The One That Got Away - The Pioneer Mk I

From Hanhart -

Courtesy of Hanhart

It has now been just about ten years since I worked (very briefly and very limitedly) with Hanhart. It was an interesting time, new owners, new management, and the attempt to pull what had been up to that time (in fairness) fairly dormant. A lot of money was pumped in, a lot of communication, a lot of effort. In the end, the owners and the managers fell out, the end the owner sold the brand and new management came in.

Actually, I am getting a little ahead of myself. In between, perhaps one of the sharpest operators in the Swiss watch business came in and through a fairly exhaustive audit process helped clean things up so that the brand could be sold to new owners.

Enter the new owners. And in fairness, now several years on it seems that Hanhart is growing in a nice, sane and positive manner. New models have been introduced, with a few limited edition drops selling out completely. It is a far cry from the Hanhart I knew, but in a very positive sense.

But this is the one that got away -

Courtesy of Hanhart

Perhaps more accurate to say that I let it go. But times change, and it is safe to say that I have much fonder feelings for the Hanhart of today ; )

 I can say that it was a great watch to wear, and one that I miss. So for those of you potentially in the market for a true flieger chronograph, you could do a lot worse than the Pioneer Mk I. And at €2,090.00, it is priced very fairly for what you get.

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT
Automatic chronograph movement HAN3601
Base Movement: ETA7753
Mono-pusher conversion
28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz, 27 jewels
Power reserve of min. 42 hours

FUNCTIONS
Small second
30-minute counter

CASE
Stainless steel
Diameter 40 mm, height 15 mm
Large crown and red button
Fluted rotating bezel
Anti-reflective convex sapphire glass
Screwed-down case back
Water-resistant to 10 bar/10 ATM

DIAL
Off-white or black
Super-LumiNova® coated numerals and hands

STRAP
Calfskin or stainless steel