Auch verfügbar auf 
Deutsch
With the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black Andreas Hartig expands his collection. After a long time, the company founder releases a new watch again via the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Find out if the project is worth supporting in this review.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
Here you can find the Kickstarter campaign
Hartig’s new chronograph
It’s been some time since I last introduced you to an exciting Kickstarter project. That the regular look at the crowdfunding platform is worthwhile is proven by the latest throw from German founder Andreas Hartig, who went into business for himself after selling his mechanical engineering company and has now dedicated himself to his great passion since 2012. AH005 is the name of the new chronograph. First pictures are more than promising and suggest that the AH005 might well become the “toughest” timepiece in the entire collection. Cool, dark metal finishes paired with spirited red or yellow accents and clean lines will set the heart of any motorsports-savvy man racing. “The watch that breaks with traditional design,” Hartig Timepieces confidently announces in the headline of its Kickstarter campaign. Five model variants of the AH005 will be offered at market launch to meet the demands for sufficient choice and individuality.
With the market launch, Andreas Hartig is venturing down the Kickstarter path again after a long time. Nevertheless, one has a decisive advantage over the majority of competitors: one actually knows watches! And: they have already proven in the past that they can realize ambitious goals. Hartig Tiempieces has already shown this with the AH002,which I was allowed to test in spring this year. The chronograph not only bears the brand’s confident, unusual design signature, but also won me over with its outstanding price-performance ratio and premium quality.
The latest product is located below the automatic flagship and uses a quartz movement from Seiko. And yet: now everything is supposed to be a number better and more successful. The design looks promising. Whether the rest of the Hartig Timepieces AH005 can live up to the first impression, a watch review has to prove.
Unboxing
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Which of the four regular color variants one prefers now, everyone must decide for himself. My favorite and today’s test model is undoubtedly the AH005 Red Black, whose color scheme does the most justice to the masculine design of the watch in my eyes. More classic are the two models with silver cases, which do without the characteristic PVD coating. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that a special edition is already waiting in the wings for the market launch, which comes in the “White Silver” color scheme and is the most puristic of all model variants. Technically, however, it does not differ from the regular AH005. The data sheet remains the same.
Each AH005 from Hartig comes in a black and practical leather watch roll. Loyal followers of the brand are already familiar with this feature.
The Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black on the Wrist
Seeing a Hartig on your wrist for the first time is always a special moment. After all, this is not a “fits-all” fashion watch, but a timepiece of a special kind. The Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black visually lives up to its claim of breaking with traditional watch design and standing out. To stand out is the keyword. Whether as Red Black or in one of the other color variations: The AH005 is many things, but certainly no wallflower. Its radical look with the protruding lugs, the wedge-shaped pushers and the case back resembling a gearwheel has a masculine effect, conveying strength and self-confidence. It wouldn’t even need the case diameter of 44 millimeters, which fits wrists with a larger circumference.
Nevertheless, the watch, whose name reminds me of a chassis designation of a Formula 1 racing car, remains sporty and flat. This is thanks to the aforementioned quartz movement, which consumes significantly less space than a mechanical movement.
You can guess it already: due to its design, the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black is not a watch that pleases everyone. The timepiece is polarizing, and you have to be able and willing to wear it, no question. If you fall in love with it in shock at first sight, that’s a good sign. In my opinion, the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black is a watch that conveys qualities of sportiness, temperament, precision and performance. These qualities underline a successful men’s watch.
Hard, Harder, Hartig
And in terms of craftsmanship? That’s where the quality of the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black doesn’t let up. Andreas Hartig and his team have developed a case that can collect many plus points in the test due to the choice of materials, workmanship and functional design. Each of the five models (including the Special Edition) has a case made of 316L stainless steel. The stainless alloy impresses with its corrosion resistance.
For those who place a particularly high value on high-quality materials, the Red Black and Yellow Black models are definitely worth considering. They are characterized by a special PVD coating, where also the black case color comes from. The degree of hardness is further improved by Physical Vapor Deposition. This “upgrade” doesn’t even cost extra. Overall, one simply has to praise the high level of workmanship. Hartig Timepieces once again lives up to its reputation as a price-performance winner. For the fact that I’m wearing a watch from the mid three-digit price segment on my wrist, the case finish reminds me more of the premium class – respect!
This is also due to the watch crystal, which is made of sapphire. Sapphire crystal is extremely scratch-resistant and durable. Best conditions, if you want to enjoy the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black as long as possible. Hartig claims to have given the watch crystal a triple anti-reflective coating during production.
Finally, I would like to talk about the water resistance. This is at an acceptable 10 bar, which means that the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black could dive 100 meters deep in theory. In practice, it means that you can also take the watch to the beach or the pool without any worries.
Quartz quality from Seiko
Unlike many other manufacturers of quartz watches, Hartig Timepieces states the origin of its battery. In the case of the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black, a Japanese VK64 quartz movement from Seiko – the company that invented the quartz watch – is working inside the case. Of course, the desire to be able to buy an alternative with automatic movement in the future is not far away. If this wish ever becomes reality, I would definitely be one of the first customers!
The operation of the crown to set the time is simple. A nice detail are the two rings on the crown, which are in the accent color of the respective model. The crown is framed by two wedge-shaped pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock. Their shape reminds me of gearshift paddles on a sports car, which I find very original and which apparently no one has thought of before. Another example of the unconventional design language of Hartig watches.
Dial and bracelet of the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black
Only the most important information can be taken from the dial. Two horizontally aligned subdials are used to read the small seconds and the 24 hour time, i.e. the world time. Both are practical, for example, if you just want to stop time and/or travel and keep an eye on the time of your home town. The strict balance of the dial design is underlined by an angular date window at 6 o’clock. I like well the color accents of indices and hands, which are all in red on Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black.
A real eye-catcher is without question the two-layer leather strap. The inside is completely red on my test model. It can also be admired from the outside. In several places, the black leather is pierced by circular openings, behind which the red of the inside becomes visible. Red stitching makes the overall picture perfect. There is nothing to complain about the wearing comfort. Hartig states that the bracelet does not absorb sweat. An important note for those who want to take the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black to sports activities.
My conclusion on the Hartig Timepieces AH005 Red Black.
My Kickstarter tip for the fall of 2022 is definitely the AH005 from German manufacturer Hartig Timepieces. The racing chronograph-style timepiece is a mature watch that offers high quality at an affordable price and looks different than hundreds of thousands of off-the-shelf fashion watches. Character meets good craftsmanship, you might say. The predestined men’s watch for every day should thus be found.
In the next 30 days that the campaign is online, there are special offers that should not be missed. The first 50 supporters will have the chance to buy a Hartig Timepieces AH005 for the price of 299,- Euro. This saves 200,- Euro compared to the future market price of 499,- Euro. You can find more Early Bird offers on the campaign page. The first units will be shipped four months after the end of the campaign. All important links to the watch, the campaign and Hartig are linked below.
More about Hartig Timepieces and the AH005 Red Black
Here you can find the Kickstarter campaign
More about Kickstarter watches
Gallery
