Introducing: The Hanhart 417 TI 'Desert Pilot'

What We Know

It might just be the era of the cream, sandy dial. On the heels of Tudor’s launch of its new “Dune White” Tudor Ranger, German brand Hanhart has just launched two new “Desert Pilot” chronographs in its quintessential, historically informed format. Measuring 39mm or 42mm, both 13.60mm thick (11.55 mm without the large domed crystal) and made in a matte grey grade 5 titanium, the watch blends vintage features like its fluted, red-accented bezel (in titanium) and bold, legible dials, with modern reliability, all in a pretty value-packed offering.

Above, you can see how the two watches wear on the wrist; the size difference is notable, but it gives some variety for different wearers. The sandy-toned dial features a black printed, subdivided minute track and black hands filled with sand-colored Super-LumiNova. The black hour numerals also use Super-LumiNova, but Hanhart (to its credit) points out that because of the toning done to the lume, it’s not as strong as standard SLN. 

The watch uses the Sellita AMT5100 M flyback chronograph movement, which also features hacking seconds. Running at 4Hz and with a 58-hour power reserve, this isn’t just your basic Sellita. The movement uses the special Hanhart shock protection system and has been further regulated by Sellita to be 0/+8 seconds a day accuracy, averaged over 6 positions. 

You can see this through the brand’s display caseback, which is held by a titanium caseback ring and individually numbered for each piece in this limited edition run. You can see in the side profile view that the watch doesn’t change in thickness, but rather just gets a bit more compact on the 39mm version.

The watches come on a textured rubber strap with a titanium pin buckle. Each version is limited to 200 numbered pieces and retails for €2,990, including 19% VAT, available on Hanhart’s website.

What We Think

It’s a good week for vintage-inspired chronographs, apparently. Compared to the Benrus Sky Chief announced on Monday (another watch that was historically a pilot chronograph), the two options Hanhart offers here feel like a very solid value at about $500 less (including VAT), with a regulated movement featuring a flyback mechanism. That flyback should be a prerequisite for any pilot chronograph that’s actually used as a mechanical instrument (or backup) in the cockpit, allowing you to more quickly and accurately time your turns when your instruments fail you (and you need to rely on a map and slide rule to navigate).

The softer lume is a bit of a letdown, but with the sand dial and high-contrast hands and printing, I think the watch should be reasonably useful and legible in all but the darkest black situations. I also like that, more than just a light and modern material, the titanium case gives the sense of a more vintage watch made of a more corrosion-prone material like nickel alloys or other materials that preceded true stainless offerings in the 1930s and 1940s. Top-to-bottom, this looks like a very well-considered release.

The Basics

Brand: Hanhart
Model: 417 TI Desert Pilot

Diameter: 39mm or 42mm
Lug-to-Lug: 46mm or 49mm
Thickness: 13.60 mm (11.55 mm without crystal)
Case Material: Matte grade 5 titanium
Dial Color: Sand-colored
Indexes: Black numerals with luminous coating
Lume: Hands and numerals with Super-LumiNova (due to the color of the hands and dial, only weakly luminous)
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap/Bracelet: Rubber strap with structure, Pin buckle made of Grade 5 titanium (20mm lug width on the 39mm model, 21mm on the 42mm model)

The Movement

Caliber: Sellita AMT5100 M
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with 30-minute counter, hacking seconds, and flyback
Power Reserve: 58 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 4Hz
Jewels: 23
Chronometer Certified: No, but Hanhart-regulated to 0/+8 seconds per day, averaged over all positions
Additional Details: Convex sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on the inside; Fluted titanium bezel, continuously rotatable
in both directions with red marking; Screwed titanium case back with sapphire crystal and limited edition number

Pricing & Availability

Price: €2,990 incl. 19% VAT
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: 200 pieces per size

For more, click here.