The Transfer Window Opens Again at Hanhart

Okay, a brief editorial prior to the press release from Hanhart. 
While it is good to see that someone with real watch industry experience is taking the helm, the sudden about face to attend BaselWorld after announcing that they would not be there is the latest in a puzzling period for Hanhart. 

It would seem that the latest game of musical chairs has ended, and there are new people in different seats.

To be very clear to one and all, I personally wish Mr. Edöcs and his new team the best of success.  I do however hope that the new team will show the same care and attention to Hanhart's customers and fans that Thomas Morf's team did during his/their tenure - as the "interim team" showed about as much warmth as the press release below.

This is Hanhart's chance to try and get back on track, let's hope that they can.


Jan Edöcs takes over operational management at Hanhart


Starting immediately Jan Edöcs will assume responsibility for operations at Hanhart. He
will also continue to be a senior partner at the business and financial consulting group
Consalve AG, whose services Hanhart already employed in the past. The 42-year-old
Edöcs has more than 20 years' experience in the watch industry (Omega, Swatch Ltd.,
Versace, Milus International SA) and has proven experience in business management.

Ronald Grob, previously interim CEO, will continue in future as a consultant at Hanhart.
Production in Gütenbach will continue to be led by Klaus Eble, who has more than 40
years of service with Hanhart and is regarded as an expert in the production of precision
timepieces.

Hanhart will be taking part at BASELWORLD 2013 (25.04. – 02.05.), presenting its new
products at hall 2.0, booth E15.
The tradition-rich Hanhart brand was founded in 1882. The company is renowned for
the production of functional instrument watches for use on land, sea and in the air.
Since 2010 Hanhart is belonging to the Gaydoul Group.

The Watch Industry and the Transfer Window - Hanhart

Alas it seems as if the rumors swirling around Hanhart appear to be true.  Thomas Morf has left Hanhart and the brand is now being led by Ronald Grob who is acting as the Interim CEO.  Again, while this rumor has been in motion for quite some time, I wanted to be sure of the details, and this morning received word from the Head of Communication & PR for the Gaydoul Group, which is the holding company that owns the majority shares of Hanhart.

So with the absence of Hanhart at this year's BaselWorld, and closer to home most likely not attending SWISS Watch JCK in Las Vegas in June (anyone with more definitive info on that please feel free to let me know!), it becomes a question as to how Hanhart will move forward from here.  On the one hand it would seem that at least one key person remains on board - Klaus Eble, a 40 year Hanhart veteran will be responsible for the production side.  But to be very honest, I am not sure if things really can be the same.  In the past, Hanhart had some interesting watches, and a rich (if not well publicized) history.  I think of it a lot like Wonka's chocolate factory.  It was there, but until Willy Wonka revealed himself, and the factory, it hadn't really come to life.

Enter Thomas Morf in 2010 and suddenly there was interest, there were things to talk about!  New products started to appear, and slowly but surely, more and more people became aware of Hanhart.  Two of the most anticipated releases are yet to arrive - the Desert Pilot and the Racemaster.  I guess for me, it just seems somehow unfinished.  My sincere hope is that Hanhart, and I guess more appropriately the Gaydoul Group will find a way to get things settled, and hopefully not completely lose the momentum gained in the past 24 months.  Thomas Morf was a champion of the brand, and that kind of enthusiasm, vision and charisma you don't always find in one person.

I myself do not want to see Hanhart disappear, and by that, I mean return to the quite, anonymous little brand that it was not so long ago.  I know and accept that I am a hopeless romantic, and my sincere hope is that there is at least one more "twist in the tale" so that for those of us Hanhart fans out there, there will be a happy ending.

It's hard not to be romantic about watches.

Catching up with Thomas Morf and Hanhart

Courtesy of Hanhart

Thomas Morf was kind enough to get me caught up on the latest developments at Hanhart -

Courtesy of Hanhart

James Henderson - The development of the new Pioneer Racemaster has created quite a buzz.  Is this going to be a "one-off" or do you see it evolving into more of a unique (and permanent) member of the Hanhart family?

Thomas Morf - The Pioneer Racemaster indeed has raised great interest amongst the trade and consumers.  It's a thoroughbred Racing Chronograph and it features vintage racing elements and different chronograph functions that are so typical Hanhart. 

Courtesy of Hanhart

The ultra cool thing beside a great design and nice functions is the HDS Pro steel case, which makes it 3 times harder, 100 times more scratch resistant and 100% nickel free.  The Pioneer Racemaster is a new member within our Pioneer collection and will be enhanced with other functions in the years to come. 

Courtesy of Hanhart

Currently we have 3 different models the Racemaster GT, the Racemaster GTM and the Racemaster GTF.  My all time favorite line........

JH - With North America now open, where do you see the next market developments for Hanhart?

TM - Since Hanhart is a small watch brand, our funds to expand in every market are too limited.  We're focusing strongly in the markets, where we're currently active and successful. The US market is part of that strategy too, since our utilitarian approach is very well understood and liked.  If good market opportunities come up, we definitely look into it.

JH - What has been the "hottest" Hanhart model this past year? 

TM - It's always the one we can't deliver, since these models were presented in the spring (Pioneer Stealth 1882 or Primus Desert Pilot) 

Courtesy of Hanhart

or the Pioneer Racemaster presented in autumn.  In our regular collection it's our classic line up with the 40mm Chronographs and the Primus Racer. 

JH - Who is the current Hanhart customer?

TM - The typical Hanhart customer is the one who owns iconic timepieces already and he likes all the things big boys like.  Aviation, racing, boating and water sports. He then wants something new, but with history and coolness, no artificially created stuff.  Then, Hanhart comes into that relevant set of brands.

JH - Your third BaselWorld with Hanhart is coming this April, how have things changed in the past three years?  What are some of the highlights?

TM - A lot: We've changed the strategy without going different direction.  Hanhart has a great history and legitimacy in the field of utilitarian instrument watches.  That's what we still do today, but much more strategic. 

Our organisation had to undergo a re-engineering process.  More professionalism went into the whole organisation.  From creation, engineering, production, marketing sales and service. Everything had to go to the next level.  There is no specific highlight but the one, that Hanhart has now all the ingredients to conquer the world.  We're ready for the challenge.

Step-monsters and pocket watches

So I need to start this post off by acknowledging that there are MANY kind, loving and wonderful people out there who are step-parents. In these cases, to be clear, the title is a misnomer. They treat their "step-children" like their own. They are supportive and caring - pretty much everything that you would want and hope for from a parent.  So for all of your "SUPER STEP-PARENTS" out there - keep on keeping on, and this story is not about you!

Because somewhere between the wicked step-mother in Snow White, and her polar opposite Mike and Carol Brady (for you non-US/non atomic-aged readers out there, google "The Brady Bunch" Television show for more details) is where most step parents are.  For my part, my sisters and I got a bit of a lemon.  Without putting you to sleep with the details, the short form is:  Great Grandfather's pocket watch promised to - well me of course!  Father makes this clear, Step-Mother is aware, father "strokes out" suddenly, leaving entire estate to Step-Mother.  Step-Mother becomes incommunicado, and refuses to part with the watch - i.e. I will not be seeing that watch in this lifetime.

So a pocket watch took on a nearly talismanic quality to me.  It began to really gnaw away at me, creeping into my waking thoughts on an increasingly daily basis.  This was really made clear to me on my last visit to BaselWorld and my stay in Lucerne.  Walking past (what I believe) is the Bucherer flagship store.

For many folks out there, Bucherer is the Tiffany of Switzerland.  A place where family heirlooms are purchased, engraved,  and brought for future servicing, etc.  It has a certain constancy to it, lending a very solid feeling.  Having met the current CEO Sascha Moeri at the SWISS Watch show in Las Vegas this past June, I can say that this feeling is alive and well.  Both Mr. Moeri and his predecessor Thomas Morf have been truly dedicated stewards of the Bucherer tradition.

So to me it seemed only logical, that perhaps it was time to start a new family tradition for the Henkis, and Bucherer seemed the right watch to find.  And thanks to my friend in Cyprus - Andreas S. Gregoriades, this beautifully simple Bucherer pocket watch will now mark time for me and later for one of my nephews or nieces.


So for all of you step-parents out there - if you're half-assing it, do a better job.  And for you step-children, try to be understanding and patient.  Not to get all spiritual on you this early in the day, but  keep in mind that nothing lasts forever - be it a person, or a watch.  We are all passing through time.  Just try to make the most of it.

Hanhart arrives in the US!

Thomas Morf, Anthony Siragusa, Tobias Bamert

Hanhart is here!  For all of you out there constantly asking - when will Hanhart be available in the US?  Well the wait is over!  Anthony Siragusa has been tapped to introduce the brand here.  A veteran of the watch industry with a proven track record, Hanhart is clearly in good hands.

I had a chance to catch up with Thomas Morf, Hanhart's Head of Sales Tobias Bamert, and Anthony this past weekend at the JCK SWISS Watch show.  A few truly great retail partners have already come on board, and an exciting Hanhart event is scheduled for the coming weeks - stay tuned!

www.hanhart.com

Catching up with Thomas Morf and Hanhart

James Henderson - Congratulations on another successful BaselWorld - what were some of the highlights to come out of the 2012 edition?

Thomas Morf - Well, everything we’ve presented was received extremly well. Starting from our revamped booth with all the decoration what Hanhart is all about, to the product novelties and the markets which show interest in the brand.  Now we need to follow up.

JH -  With the launch of the PRIMUS Dessert Pilot, it would seem that the rumors of the PRIMUS collection going away might be unfounded?

Courtesy of Hanhart

TM - The Primus line, although some hard core Hanhart fans see it different, is attracting many people due to its different design. So we’ve decided to present the Primus Desert Pilot. The feedback was phenomenal. Very cool……………..

JH - Obviously the Pioneer Stealth 1882 Limited Edition is an important piece for this anniversary year, but what are are one or two of the other interesting new models that people should know about?

TM - Well the Pioneer MonoScope single push button chronograph with the subdials on the outer edge, or the Pioneer Preventor9, a 3 hand model that’s based on a classic Hanhart with the small second at nine.

Courtesy of Hanhart

JH - Another piece of possible news - I heard that there might be a new distribution partner for North America?

TM - Yes, this is true, we’ve decided to work with a well known expert in the American market and we will be debuting Hanhart together with our new partner at Swiss watch by JCK. We already have very good appointments with retailers from across the country.

JH - And any truth to the buzz about a refurbished Hanhart Museum/Manufacture?  Anything you can share with us?

TM - The manufacturing side and a museum of a watch brand today is a very important thing.  It gives a brand legitimacy and credibility  That’s one of the reasons why we’re investing in our infrastructure and to improve the quality of our products with state of the art machinery, tools and processes.

Hanhart at BaselWorld

I will have a lot more about Hanhart at BaselWorld, but I wanted to share three of my favorites -

This is Hanhart's new time only model, the PIONEER Preventor9.  
This is a self-winding model positioned to be an entry level piece.  Here are the details:


Technical details

Movement:

HAN4112 automatic movement with module, based on the Sellita SW200 calibre; 28‘800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz; 30 jewels; rotor with skeletonised Hanhart logo; power reserve of min. 38 hours

Functions:

Small seconds at 9 o‘clock

Case:

Stainless steel; convex, internally anti-reflective sapphire glass; screwed-down case back; diameter 40 mm, height 12.15 mm, water-resistant to 10 bar/100 m

Dial:

Off-white; with Super-LumiNova^®-coated luminous numerals and hands

Strap:

Calfskin with riveting; pin buckle made from stainless steel

Reference number:

752.200-011

This is the Pioneer TachyTele with an off white/cream dial.

And the details:

The Pioneer TachyTele features in addition to the stop function two practical scales which are easily readable against the dial, thanks to their red finish: the tachymeter scale for measuring average speeds is incorporated in the centre of the dial in a spiral formation. As this scale allows for a total of three revolutions of the stop indicator hand, it considerably extends the measurement range, enabling even relatively slow speeds of 60 km/h down to 20 km/h to be measured. The telemeter scale, which is printed on the peripheral edge of the dial, is used for measuring distances, taking into account the speed of sound.

Technical details

Movement:

HAN3703 modified automatic chronograph movement (bicompax), based on the Valjoux 7753 calibre, asymmetrical button arrangement; 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz; 27 jewels; power reserve of min. 42 hours

Functions:

Small seconds at 9 o’clock, 30-minutes counter at 3 o‘clock, tachymeter scale in the centre, telemeter scale on the peripheral edge

Case:

Stainless steel; red reset button; fluted, bidirectional rotating bezel with red marking; convex, internally anti-reflective sapphire glass; screwed-down case back; large crown with deep bevelled edge; diameter 40 mm, height 15 mm; water-resistant to 10 bar/100 m

Dial:

Off-white; Super-LumiNova^®-coated, luminous numerals and hands

Strap:

Calfskin with riveting; pin buckle made from stainless steel

Reference number:

712.200-011

And last, but by no means least -

This is the Pioneer Stealth 1882 Limited Edition -and I thought about telling Gabriela (Head of Marketing for Hanhart) that it was "stuck" and couldn't come off... but she knows me too well!

To mark its 130^th anniversary in 2012, Hanhart is launching two limited versions of the Pioneer Stealth 1882 (each limited to 130 pieces), which takes its name from the stealth technology used in aviation and reproduces all the characteristic elements of the legendary Hanhart pilot’s chronographs from the 1930s in an eye-catching contemporary design. Enclosed within its gleaming, velvety black case is an exclusively modified chronograph movement, which features increased spacing between the two displays at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, an integrated hour counter in the small seconds and a flyback function. The dial also offers practical tachymeter and telemeter scales, with designs reminiscent of the traditional Hanhart “Tachy Tele” model from 1939.

Technical details

Movement:

HAN4312 modified automatic chronograph movement (bicompax) with exclusive module, asymmetrical button arrangement; 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz; 34 jewels; rotor with skeletonised Hanhart logo; power reserve of min. 42 hours

Functions:

Flyback function, small seconds and 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, tachymeter scale in the centre, telemeter scale on the peripheral edge

Case:

Black ADLC-coated stainless steel; red reset button; fluted, bidirectional rotating bezel with red marking; convex sapphire glass, anti-reflective on both sides; screwed-down case back; diameter 45 mm, height 16 mm; water-resistant to 10 bar/100 m

Dial:

Black, with Super-LumiNova®-coated luminous numerals, hands, displays, telemeter and tachymeter scales

Strap:

Calfskin with black ADLC-coated riveting; calfskin lower strap; pin buckle made from black ADLC-coated stainless steel

Limited edition:

Limited to 130 pieces

Reference number:

735.510-001

More to come - stay tuned!

Stealth - at night

Courtesy of Hanhart

The nice folks at Hanhart sent this to me.  This is a "night" shot of their new 

PIONEER Stealth 1882 Limited Edition

Needless to say, I still want one!

Hanhart - the official timer of Thanksgiving!

Okay, first and foremost, apologies for the poor quality of the photos.  As you know, this past Thursday was Thanksgiving here in the US, and as I have learned the hard way once or twice, you need to be prepared to time things correctly.

So the Pioneer MkI was drafted into service.  But as I have often heard, you need to have back-up, and to this end my trusty Hanhart 30 minute timer was pressed into service as well.

And for those of you who are more culinarily inclined, I learned a new technique for roasting the turkey. In fairness, credit has to go to Jamie Oliver's Rosemary chicken recipe.  In the past, I had always cut up either lemons or limes into quarter sections, and stuffed the turkey with them.  However, thanks to Mr. Oliver's collaborative instruction, I tried his technique -
Boil three or four lemons (depending upon the size of the bird) in a pot of salted water for about 3 - 5 minutes.  Take out the lemons, and while they are still hot, put holes in them with a fork.  Then stuff them into the main cavity of the turkey.  The result is that the lemon juice slowly steams out the the lemons and ensures a nice, moist turkey, and a very faint lemon essence.

Hanhart one year later

It's now been a year since Thomas Morf took the helm at Hanhart.  He was kind enough to spare me a few minutes to share an update.

Courtesy of Hanhart

James Henderson - So a year on, how are things coming together?

Thomas Morf - Things are coming together well.  As I predicted, Hanhart has a huge potential… and this is a potential that needs to be exploited.  2011 has been a year of transition, where we have taken care to make the right decisions.  Having defined our new strategy with new people and starting to implement it, this has been our primary goal.  In the process, we have made people around the world see what’s going on with one of the industry’s most legitimate instrument watch brands.

JH - What has been the best "success story" of the year? 

TM - The biggest success so far is, that Hanhart created impact and raised interest around the world.  People love the direction where Hanhart is going.  What people want and like (be it trade, consumers or press) are brands with history, a crystal clear positioning / differentiation, a great strategy and a strong product.  Simplicity and coolness are keywords.  Hanhart has it all.  We only need to tell this to people.

JH - I'm sure that there have been some challenges as well, what were some that you faced in this first year? 

TM - The supply of components is driving us crazy.  If you have orders and you can’t deliver, that hurts. But I’m sure it will be better next year, because our supply chain management has improved.  Suppliers do see that Hanhart is a brand they can count on and that we have a long-term partnership planned.

JH - What is your favorite model so far? 

TM - Without a doubt, it’s the Pioneer TwinDicator.   

Courtesy of Hanhart

This is a model with the typical Hanhart features and sophisticated technology.  This model for now is our flagship and will be delivered to the markets starting from November 2011. 

Courtesy of Hanhart

JH - Anything in the "pipeline" that you can share with us?

TM - At Baselworld 2012 we’re going to unveil the Pioneer “Stealth 1882“.  It’s a model to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Hanhart.  It is an extremely cool instrument watch that will have 2 versions in a limited edition of 130 pieces in each version.  It is a perfect example of what Hanhart is all about.

JH - Who has emerged as your strongest market?

TM - Due to our limited supply, we have focused our efforts in Europe, especially in markets like Switzerland, Germany and Austria.  This is in line with Hanhart’s history of being heavily involved with Racing.  We have supported quite a few vintage car races in these markets.  Vintage car racing is very popular in this region of the world.

JH - Where do you see the next big/emerging market for Hanhart? 

TM - Our strategy is clear: We exploit markets first before we move on to a new market. The partner needs to be right too. Anything else would be wrong and short term. We have different options now, but haven’t decided yet.

JH - Any predictions/forecasts for 2012?

TM - Hanhart will without a doubt move forward quickly.  It all goes back to following the right strategy, one that was created for the long-term.  All our new products will be more exciting every year, so people around the world can expect something from Hanhart.  And last but not least, I hope that the economies around the world will stabilize.  That is of course very important for the entire industry.

Catching up with Hanhart and Thomas Morf

It has now been six months or so since Thomas Morf took the reigns at Hanhart. I had a chance to catch up with him recently and get his take on the first half-year.

James Henderson - When you came in, what were some of your immediate challenges?

Thomas Morf - Perhaps the biggest immediate challenge has been to reconfirm /reestablishing Hanhart's presence and stature. Hanhart is such a unique product, so much history - and as you know - there is a very tangible connection to stop watches.

JH - Your first BaselWorld is now "in the books". How did it go for you and your team?


TM - Really, really well. There was, and continues to be a great deal of interest - but ultimately an overseas partner is, in many ways, the care-giver, or nanny of the brand and to this end they have to be a perfect (or as near perfect) a match as possible. So we are taking our time, not rushing into anything. I have taken care to bring my team together, and we all share the same interest in seeing the success of Hanhart.

JH - It's interesting to hear you say this, because I hear a lot of brands and companies make these statements, but they do not always stand behind them with the pressure to sell and open markets.


TM - That's the thing, you have to understand who you are as a brand. It is not to say that a potential partner is bad.  But it is important to understand that sometimes even a partner that seems good is not necessarily the right partner. So we are looking for the right type of partnerships - Hanhart is not a "champagne" brand, but rather a "whiskey on the rocks" type of brand. So it is important to nurture our position, to be who we are. Hanhart is a brand that resonates with a lot of people. So we are patient. A lot of brands in a lot of industries sometimes go a bit crazy trying to build their brand, without paying attention to the actual identity of the product that makes the brand special or unique.



JH - I find it interesting that you are sticking to chronographs and stop watches, not throwing out dozens of different types of watches to try and please everyone.

TM - Again - this speaks to authenticity. We are Hanhart. We are not an average watch company. We make watches and stop watches. This is who we are.