Brand Directory: Hanhart

Hanhart was founded in 1882 by watchmaker Johann A. Hanhart. Situated in the small town of Diessenhofen near the River Rhine in Switzerland. In 1902 he relocated to Schwenningen in southern Germany, Johann's son Wilhelm Julius joined the company in 1920. Innovation and efficient manufacturing techniques saw the introduction of a mechanical stopwatch in 1924. By 1926 they had increased the product range to include wristwatches. In 1938 they produced the single-button “Calibre 40”, which became the mainstay of the company. Expansion during 1939 had the company employing 200 staff. Hanhart chronographs were worn by pilots and naval officers with the production of the iconic “Calibre 41”, their first two-button chronograph. During the war years, production had to stop and Wilhelm fled to neutral Switzerland not returning to Germany until 1949. They entered the very first BaselWorld in 1952. The Hanhart Calibre 42 was developed in 1957 and was used by the Luftwaffe of Germany in 1962. Celebrating their 175th Anniversary in 2007 They created the “Opus 41” a hand-wound chronograph in platinum, equipped with an original, Hanhart “Calibre 41”, which was limited to 39 watches. Today they continue to create timepieces using the latest technology and materials whilst keeping to their founding principles.