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Hanhart 417 ES Steve McQueen, a chronograph returning to its roots

Hanhart honours Steve McQueen with a 39 mm 417 ES limited to 300 pieces and inspired by the chronograph he actually wore

The Hanhart 417 ES Steve McQueen combines historic proportions, a manual flyback movement, cuff strap and McQueen signature

With the 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1, Hanhart revisits one of the most recognisable chapters in the history of its chronographs: the connection between the 417 ES and Steve McQueen. Limited to 300 pieces, the new edition retains the 39 mm diameter of the historic model and adds details developed with members of McQueen’s family.

The 417 ES and Steve McQueen

The 417 ES originated in the 1950s as a chronograph developed for pilots of the German Bundeswehr. Hanhart produced the model between 1953 and 1962 and, according to the brand, Steve McQueen owned an example that appears in numerous photographs from 1963 onwards.

Exactly how McQueen acquired his 417 ES has not been conclusively documented. What is clear is that he wore it frequently, both in private life and in settings connected with racing and film.

A 39 mm reinterpretation

The Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 returns to the historical proportions with a 39 mm stainless-steel case measuring 13.3 mm in height including the crystal. The black dial retains the characteristic Hanhart layout with subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock, the historical logo and numerals based on the original typeface.

Steve McQueen’s signature appears discreetly at 6 o’clock. The hands and numerals are coated with Super-LumiNova Light Old Radium GL, creating the visual warmth associated with vintage lume while maintaining modern legibility.

Red as a Hanhart signature

The fluted bezel rotates continuously in both directions and retains the traditional red marker. The chronograph pusher is also red, one of the design details most closely associated with Hanhart chronographs.

The brand has long linked this feature to a story about a pilot’s wife marking the pusher with red nail polish so that he would think of her while flying. Whatever the origin of the story, the red element has become an established part of Hanhart’s visual identity.

A Shell Cordovan cuff strap

The strap also reflects the way McQueen wore his own 417 ES. The limited edition uses a dark-brown Shell Cordovan cuff strap, with a continuous leather section running underneath the case.

The leather is produced by the Italian tannery Comipel using traditional methods. The configuration closely recalls period photographs of McQueen while remaining suitable for contemporary daily wear.

A hand-wound flyback movement

Inside is the manually wound Sellita AMT5100 M, offering flyback operation, small seconds, a 30-minute counter and central chronograph seconds. The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a stated power reserve of 58 hours.

A screwed sapphire caseback reveals the movement and carries the individual XXX/300 limited-edition number. Water resistance is rated to 10 bar.

A presentation box built around the story

Hanhart has also made the presentation set part of the edition itself. The box contains a metal plaque with the individual limited number and a hidden compartment holding a bottle of red nail polish, referencing the long-standing story behind the red chronograph pusher.

The limited-edition card is styled after Steve McQueen’s 1964 international FIM racing licence. It carries the genuine signatures of his grandchildren Chase and Madison McQueen, who were involved in the development of the edition, together with the signature of the Hanhart watchmaker responsible for assembling the chronograph.

A tribute based on a watch he actually wore

The Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 does more than add a famous name to the dial. Its starting point is a watch McQueen genuinely owned and wore repeatedly, with extensive photographic documentation of that connection.

For Hanhart, the result is therefore a reinterpretation combining the history of the 417 ES, the proportions of the original and a documented association with one of its best-known wearers. Production is limited to 300 pieces, with availability indicated by the brand from November 2026.

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Hanhart, Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1

02 October 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
Hanhart 417 ES Steve McQueen, a chronograph returning to its roots
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