Introducing Hanhart Launches the 417 ES Moby Dick in 39 mm

Long before the “tool watch” became an industrial category, Hanhart was producing mechanical stopwatches that helped democratize precision timing in the 1920s, as well as pilot’s chronographs that set benchmarks for reliability through World War II and beyond. Its early chronograph calibres, born of necessity and engineered for readability under pressure, earned the brand military contracts and a lasting professional reputation.

The 417 ES holds a special place within the brand’s offering. Conceived in the mid-1950s for a range of professional users, the model distilled Hanhart’s technical acumen into a civilian-friendly chronograph that combined military-grade legibility with everyday wearability. Among these releases, rare white-dial configurations emerged for medical and officer use, prized for their contrast and clarity and later earning the nickname “Moby Dick” which among enthusiasts, a nickname that comes from American writer Herman Melville’s novel Moby-Dick, where the white whale represents an obsession, difficult to find, almost mythical, and pursued for years.

In 2024, we saw the return of the 417 ES Moby Dick in a 42 mm case, sharing the same design language as its black-dial counterpart. Today, the brand introduces a smaller and more elegant 39 mm version. It marks the first time the white-dial variant is offered in its original historical case size, restoring the proportions that defined the earliest examples, just like what we saw happen for the black version.

The stainless steel case measures 13.60 mm in thickness, or 11.55 mm without the crystal, preserving a compact and functional profile. Alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces articulate the geometry of the case. The fluted bezel, a long-standing Hanhart signature, rotates smoothly in both directions and features an ivory-colored Super-LumiNova insert in place of the traditional red marking.

At the rear, a screw-down stainless steel caseback secures the movement and bears an individual serial number. Water resistance is rated at 100 meters. An inner soft-iron core provides anti-magnetic protection up to 16,000 A/m, shielding the movement from external magnetic interference and reinforcing the watch’s functional character.

The white dial features a matte surface paired with thermally blued hands, while the ivory-colored Arabic numerals and hand inlays are treated with Super-LumiNova Light Old Radium GL. The bi-compax layout follows the original 417 ES architecture, with small seconds, a 30-minute counter, and central chronograph seconds arranged in a balanced composition.

Powering the watch is the hand-wound Sellita SW510 M chronograph movement. Operating at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4 Hz), it delivers a power reserve of 58 hours and features hacking seconds, allowing the seconds hand to stop when the crown is pulled out for precise time setting. Each movement is regulated at Hanhart’s manufacture in Gütenbach according to the brand’s own standards.

The watch is delivered on a calfskin leather strap with white stitching, secured by a stainless steel pin buckle. A stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp is also available. This model joins Hanhart’s permanent collection, priced at EUR 2,290 (approximately AED 9,900) on a leather strap, or EUR 2,490 (approximately AED 10,750) when paired with the stainless steel bracelet.

For more information or to acquire, visit Waqt’s official E-shop.