The Rallychron

From Ollech & Wajs -

Courtesy of Ollech & Wajs

Editor's Note - James Henderson is the North American Representative for Ollech & Wajs.

This is the latest offering from Ollech & Wajs - the Rallychron.

Courtesy of Ollech & Wajs

This new chronograph is of stainless steel, measuring 39.5 mm in diameter.

The movement is Valjoux's 7753 automatic. 

As I am the North American representative, I am providing you with the facts straight from Geneva, no added commentary from yours' truly ; )

The OW Rallychron is a love letter to the golden era of motor racing and the legendary circuits that bore witness to the most memorable moments in the sport’s history. One of the defining features of this era was the sheer diversity of racing circuits and the challenges they presented. From the fast and flowing tracks like Monza and Spa-Francorchamps to the tight and twisty streets of Monaco, each circuit demanded different skills from drivers and teams. The bezel of the Rallychron features hypothetical historic ‘perfect lap’ times for 11 of the world’s most iconic race tracks. It also bares the characteristics of Ollech & Wajs classic competition chronographs and rally timers from the 60s and 70s.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Dimensions

39.5 mm × 15.3 mm

Case

Brushed 316L stainless steel heritage-type chronograph case, screwed back, screw-down crown, twin pushers with 4 gaskets

Date adjusted by special diving pusher at 10 o’clock

Bezel

Black PVD-coated rotating, unidirectional bezel with 11 perfect lap times and tachymetric scale

Crystal

Sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment

Dial

Chequered baton hands with white Super-LumiNova®

Seconds register, 30-minute timer and 12-hour totaliser

Both the main chronograph hand and 30-minute timer hand are tipped with Orange Super-LumiNova®, for maximum visibility.

Water resistance

300 m / 30ATM

Movement

Automatic Valjoux 7753 chronograph OW PRECISION 5, position adjusted, 27 jewels

28,800 bph, with a power reserve of +/- 54 hours

Mainplate: engraved Ollech & Wajs Zurich 1956 and OW-machined rotor

Strap

20 mm black leather racing-style strap, with natural tan underside, handmade in Italy and finished in Switzerland; with a brushed stainless steel thorn buckle, signed ‘OWZ 1956’

M-Heritage bracelet (optional)

20 mm medium gauge, stainless steel mesh bracelet, hand-brushed, reinforced ends, with an OW-engraved thorn buckle

Origin

Handmade in the Swiss Jura

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

PIONEERS! O PIONEERS!

O you youths, Western youths,

So impatient, full of action, full of manly pride and friendship,

Plain I see you Western youths, see you tramping with the fore-
most,

Pioneers! O pioneers!  Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

                                                                                    Courtesy of Hanhart

If I have a favorite "pilot's watch" it is a bit of a contrary choice - go figure. The current version of the TachyTele came out in the Morf era when Hanhart was still living in two countries across the border from each other with the watches coming out of the Swiss side (at least that "division"), and the stop watches coming out of Germany.

At that time, and still today, this one is my favorite. It is true to the ideas of a Hanhart chronograph with the bi-compax layout, the fluted bezel and of course the red push piece.

But more than that, the white dial with red indices is what does it for me.  Like I said, contrary to the norms.

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter. The movement is the 7753.

Should you be so inclined, here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT

• Automatic chronograph movement HAN3703
• Basis: ETA7753
• Asymmetrical button arrangement
• 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz, 27 jewels
• Power reserve of min. 42 hours

FUNCTIONS

• Small second
• 30-minute counter
• Tachymeter & telemeter-scale

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

The PIONEER Mk II 80 Jahre Jubilaeum

From Hanhart -

Courtesy of Hanhart

You don't turn 80 every day, so it's nice to have something a little special to help mark the occasion.  And curious to relate, I do feel I have a little personal history wrapped up in Hanhart. Way back in in 2011 Hanhart handed the car keys to Thomas Morf, who in turn tapped a former favorite from his days at Bucherer. I was approached to do some media/marketing work and helped set-up a retail location in Santa Barbara.  We rolled into 2012 and by the turn of the year, Morf was out, his former friends began to look for pastures greener.

New owners came in.  Potential suitors for North America were vetted (myself and a former colleague among them), and in the end they went with the "not-so" media active folks at Watch Buys.  Which if you live in North America, explains why you don't get too much press about them. 

But let's see if we can remedy that a bit ; )

Courtesy of Hanhart

To celebrate 80 years of the Mk II, Hanhart are releasing the Pioneer Mk II 80 Jubilaem, and this one's a bit special.

Courtesy of Hanhart

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter. The movement is the 7753. This is currently a pre-order item and is slated to ship in February of 2021. 

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT

• Automatic chronograph movement ETA7753
  (decorated movement with blue colored screws and Hanhart rotor)
• Asymmetrical button arrangement
• 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz, 27 jewels
• Power reserve of min. 42 hours

FUNCTIONS

• Small second
• 30-minute counter
• Bicompax Chronograph with central stop-second

CASE

• Stainless steel, matt sandblasted
• Diameter 40 mm, height 14,8 mm
• Large crown and red button
• Fluted rotating bezel, continuously rotatable, with red marking
• Anti-reflective convex sapphire glass
• Screwed-down sapphire glass case back
• Engraving of the limitation number
• Water resistant to 10 bar/10 ATM

DIAL

• Green, bicompax layout
• Super-LumiNova® coated numerals and hands

STRAP

• Green canvas strap with Alcantara on the inside
• Lug width 20 mm
• Matt sandblasted pin-buckle