B-Uhr Has Arrived

[ljcchrono]

After a long time searching, I've finally managed to secure my dream watch for myself, a Laco B-Uhr 'Beobachtungsuhr' Luftwaffe watch. 55mm across, and running like a dream (has gained just a couple of second in around 36 hours, amazing for a watch over 60 years old!), it's everything I hoped for and more. It has the most beautiful looking movement (I'll take some pictures later) and the dial and hands have a beautiful patina. The only drawback is the ticking, its deafening. i can hear it from across the room. sorry for the quality of the pictures, they were a rush-job. i'll take better pictures soon!!
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9203/copyofdscn4078medium8cw.jpg



http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/8866/copyofdscn4050medium0pt.jpg

[stuffler,mike]

Great Laco B-Uhr. Congrats.

Maybe a co-incidence, I just wrote about the Stowa Flieger and made some remakrs regarding B-Uhren:

(quote)
These B-watches have been made for the German Luftwaffe by only 5 manufacturers

A. Lange & Söhne
Laco (Lacher & Co)
Stowa (Walter Storz)
Wempe (Chronometerwerke Hamburg)
IWC

and contained high quality pocket watch movements:

Lange & Söhne: cal. 48/1
(due to limited capacities watches have been assembled by Huber/Munich, Felsing/Berlin, Schieron/Stuttgart, Schätzle & Tschudin/Pforzheim, Wempe/Hamburg).
Laco: Durowe cal. D 5
Stowa: Unitas cal. 2812
Wempe: Thommen cal. 31
IWC: cal. 52 SC (SC= „seconde central“)

The specifications of these watches had been defined by the „Reichsluftfahrtministerium“ (RLM) – Imperial Air Ministry.

Due to those specifications all B-watches had the following features in common:

A case diameter of 55 mm
Marked on the back with FL 23883 (FL = flight, 23 = navigation)
Equipped with large crowns in order to be used with gloves
Hacking movement (the second hand stops when pulling out the crown / essential for a precise time setting)
Breguet balance spring
Regulated and tested as chronometers
Long leather strap (to be worn on the sleeve of a flight jacket).
(unquote)

You got a real beauty :gold

[ljcchrono]

Thanks, I'm over the moon with it! I have the long strap, its over a foot long, but on it I have a regular length strap, so I can wear it. The Durowe movement inside is a real beauty, and I love the matt-finish nickel coating on it, gives it a real military look, and its pretty much intact on this one.

[Micha]

Congrats! that's awesome! :-p :gold

[Crusader]

I can only echo Micha: Awesome watch, great state of preservation, and much congratulations! :-)

[tgarn]

A beauty, congratulations!

It might interest you that Lacher still has approx. 80% of the original spare parts and the Lacher watchmakers really know their stuff. My Laco was there twice and is now back to original condition.

If you are interested in the manufacturing date: it is stamped on the backside of the dial. My dial was made by W + B (Weber and Baral) in July 1942.

My watchmaker took this picture during an inspection and made a printout with his DeskJet. (sorry about the quality)
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/7041/weberbaral5xv.jpg

Movement number is H 2140
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/135/laco15ph.jpg

Best regards

Thomas

[Crusader]

Glad to hear that your watch is well again, Thomas.

By the way, do you happen to know whether anyone has the original specs. of FL 23883?

[tgarn]

Glad to hear that your watch is well again, Thomas.

By the way, do you happen to know whether anyone has the original specs. of FL 23883?

Thanks Martin, a new balance staff and a jewel worked wonders. All is well now.

Maybe Konrad Knirim can provide more detailed info from his legendary archives? I will email Lacher, maybe they can be of help...

http://knirim.de/rlm1.pdf

Best regards

Thomas

[Crusader]

Thanks Thomas!

Contacting Lacher is an excellent idea! Please keep us posted. :-)

[ljcchrono]

Thanks for the kind words and information guys, I LOVE this watch! I would really like to get some more info, date of manufacture,etc. My serial number is H16966. I think I will mail Laco for this. Its great to know there are parts still available. My original idea was to have the dial restored, but there is just something about the patina of the numerals and hands, and I think the watch would lose a bit of its 'history' making it look like new. Besides it runs great, so I guess if it ain't broke, dont fix it.....

[KILOFINAL]

That watch is amazing! Watches such as yours have so much history and character.

[Tragic]

Congratulations!
That is a remarkable find and I think you're correct in not restoring it.

[Strela]

|>

[tgarn]

Thanks Thomas!

Contacting Lacher is an excellent idea! Please keep us posted. :-)
Martin, bad news regarding FL 23883 specs. There are no documents available.

@ ljcchrono:
Should you ever need a Lacher contact for parts:
Mrs. Andrea Gierth (Lacher service) is a very friendly and helpful lady.
Her email is A.Gierth@lacher-uhren.de (A.Gierth@lacher-uhren.de)

Erich Lacher Uhrenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
Rastatter Str. 8
75179 Pforzheim
Germany

eMail: watchfactory@lacher-uhren.de
Internet: www.laco.de (http://www.laco.de/)
Phone: +49 7231 1575 0
Fax: +49 7231 1575 11

Best regards

Thomas

[Crusader]

Thanks for the effort, Thomas ... it was a long shot. :-)