Few watches sit as naturally in the Steve McQueen universe as the Hanhart 417 ES.
The German pilot’s chronograph was part of his real-life wardrobe, not a costume prop, and Hanhart has now leaned into that connection with a 300-piece limited edition made in collaboration with McQueen’s grandchildren, Chase and Madison McQueen.
The result is a compact, period-minded chronograph with just enough modern specification to make it more than a nostalgia exercise.
At a glance
- Hanhart has released the 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 in a run of 300 pieces worldwide.
- The 39mm stainless steel flyback chronograph features McQueen’s signature on the dial, a dark brown shell cordovan cuff strap and vintage-toned lume.
- It is priced at €2,890 including VAT, with a Sellita AMT5100 M hand-wound movement and 100 metres of water resistance.
A McQueen chronograph with family approval
McQueen owned and wore a Hanhart 417 ES, and the watch appears in several well-known photographs from his off-screen life.
That matters because the 417 ES belongs to the more functional side of his taste, sitting comfortably alongside motorcycles, racing kit and worn-in casual clothing rather than polished Hollywood formality.
For this edition, Hanhart has worked with Chase and Madison McQueen, whose signatures appear on the limited edition card supplied with the watch.
The card itself is styled after McQueen’s racing licence, a neat detail that ties the watch to his motorsport identity without overcomplicating the package.
Vintage proportions and the red pusher story
The case measures 39mm across and 13.3mm thick, keeping the proportions close to the mid-century chronograph character that gives the 417 ES its appeal.
It’s made in stainless steel, with a black dial, two-register chronograph layout and Steve McQueen’s signature placed at 6 o’clock.
The Light Old Radium lume treatment gives the dial a warmer vintage tone, while 100 metres of water resistance makes the watch easier to live with than a fragile period piece.
Hanhart has fitted the watch to a dark brown shell cordovan cuff strap, echoing the style McQueen wore, and the 20mm lug width keeps it compatible with other 39mm 417 ES straps and bracelets from the brand.
The red pusher at 4 o’clock remains one of Hanhart’s most recognisable design signatures.
One long-running story traces it to a pilot’s wife marking the reset pusher with red nail polish so he would think of her in the cockpit, while the more practical reading is that the colour helped prevent accidental chronograph resets.
Hanhart nods to the romantic version by including a bottle of red nail polish with the set.
A hand-wound flyback with an open view
Inside is the Sellita AMT5100 M, a hand-wound flyback chronograph movement with a 58-hour power reserve.
Hanhart tests and regulates the movement in six positions, and the absence of an automatic rotor gives the exhibition caseback a clearer view of the calibre.
The movement is finished with Côtes de Genève, while the caseback is engraved with “Steve McQueen King of Cool” and the limited-edition marking.
It’s a sensible movement choice for the watch, not just because it offers the right functionality, but because manual winding suits the tactile, old-school character of the 417 ES.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Hanhart |
|---|---|
| Model | 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 |
| References | H705L.210-2110 (M), H705L.210-2112 (L) |
| Case size | 39mm diameter x 13.3mm thickness |
| Case material | Stainless steel |
| Dial | Black with Steve McQueen signature and Light Old Radium lume |
| Movement | Sellita AMT5100 M, hand-wound |
| Frequency | 28,800 vph / 4 Hz |
| Power reserve | 58 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, flyback chronograph, 30-minute counter, hacking seconds |
| Water resistance | 100m / 10 bar |
| Strap | Dark brown shell cordovan cuff strap |
| Production | 300 pieces worldwide |
| Price | €2,890 including VAT, approximately £2,470 / $3,270 |
The 417 ES Steve McQueen Limited Edition No. 1 works because it doesn’t try to turn the actor’s name into decoration alone.
It keeps the watch compact, mechanical and purposeful, then adds the family-backed details and period cues that make sense for collectors who care about the story as much as the specification.
