Hanhart 'Swing' Stopwatch

Long before the stopwatch became another function buried inside a smartphone, Hanhart had turned precision timing into something of a specialty. The company produced its first affordable mechanical stopwatch in 1924 and by the 1950s had become a market leader in the category, supplying purpose-built timers for sport, industry, laboratories, and other situations where fractions of a second actually mattered.

This vintage Hanhart Swing is a particularly handsome example of that tradition. Made in Germany, its white dial is densely but beautifully organized, with alternating black and red numerals surrounding a central seconds hand and a 15-minute register. The hand-wound mechanical movement uses seven jewels and is shock-protected, while the 1/10-second scale gives the whole thing the purposeful character of a proper piece of timing equipment. Hanhart's period specifications for comparable 7-jewel, 1/10-second stopwatches list a 55mm case, making these substantial objects in the hand rather than dainty pocket watches.

What really makes this example, however, is the wonderfully period-correct kit that comes with it: the original white braided neck cord and matching soft vinyl pouch boldly printed HANHART SWING Germany. Together, they give the stopwatch an appealing vintage sports-meet-industrial-design quality. It’s the kind of object that was once simply a tool and, decades later, has become something much more fun: a beautifully engineered little artifact from the pre-digital age.

Founded in 1882 by Johann A. Hanhart in Diessenhofen, Switzerland, before relocating to Schwenningen in southern Germany, Hanhart built its reputation on precision timing. The company introduced an affordable mechanical stopwatch in 1924 and went on to become one of Germany’s most important makers of stopwatches, chronographs, and professional timing instruments. Its robust designs found their way into sports, motorsport, aviation, industry, and laboratories, while Hanhart wrist chronographs became particularly recognizable for their functional layouts and signature red pushers. More than 140 years after its founding, Hanhart remains closely associated with its original obsession: making highly legible, dependable instruments built to measure elapsed time.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.