Reply With QuoteA truly excellent post, thank you so much for sharing. And the watch is rather stunning too!
Image: Hanhart.com
In spite of the onset of arthritis, failing eyesight and your teeth falling out, getting older can have its compensations. A few years ago I was very fortunate to be able to take early retirement. Next month I’ll be an old gimp, officially, according to the government, and so qualify to share in the interesting sounds and smells of public transport, for free, with all the other poor people. Both these milestones have tended to focus what remains of the geriatric grey matter (though I wouldn’t surprise me if it’s now beige). Anyway, one balmy summer’s evening not too long ago, I wandered into the garden, gin and tonic in hand, for a spot of quiet contemplation. To the soundtrack of kamikaze bluebottles, neighbours screaming kids and random thunderous garden machinery, (it was like trying to relax in the pit lane at a Grand Prix), I began to ponder that hoary old chestnut - whether there is one watch that I’d be happy to wear until I croak, which hopefully won’t be for a few years yet. I thought, at this point in my life, given that I’ve made it this far, it might be an interesting problem to mull over. Turns out it was about as much fun as perusing an ancient copy of The Economist while waiting for root canal surgery the dentist's waiting room.
Within reason, money wasn’t particularly an issue for something so significant but every other watch (other than diver’s) these days seems to be a variation on the theme of stick indices and stick or dauphine hands. Or else designed by committee to appeal (so they think) to the most buyers possible usually by including a date window that spoils an otherwise nicely done dial. Naturally, I could list many more equally obvious and odious crimes. And let’s not forget about buyer’s remorse, lurking in the shadows for those who are naive enough to imagine that they can overlook that one little thing, whatever it may be. It can all become a bit dismal.
And another thing. It’s been creeping up on me for a while like the grim reaper, but I seem to have become a bit weary with watches. A brief acquaintance with TZ-UK, or any watch forum, would have you believe that there are really only a handful worthy of consideration for those with plenty of cash on the hip and an itch to spend it. You know which they are. Frankly, I find them all a bit old hat. No, let’s be honest, they’re really very boring. Popular, yes and certainly expensive, they're the go-to, ultra-safe choices. Nothing wrong with that, but they became clichés years ago, prosaic victims of their own success. Not for me, I’m afraid. I have no doubt there’ll be people in brogues choking on their single malts at the very idea.
At heart I’ve always been a one watch guy. My undoing is that I’m just too finicky. The list of elements I don’t like for one reason or another is so embarrassingly long it’s a wonder I’ve bought any watches at all. Pondering the extent of what’s available that might prompt a second look was pretty thin gruel. Although prepared to spend as much as my budget will allow, I’m really not that interested in spending my hard-earned pension on any specific brand. I'm not partisan. I wanted something that really resonates, has the elusive quality of ‘rightness’, and that satisfies the inner geek after almost a lifetime of horological farting about.
Still, it’s not all a gnashing of teeth and a wringing of hands. I love vintage watches. And military watches. So, vintage military watches are where it’s at, man. In another life, with plenty of disposable funds and much more patience, I’d be trawling round the auction houses (amongst other things, naturally). Although I’m a CWC fan, my preference is mainly modern reissues, or homages to, military watches from the 30s to the 50s. They’re generally as well, if not better built, and these days certainly cheaper (I am a Yorkshireman) even though they don’t have the cachet of the originals. Not having to worry about water resistance or finding a sympathetic watchmaker are further plusses. Two all time favourites are the Omega 53 (both versions with a slight preference for the thin arrow) and the 6B/159. Consequently, the Precista PRS-53 and the Smiths Air Ministry remain my most worn watches. They’re also two of the reasons that Eddie deserves a knighthood. Along with the Newmark 52 I could happily wear these until I begin involuntarily dribbling down my shirt. And yet there is another that I’ve been lusting after for many years - the Hanhart Pioneer MKI. Always very firmly at the top of my ‘some day’ list, I realised with a some queasiness (it was not the gin) that when reaching a certain vintage myself, there aren't that many days left, and that ‘some day’ if it ever comes, is today (or the other week if we’re being pedantic). Should have got one years ago.
Everybody is eternally grateful for the genius of Gutenberg, Bach, and Einstein. But if you fancy a hot dog and a lager before sticking in your ear-plugs and nipping upstairs with your old lady, you can give another nod of thanks to German innovation (1). There is even a company that can do German engineering on your hair, if you’ve got any. German ingenuity is based on very considerable technical expertise, which means even small firms can become market leaders in very narrow segments. It surprised me to learn that 80% of Germany's GDP comes from family businesses (2). Of course, this extensive originality includes horology. Especially horology. Hanhart is a significant example, famous since the 1920s for its superb stopwatches. Based in Gütenbach in the Black Forest they are a company with a long, unbroken history, apart from a short spell after the war. The first Hanhart chronograph, the single-button Calibre 40, began production in 1938 and the Pioneer MKI is a very faithful reissue with just a few tweaks to bring it up to date . The Calibre 41 (standard 2-button layout) and Tachy Tele pilot's chronographs – with a red painted button - followed in 1939.
Calibre 40 - Image: Dreamwatch Uhrenhandel (Chrono 24)
Calibre 40 with missing pusher and Calibre 41 - Image: Monochrome Watches
The Legend Of The Red Button
“He placed a kiss lovingly on her brow as she slept before quietly leaving the apartment. As he looked at his Hanhart watch in the hangar, a smile flitted over his lips: she had painted the button with her red nail varnish so that he would think of her always and return safe and sound … This is the legend behind the red button – the distinctive trademark that has characterized Hanhart since the company first introduced its chronographs in 1938. The button has been painted, in particular to prevent pilots from unintentionally zeroing the stop time.” – from Hanhart.com
Personally, I really don’t care whether this is a load of old codswallop or not. It’s a delightful story and a lot more romantic and entertaining than crash landing in France or other such tosh that passes for watch marketing. Anyway, these days the pusher cap and the bezel marker are ceramic.
Vintage watches were made in a time when a watch was an essential piece of kit. They were unobtrusive, unpretentious and above all, functional. The Calibre 40 is a good example. The start/stop/reset button was placed slightly anticlockwise of the 2 o’clock position to make hand-winding and use of the crown and pusher hassle free, especially when wearing gloves. Consequently, The Pioneer MKI wears its crown with regal majesty. It is of the proper, serious, sort and thereby magnificent. None of your grudging, fiddly excuses for a crown here, danke sehr.
The Pioneer MKI uses the Hanhart HAN 3601 movement (ETA/Valjoux 7753 based) converted to a mono-pusher and modified to move the button to the correct position as per the Calibre 40. In all other respects, too, the MKI is a very convincing effort and much credit is due to Hanhart for resisting the temptation to mess about with it. If you ask me, there’s too much fiddling around with stuff going on these days. Perhaps this is a good place to mention that all Hanhart’s stopwatch movements are in-house, and they’ve been making them for almost a hundred years. And yes, there is still a significant market for mechanical stopwatches.
The case is subtly voluptuous. I mean, look at the curves and the way the lugs evolve from the mid-case. They just seem to organically grow out of it. If it was female it would be Jessica Rabbit. It’s also gratifying to see a nicely etched, solid case back. I’m as firm an admirer of horological engineering as much as the next chap but see-through case backs are good for about half a minute after getting your first Seiko 5. After that, I’ve never understood the point, unless you’re ten and easily amused. Then again, I understand there are people who do rock-balancing or who argue with one anther online.
I’ve always sung the praises of cathedral hands and on the MKI they are a hymn to joyfulness. Most definitely not the often seen parish church hands masquerading as something they’re not, like a padded bra. They’re the correct length and width, unpolished and gratifyingly canonical. It’s worth noting that the tip of the minute hand and chrono seconds hand are curved slightly towards the dial minimising parallax error. Nice.
Another of my pet peeves (I have a lot of these) is sub-dials that cut into the hour numerals. Brings me out in a rash. No such dog’s breakfast here. In fact, the dial is perhaps the main attraction that initially drew me to the MKI. Like the Calibre 40, everything is in wonderful balance and proportion, from the size and spacing of the hour numerals to the placement of the registers. This is real geek territory, but when it works, as it does here, you look at your watch for the time in the morning and you miss your lunch because you have no idea what the hell the time is, and what’s more, you don’t care.
With anything in life that has to do with positive emotion, I really don’t think it’s an altogether rational choice. You just fall in love with something - music, a hobby, your dog, and even, if you’re really unlucky, somebody else’s wife. Considering how many watches I’ve seen during the long span of this bonkers ‘hobby’, both modern and vintage, the Pioneer MKI is one of the most exceptional. Every morning is a struggle. After getting dressed and reaching for my watch, I find that I’m standing in my shorts. It consistently blows my trousers off.
Specs:
Stainless steel
Case diameter: 40mm
Lug width: 20mm
Lug tip to lug tip length: 49mm
Height: 15mm
Screw case back
Fluted bi-directional friction bezel with ceramic marker
Superluminova C3 on hands and numerals
Matt dial
Sapphire crystal with AR coating on the inside
Water resistance: 10 bar/10 ATM
Automatic chronograph movement HAN3601
Basis: ETA7753 with mono-pusher conversion
Notes:
(1) Ear plugs invented by Max Negwer (Ohropax), 1907. Combined oral contraceptive pill by Schering AG, 1961. Modern condom invented by Julius Fromm, 1912. Patented in 1916 (I’m guessing it took him 4 years to do the testing. Very thorough, the Germans).
(2) Why The Germans Do It Better: Notes from a Grown-Up Country – John Kampfner (Penguin, 2021) p.181
Thanks to:
Felix Wallner, Hanhart CEO. Answered my query (about the AR) very quickly and comprehensively.
Neil Wood at Chronomaster (Hanhart AD)
Last edited by Geralt; 28th August 2021 at 21:29.
A truly excellent post, thank you so much for sharing. And the watch is rather stunning too!
Inspired post. I’ve had a few Hanhart and Tutima chronographs during my time here. After reading this I regret moving them on.
Surely a Classic Post, superb sir! Many Likes Comments Subscribes Retweets and Shares, whatever they are, from me
Top post …..I now want a Hanhart .
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A post that reminds me what this forum is, and should be, all about. Simply superb.
Thank you for such an informative and funny read.
Agreed. Cracking watch as well!Originally Posted by RLE
A wonderful post which made me smile, thank you!
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Great post and a very nice watch , thanks for posting .
Perfect post for a Sunday morning. Had me chuckling into my coffee.
Beautiful watch too, never a brand that have been on my radar but that’s a cracker.
Fabulous post and a fabulous watch!
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A very entertaining post about a great watch.
An original Hanhart is on my list of watches I am ‘hunting down’
My father has one of the hand wound single button reissues and it a lovely watch, very well made.
I am now googling originals… damn this forum cost me money…
Last edited by Sinnlover; 29th August 2021 at 13:24.
Great post and very entertaining. I have a huge soft spot for Hanhart chronos. The original famous Type 20 were basically Hanhart... The only reason I have never owned a Hanhart chrono was because I could never decide between the monopusher (more pure) and the assymetric two-pusher arrangement (more distinctive).
It is wonderful seeing them becoming leaders in authenticity coupled with honest value. Today I would also chose Hanhart over lets say something by IWC.
Great choice. It takes experience.
Great, lovely little post apart from some tongue in cheek broad swipes.
Hanhart would not be my choice for riding into the sunset but there is no denying that it is a bold, esoteric choice. And their horological credentials cannot be denied.
Thanks for taking the time and writing so eloquently.
Briliant!
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A fine post, enjoy your mono-pusher and your retirement. Hanhart makes superb watches. One of mine might distress you due to the cut numerals but I don't mind them; I find it a quite handsome watch. An original 417ES is a dream for me, perhaps I can find one when I retire.
Last edited by Saxon007; 29th August 2021 at 15:42.
Many thanks to all for the kind words. The first sentence of my post came to me unbidden, funnily enough while having a G&T. Can’t decide whether to lay off it or buy a few more bottles and write a novel...
You're right. From what I can discover, Hanhart were in the French sector post WWII and they made them manufacture Type 20s for the French Air Force. Shame that Hanhart history is scattered all over the Web. A visit to the museum in Gütenbach is on my bucket list...
Thank you. My distress is somewhat lessened with Hanharts. Congrats, that's a great collection. I am slightly less green with envy than I would've been a month ago!
What a thoroughly entertaining post - thank you for sharing. Your passion for watches comes through the text and was immensely relatable. Enjoy that Hanhart!
T.G.
The Vixa type 20, supplied in 1954 to the French Armée de l'air, was the only one equipped with a movement that was derived from a calibre 41 supplied by Hanshart as part of war damages payments.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
That was a great read and the hanhart is a cracking watch.
Great story, well told, about a lovely watch. Thanks for sharing
I enjoyed that. Thank you.
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Best post I have ever read on here. Write that novel!
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Thats how a post should be done! Congratulations on finding your one watch, I hope you enjoy it for many years to come, I love it for many of the reasons you do.
Cheers..
Jase
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