Laco Unofficial News - Laco 55mm Type A & B

[hotnerd]

I visited Laco on Friday and Mr. Pfeiffer revealed a project for 55mm Type A and B on horizon. This will be possible if Laco is healthy again soon.

Mr. Pfeiffer already has all the parts available to begin the project. Details are as following:

- Type A and B
- 55 mm
- 50 editions each
- Modified Valgranges movement for handwinding
- Hacking
- Solid caseback with engraving
- Sand blasted case
- Painted blue hands (hour and min), black seconds hand
- Similar crown to WUS special edition
- Original pilots strap
- Cost just under 1000 euros

Cheers,
Bhanu

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1131934/Replica_B.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1131934/Replica_B_back.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1131934/Replica_A.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1131934/Replica-handwinding-back-A.jpg

[Janne]

!! 55mm ??

Virtually unwearable, I am afraid!
But the price is very, very right, so Laco should not have any problems selling them!

[lac1]

hi,
as i know from Mr.Pfeiffer email there will be 45mm baumuster "B" type,
and 55 mm baumuster "A" type. each type come´s in 50 pcs.

45mm look´s like better choice like 42 or 55, but that´s only my opinion


correct me if i´m wrong

regards

[Janne]

Not sure why they want to make another 55mm. OK, this one has a manual movement and much lower price, but still!
45mm will satisfy a lot of guys. 50 units will sell out quickly. I think laco should make more.
42mm is more than enough for me!

[lac1]

bhanu where are pictures from Laco company as you promised ?? ;-)

janne: 42 is good but 45 will be great not that much like remake´s Steinhart or Archimede, 55 fit´s maybe ronnie coleman but not me :-d

[fachiro1]

Ok! Time to start saving for my next watch! These will be incredible!

[2manywatchez]

Anything north of 45mm is just too much watch for me and I'm man enough to admit it! :-) I'll have to admire that 55mm from afar (which won't be hard to do).

[keeper]

Not sure why they want to make another 55mm. OK, this one has a manual movement and much lower price, but still!
45mm will satisfy a lot of guys. 50 units will sell out quickly. I think laco should make more.
42mm is more than enough for me!

1,000 Euros? I'm sure glad i did not buy the current group of 55mm ones, I'd be mighty annoyed...

But I am looking forward to the 45 mm ones, I've really taken a liking to my current 42mm, but for me, bigger is better and i'd even go up to a 48mm if Laco offered one.

[Janne]

48mm??
Only 7 mm between that and the 55mm.
For 1000 euros and with those specs, it is a steal.

[lac1]

info from this mornig about LE is that there will be 55mm in "A"+"B" type 50+50 pcs, and another LE will be 45mm type "B" produced in 50 pcs.
all i know from Peter Pfeiffer.

i´m interested in 45mm baumuster "B" as well :-!

regards

laci

[nothenorm]

Not sure why they want to make another 55mm. OK, this one has a manual movement and much lower price, but still!
45mm will satisfy a lot of guys. 50 units will sell out quickly. I think laco should make more.
42mm is more than enough for me!

Couldn't agree more with Janne.

I think Laco will have a hard time selling the 55mm's unless they got all the confirmation prior to production. (Please think twice Laco, we care for you).

45mm should be a hotcake! But, like Janne, I am more than happy with my 42mm cos that is perfect size for me.

Cheers.

[fachiro1]

Laco should still offer a 55mm in some form from a historical point of view. Pricing it at around 1000 E makes good sense, while keeping the production numbers low.

The 45mm also makes good sense. I think that watch would be about the right size in for this style of watch. Just make the lug width at least 42mm. Most of us probably want 44mm, but you have to look at the overall perspective. Maybe when the time comes, we can get some mock up pictures of both cases, one with 42mm lugs, the other with 44mm. If they make this 45mm hand winding with a central hacking seconds, it would be perfect.

[TheHobbit]

Looks like it is time to start saving. :), 42 or 45 mm would be great.

[wtrenkle]

My 55mm Replika has a serial number well above 400 (out of 500 limited pieces), so don't think that it'll be difficult to sell this original size.

Cheers

[stuffler,mike]

Welcome to Watchuseek and welcome to the Official Laco Forum as well.

[Draic-Kin]

55mm is to much, on the wrist it will look stupid.
But it´s nice to have one for your collection.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7727/28ssupz.jpg

[vincesf]

What happened with this? Did Laco ever introduce the 50 Type-A and 50 Type-B watches as originally described in this thread. If so, are they all sold out?

vincesf

[GregNYC]

How large is the wrist in that photo?

55mm is to much, on the wrist it will look stupid.
But it´s nice to have one for your collection.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7727/28ssupz.jpg

[Uwe W.]

How large is the wrist in that photo?

Exactly!

There were a lot of blanket statements made in this thread, some advising Laco not to make the 55mm because it won't sell? Just because it's too big for you doesn't make it too big for the next guy in line. We all have different wrist sizes and tastes after all...

I've been waiting for a more affordable 55mm from Laco for quite some time, so I hope this project is still moving forward! I would buy one. That only leaves 99... :-d

[GregNYC]

Exactly!

There were a lot of blanket statements made in this thread, some advising Laco not to make the 55mm because it won't sell? Just because it's too big for you doesn't make it too big for the next guy in line. We all have different wrist sizes and tastes after all...

I've been waiting for a more affordable 55mm from Laco for quite some time, so I hope this project is still moving forward! I would buy one. That only leaves 99... :-d

I would have bought one a few years ago had there been a more affordable one. So my not-so-affordable Replika is on the way now - I had tried on Azimuth's 55mm at a local AD to test for the size. It was OK, so I'm hoping I can wear the Laco! Maybe not to work, but at least sometimes!!

[cuthbert]

I would have bought one a few years ago had there been a more affordable one. So my not-so-affordable Replika is on the way now - I had tried on Azimuth's 55mm at a local AD to test for the size. It was OK, so I'm hoping I can wear the Laco! Maybe not to work, but at least sometimes!!

The 55 mm watch works VERY well on the sleeve of a leather jacket...I considered purchasing one for drifitng around with my bike, since I find annoying to stop and check the time under the gloves, but I'm a little scared at the idea of sliding and destroy the watch...

[Janne]

I never said that Laco should not produce the 55mm.
I think they should produce in in a LE (small numbers) and concentrate to produce slightly larger than 42mm.
IMO the main goal for Laco is to go back to the roots and try to make the Dials visually as authentic as possible.
Plus resurrect some more of the old prewar styles.

Cuthbert!
55mm + outside leatherjacket = Perfection!

[fachiro1]

Laco should make the 55mm a special edition, lmited number of watches....but make them as true to the originals as possible...manual movement, dials, etc....


They should have a regular 42mm offering in a and b dials.....auto movement is ok, solid case back or display....forget the date feature.

For a new watch, they should have a 45mm version of the 55mm watch, A-dial/B-Dial, all the important features, side numbers, sterile dial, solid case back, hacking handwinding movement.

Forget the quartz, the chronos,........................at lest for the buhr's i think the above three offerings would be spectacular.

[GregNYC]

Laco should make the 55mm a special edition, lmited number of watches....but make them as true to the originals as possible...manual movement, dials, etc....

They should have a regular 42mm offering in a and b dials.....auto movement is ok, solid case back or display....forget the date feature.

For a new watch, they should have a 45mm version of the 55mm watch, A-dial/B-Dial, all the important features, side numbers, sterile dial, solid case back, hacking handwinding movement.

Forget the quartz, the chronos,........................at lest for the buhr's i think the above three offerings would be spectacular.

I agree with your sentiments, except I'd say 47mm instead of 45mm! I'm a newbie here and haven't even received my first Laco yet. But economically speaking, if they had to sell watches with highly branded dials, quartz movements and date modules, I wouldn't mind it -- as long as this allowed them to also produce the the more historical pieces that you are talking about!

[fachiro1]

If you read some of the past posts, you'll see that Laco recently went through some business/financial issues. Peter and company have also expressed a sort of going back to the roots line of watches.

The 42mm case watch has been around in various forms, movements, dials, etc, so keeping that one is a plus. The new relatively new miyota watch with the thicker lugs is a great watch; great quality at an extremely good price point.

47mm is just too big for a lot of people, and though it may be good for a limited run, having it as a regular offering wouldn't be a good idea in my opinion. There are just too many other 45mm "buhr" style watches. The Laco case design would probably appear even larger and thicker in this size due to the tuna can dimensions. Personally, I would like a 47mm becuase I like big watches, but for the masses.......


The 45mm watch, which Peter and company have already revealed would proabbly be the next new offering, would be a totally new watch with allthe trimmings. Handwinding, non-date dial, solid case back. Ithink this would be the perfect daily wear buhr. not too big, not too small. The b dial does lend itself to a bigger dial face.

Laco's current line up consists of many different buhr-style watches, non of which are 100% representative of the original watches, with exception of the WUS LE. The A-dial LE will be the next one hopefully. Even the current 55mm, which is one of my favorites, doesnt have a handwinding movement, a solid back, or the case side number stamp.

But, of all the current buhr offerings, Laco still rules IMHO. The case withthe thin mid case lugs is the hallmark. Witht he bead blast finish, it really is spectacular.

[Uwe W.]

The case withthe thin mid case lugs is the hallmark. Witht he bead blast finish, it really is spectacular.

I own a few Lacos and therefore have examples that use both case types.

Laco should definitely exploit the thin lug case more in the future (Type 1? Type 0? I can never remember which is which). Not only is it an historical nod, but it really sets them apart in the highly saturated B-Uhr market. As you said, the thin lug bead blasted case is truly a thing of beauty; one of my favorites out of the 50-odd watches I own.

[vincesf]

I am really interested in a Laco, but would like to have some idea as to what is available out there. I would really like a 42mm with the bead blast, with a manual wind, either with and A or B dial. I prefer the display back, but would not mind the solid case back. What did Laco offer OR what is on the horizon?

And what is this thin lug that posters are referring to? Does the WUS LE have the referred thin lug? Would really like to see a picture if possible.

Thank you for the help,

vincesf

[Janne]

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7727/28ssupz.jpg


Thin lugs!

[GregNYC]

Fachiro, thanks for the quick summary. An A-dial LE sounds great!

[vincesf]

Anyone?

vincesf

[Janne]

Anyone what?

[vincesf]

Anyone what?

In regards to my inquiry, I had questions above my post that noone was responding to, thus the phrase: "Anyone?" I also had questions on other Laco forum threads that were not receiving responses so I have started a new thread that combines all my questions and at the same time makes a few observations, that can be found at:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=350785

vincesf

[Janne]

Aha! Got you! :-!
As I answered on the new thread - who knows what will happen?

[Uwe W.]

I would really like a 42mm with the bead blast, with a manual wind, either with and A or B dial. I prefer the display back, but would not mind the solid case back. What did Laco offer OR what is on the horizon?And what is this thin lug that posters are referring to? Does the WUS LE have the referred thin lug? Would really like to see a picture if possible. vincesf

I'll try and answer your questions.

Here are photos of two cases used by Laco. The thin lug is self-explanatory from the photos, as is the brushed type finish next to the polished finish of the thicker lug case. The WUS LE did have the thin lugs and 'bead blast' case, but since they're sold out and very rarely come up used, it would be best to look at another model. As for the case back, most come with a display back (at least all three of mine did). 42 mm is also the common size. There's also a 36 (quartz and auto) and the 55 (auto) available.

Have you visited the Laco shop? Everything they currently sell is there. I think the only manual version currently offered is a B dial with a sub-second hand and Laco script. Not very authentic looking if you're after something historically accurate.

Search this forum and you'll find plenty of photos of the WUS LE.

[vincesf]

Thank you, that was helpful. This confirms that the WUS LE with the B dial is the watch I would most favor, given the case size, lug characteristics, case finish and I believe comes with both case backs. I did place a wanted ad, and am hopeful.

Thanks,
vincesf

[Janne]

If you wait, I am pretty sure that Laco will make a watch (serial production) of the WUS LE.

And btw, it only came with a solid caseback. The see through was sent out to some guys because the laser engraving was way to shallow.
We who send our watches to Laco, do not have it.

[vincesf]

If you wait, I am pretty sure that Laco will make a watch (serial production) of the WUS LE.

And btw, it only came with a solid caseback. The see through was sent out to some guys because the laser engraving was way to shallow.
We who send our watches to Laco, do not have it.

Good point. I have seen some that have both the laser engraved back and the see-through back, as well as a set of blue hands that have either been installed or ready to install, leaving the black hands either on or off.

vincesf

[Janne]

That is correct.
The Blued Hands was a Sub-project.
Unfortunately the Seconds hand was also delivered blued, of the correct shape, but blued.
It should have been black painted. Well, nobody is perfect!