Hanhart 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1: The One He Chose
Some watches tell the time, with others become part of a story, however, few watches have a connection to a personality as compelling as the Hanhart 417 ES and Steve McQueen.
Away from the cameras, McQueen was rarely separated from his passion for cars, motorcycles and competition. Whether racing through the Mexican desert, riding across the Thuringian Forest or simply going about his private life, photographs repeatedly show the same watch on his wrist. A Hanhart 417 ES.
Now Hanhart celebrates that remarkable association with the first official Steve McQueen edition of the 417 ES. Limited to just 300 pieces worldwide, the new timepiece remains remarkably faithful to the proportions and character of the historical watch, while incorporating contemporary materials and a modern mechanical movement.
At 39 mm, the stainless steel case deliberately retains the dimensions of the original. Its highly domed sapphire crystal gives the watch considerable presence without making it feel oversized, while the combination of brushed and polished surfaces preserves the purposeful character for which the 417 ES has become known.
The black dial is similarly restrained. Steve McQueen’s signature appears discreetly beneath the historical Hanhart logo, while the hands and numerals are treated with Super-LumiNova in Light Old Radium, giving the watch the warm appearance of an aged vintage timepiece. The fluted bidirectional bezel and unmistakable red chronograph pusher complete the design.
The red pusher has become one of Hanhart’s most recognisable details. Legend has it that a pilot’s wife painted the pusher of her husband’s Hanhart with red nail polish so that he would think of her whenever he looked at the watch and return safely home. There was also a more practical reason for the colour, making it immediately obvious and helping prevent accidental operation of the chronograph.
For McQueen, however, the 417 ES was more than an instrument designed for the cockpit. It became part of his life away from the screen.
The Racer
Steve McQueen’s reputation as the ultimate Hollywood antihero was established through films including The Great Escape and Bullitt. Yet his fascination with speed was no cinematic invention.
In 1964 he competed for the first official US team at the International Six Days Trial in Erfurt, riding through the forests of what was then East Germany. His Triumph had been modified for the demanding six-day event, and McQueen competed under his favourite race number, 278.
At motorcycle events he sometimes entered under the name Harvey Mushman, a pseudonym that helped him avoid the attention of film producers who attempted to restrict his racing activities. But there was little doubt among those watching who was behind the helmet.
It was during this period that the Hanhart 417 ES became such a familiar part of McQueen’s racing image. Numerous photographs record him wearing the watch, establishing a connection that has endured for more than six decades.
The historical 417 ES itself was created during the mid-1950s as a pilot’s chronograph for the German Bundeswehr. Its design was dictated by function, with robustness, reliability and legibility taking precedence over decoration. The ES designation refers to Edelstahl, the German word for stainless steel. The new edition carries those principles into the present.
A Modern Interpretation
Inside the 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 is Hanhart’s hand-wound AMT5100 M movement. The calibre provides a flyback function, allowing the chronograph to be reset and immediately restarted with a single press of the pusher.
There is also hacking seconds and a minimum power reserve of 58 hours, while the movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour. Water resistance has been increased to 10 bar, making the modern watch considerably more practical for everyday wear than its historical predecessor.
Through the sapphire exhibition case back, the movement can be seen at work, offering a contemporary contrast to the unmistakably vintage character of the dial and case.
Hanhart also applies its own accuracy standard to every movement, with each one tested and regulated at the manufacture in Gütenbach. The stated daily rate deviation is between 0 and +8 seconds when averaged across six positions.
The Strap McQueen Wore
Perhaps the most personal detail is found beneath the case. Historical photographs show McQueen wearing his 417 ES on a dark brown cuff strap, with the leather passing underneath the watch as one continuous piece. Hanhart has recreated the arrangement for the new edition using Shell Cordovan from the Italian tannery Comipel.
Known for its dense fibres, smooth surface and durability, Shell Cordovan is traditionally vegetable-tanned and develops a distinctive natural lustre. It provides an appropriately tactile connection with the original watch while giving the modern edition its own character.
The watch is supplied with a historical-style pin buckle bearing the Hanhart logo, while additional 20 mm straps are available, including black, dark brown and light brown leather options and a new-generation steel bracelet with tool-free micro-adjustment.
A Family Connection
The McQueen connection extends beyond the watch itself. His grandchildren, Chase and Madison McQueen, were involved in shaping the edition. They proposed the inclusion of their grandfather’s signature on the dial and approved its use, while also signing the limited-edition card that accompanies each watch.
That card takes its inspiration from McQueen’s 1964 international FIM racing licence, a fitting reference to the period in which his association with the 417 ES became so closely documented. The presentation box also contains a numbered plaque, booklet and a small bottle of red nail polish, a playful reference to the story behind Hanhart’s famous red pusher.
It is an unusually personal approach to a modern limited edition, with details that connect the watch not simply to a famous name but to specific moments in McQueen’s life.
The King of Cool
Steve McQueen never appeared to need to try too hard to create an image. His acting was famously restrained, relying on expressions, posture and pauses rather than excessive dialogue. Away from Hollywood, his interests were similarly authentic.
He raced because he wanted to race. He rode motorcycles because he loved motorcycles. And he wore the Hanhart 417 ES because it was a watch that suited the life he was living.
That makes the new 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 more interesting than a straightforward celebrity tribute. Its significance comes from a genuine historical association between a man and a watch, one that was captured repeatedly on film long before the idea of a dedicated edition existed.
The result is a watch that combines the proportions and unmistakable character of a mid-century military chronograph with a distinctly modern mechanical heart.
Limited to just 300 pieces, the Hanhart 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 is, in the simplest terms, the watch he chose.
Technical Specifications:
CASE
Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 13.30 mm (11.55 mm excl. crystal)
Lug-to-lug: 46 mm
Red pusher in HyCeram®
Material
Brushed / polished stainless steel
Bezel
Fluted bezel with red insert
Bidirectional, click-free
Caseback
Screw-down caseback with sapphire crystal (AR-coated inside)
Limitation number XXX/300
Crown
Crown with historical “h”
Crystal
Convex, double-sided AR-coated sapphire crystal
Highly domed sapphire
Water resistance
10 bar/10 ATM per DIN 8310
DIAL & HANDS
Historical Hanhart logo
Steve McQueen’s signature on the black dial
Minute hand and seconds hand with tips curved down to prevent parallax errors
Super-LumiNova® Light Old Radium GL coated numerals and hands
STRAP
Dark brown Shell Cordovan leather strap with pad
Pin buckle with historical logo
Lug width: 20 mm
PRICE AND LIMITATION
EUR 2,890.00 incl. 19% VAT
Limited to 300 pieces worldwide
MOVEMENT
Base
Sellita AMT5100 M
Hand-wound
Power reserve
Min. 58 hours
Frequency
28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Jewels
23
Functions
Flyback
Small seconds
30-minute counter
Central chronograph seconds
Hacking seconds
Rate accuracy
Hanhart regulation: 0 to +8 seconds per day, averaged over all positions
For more information please visit Hanhart