about.
Cheers,
Neil.
Great story. How did it get in his possession? Very nice watch!
Lovely vintage stuff and a great story.
And, as Neil pointed out, they've just done enough to keep it as it should be.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Beautiful watch and fantastic restoration. Can I ask about the fact that the Crown and pusher seem to be in different places before and after? I can't for the life of me work that out!
That is fantastic and a really sympathetic restoration. The top pusher on the before picture looks like a real Heath-Robinson affair. Congratulations on the serial number, as well.
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
Is that a Jurgen's strap?
Also, re its provenance - my bet would be on a downed German airman, either at point of capture or bargained away as a PoW
Originally Posted by patnmand
LOL - the crown stem had snapped, hence the movement and the dial had rotated in the case making it look very strange. A replacement crown/stem and button were fitted and everything lined up.
Thanks for the comments on the restoration however the praise needs to go the Andrew Leftly - he did all the heavy lifting.
I most say that the patina in the case is quite lovely - it looks almost like zinc - very 1940.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Well saved, looks great!
"I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"
I get it now - thank you!!
Unlikely as after the war the premises in Schwenningen and Gütenbach were ransacked. Owner Willy Hanhart gets arrested.
The company does have a real continuance because of the dilligent Willy Hanhart. They got through the quartz revolution with great agilty too.
I suggest writing to the company.
This could be interesting................
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3310676075...84.m1436.l2649
As far as I understand, these Glashutte/Hanharts were'nt 'issued' by the Luftwaffe or german air ministry, but bought as personal watches by aircrew. The only watches issued to aircrew were the 55mm B-uhr observation/navigation watch, and they were part of the mission flight equipment and had to be handed in on debrief for regulation on pain of punishment. I also understand that the Glashutte and the Hanhart single and double pusher variants were continued to be made after the war, into the 50's in the old East Germany?
I know of at least one B-uhr that turned up in an auction house box of 'sundries' upside down under a load of old kitchen drawer stuff!!!
Lovely job on yours btw.
Hanhart was located close to the border with France.
The production was restarted in Switzerland in '47 (I think) and relocated in the southwest of Germany again in '49 or so.
Very nice watch indeed. What was the steve mcqueen connection, did he used the watch in a movie?
http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/2011/11...eens-othe.html
To the OP: Thank you for posting this.
It's a fantastic restoration and I hope your friend let's you purchase it!
This is the best kind of thread IMO. Thanks for posting.
That is a fantastic watch and Andrew has done a great job on its restoration as always. I really find these watches intresting and something very special.
I am always captivated by Andrew's amazing watches when I have met him.
I did post about this some on here some while ago but the day after a SWHES where I was admiring Andrew's one button Lemania Chrono's, I was given a bag of old watches by a very good friend who has sadly now passed away.
One of the watches in their was a Lemania HS9 like that I had been admiring the day before.
It was a very lucky and shocking moment.
The watch is still going strong even though it had lived in a drawer for 40 years and it is very special to me.
So they are out there.
A fine piece indeed, and a really nice story!
That's very good restoration work!
Thanks for sharing.
Chye
Totally agree- well saved!!
Wonderful thread & the end result is superb. Surely one to loan to the Imperial War Museum?
I love these watches. Just bought a fantastic Vixa Type 20 which is of course very related to Hanhart. Their 417ES is a very desirable (but unfortunately a bit hyped) piece as well but these WW2 guys are really something. Would love to own one myself one day (but a Tutima would also do of course).
Don't know about the Hanharts, but after the war the Russians took the remaining Tutima parts + equipment to Moscow and produced quite a few Kirova's with the Urofa 59 movement.
Interesting to see where the eBay example goes to. Here's a great reference site for these Tutima's: http://www.glashuetteuhren.de/kalibe...fa/kaliber-59/
What a find.... restored and wearable again.. A great story.
I just wrote that....
It's not very likely that Hanhart equipment has been brought to Eastern Europe as Schwarzwald is in the western part of Germany and therefore wasn't controlled by Russians. But all I meant to say is that I'm just not sure that nothing has ended up over there. I therefore can't confirm your post, but it appears very likely.
GBP 2222,22. I think the buyer may have got a bargain!
That is what I wrote.
It was ransacked by the french.
Following a chat with my mate, and a quick call to the bank, I can now confirm that I am the owner of the earliest known Hanhart Mono Button Cal 40 - IN THE WORLD!!
Now there is rare and there is rare, and then there is something unique.
Next steps will be contact Hanhart to see what they have to say (just in case I am wrong), but looking at the serial number, there were only 19 made before this only so the chances of any of these still existing must be pretty remote. .
Special thanks must go to Andrew Leftley for his work on this. Not only for fixing it, but also for finding all the parts necessary. TOP BLOKE!!
I must say its a real privilege owning something like this, even if it will be very rarely worn.
So this thread is useless with out a picture.
So
1939/40 Hanhart Cal 40
1954 Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
1967 Rolex 5513
1977/8 Rolex 1665 (Rail)
1982 Rolex 16800 (matte)
1999 Panerai PAM002
2010 JLC Deep Sea
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Well done. Very nice catch and a VERY nice collection you have!
Fliegeruhr
Btw., this and the Tutima/Urofa chrono are the REAL Luftwaffe fliegeruhr worn by the fighter pilots. The B-Uhren were worn by the navigators. The third type with a seconds subdial at sir was worn by the flying personel.
All in all a very, VERY proud possession!
great collection you have there too!
Is that a T-dial for the Pam 2?
Really like the Fifty Fathoms!
Fantastic find and great collection.
Very jealous.
Congratulations Andy, that's a fantastic addition to your collection...
Cheers..
Jase
Thats absolutely stunning, I was looking at these just last week , a great catch and great project, there is nothing more rewarding that getting something like that (original pic) and it becoming something like the finished result! Well done that man
Thanks for all your kind words chaps.
alas it's not a T dial Pam 002. This one is from the following year. Purchased new in Scilly in 2001 by yours truly.
The BBFF is serial number 1xxx and dates we think from 54. It's a peach which took 3 years to find and finally purchased from a collector in Paris, who purchased it from Watch-deco, which was owned by one of the greatest experts in BB and who used to run the Watch-Deco website - the bible for BBFF owners. Lovely watch.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Wow, what an amazing job, mate.
Wonderful watch, excellent restoration.
Congrats and thank you very much for the post.
I am jealous!! What a great piece you have there.
Those WWii chronographs are one of my favourite watches.
Enjoy!
Best! Glenn
Very wise to add this one to your (superb) collection. This is absolutely stunning. It doesn't get any better than this.
Enjoy and cherish it!
A head's up for anybody who's interested, there is a re issue on fleabay at the moment..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1939-HANHA...item2a3783e882
Interesting restoration and great watch (at least it looks that way, don't know anything about these)! I'm always very happy to see vintage watches get back to life, I know the feeling from when I saw my vintage watches restored. Thanks for sharing and enjoy!
Posting Permissions
