LACO Baumuster A Special Edition (Forum Project Wach) - Discussion Thread

[Janne]

Re: Bluing: Check out Wikipedia "Bluing (steel). I just found it.
Can it be that Stowa uses the " Hot Bluing" technique? Or are they using the technique where the steel is heated to approx 400 C ? "Temperature blued", what is that??

Sorry, City-dweller to place that as quoting you. You did not imply that!
But the fact that you can use "stock" blued hands will make it much easier to get the "A-LE" perfect!

Yes, we can get blued "B" hands. EURO 110, if we can get 50 guys/gals!

I like the expression "Castrated B-Watch" !!! Superb selfexplanatory expression!!

[Mescalito]

I am sorry but I have to disagree with your opinion

The goal of the Laco B and A project was to make as authentic a B-Uhr Laco watch while keeping it AFFORDABLE. If money is not an object, then we can get this project done without any problem.

When our fellow WUS members say that they cannot afford the approx 100 euros additional cost for hands, that's when the affordable part goes out the door.

If you can convince all 50 forum members to buy into the steel blue hands project, then I think we can get it done.

I am sorry that you feel shorted with the Laco B watch with correct hands design (to be completed shortly), even though they are brass painted.

Again, if money is not an object, then ANY company can recreate a B-Uhr in moderate size.

Cheers,
Bhanu

100% agrre! i'm absolutely fine with painted blue hands with the correct shape! let's push this project ahead

just one question: will our 2801-movement hack?

[frank_be]

Yes, to my knowledge hour hands was the only difference.

Cheers,
Bhanu

Both hands are different compared to baumuster B.

Greetings,
Frank

[hotnerd]

"just one question: will our 2801-movement hack?"

Yes, the ETA 2801 handwinding Laco is using will be hacking (stop second by pulling the crown).

Cheers,
Bhanu

[hotnerd]

Both hands are different compared to baumuster B.

Greetings,
Frank

Frank,
Thank you for correcting me and confirming

Cheers,
Bhanu

[Nalu]

Again, if money is not an object, then ANY company can recreate a B-Uhr in moderate size.

Cheers,
Bhanu

Yet no one has done it, at any price. No one has come close to the dial, case and hand shape like we have in these two projects.

Nothing compares to blued steel hands IME:





Nor are blued steel hands simply a decoration. Blued steel hands are easier to see and make the dial easier to read, even in low light conditions. Also, as mentioned above, bluing the steel is an anti-corrosion strategy. There are reasons why blued hands continued to be used on military and aviator watches into the 60s.

Bhanu, you've made it clear that we're going with the painted brass hands - got it. But I will persist in my efforts, hoping that someone from Stowa, Laco or another company are listening to what at least some customers want.

[Crusader]

Nothing compares to blued steel hands IME:

While I agree in principle, Colin, as a long-time user of the Stowa FO LE let me point out that 99% of the time I look at the watch it is the lumed area which is picked up by the eyes, and 1% when the eye picks up both the blued metal and the lume. (Which happens with a lot of milwatches I own, hence this goes a long way toward explaining why I personally place so much emphasis on good lume - you need it for day as well as night!)

Without wanting to impose myself on the discussion, I belive that getting the correct reduced-sized shape of the hands is where the true challenge of the blued-hands-project is. This includes the width of the steel/brass rim as opposed to the lumed area, e.g.

Just my two bezants' worth.

[CKH2359]

I think ETA 2801 can be modified to hacking. Refer to an 2006 thread:

Stowa Flieger ETA 2801 - A review

[Crusader]

I think ETA 2801 can be modified to hacking. Refer to an 2006 thread:

Stowa Flieger ETA 2801 - A review

Yep, it is available in a non-hacking and a hacking version.

[Lilhoody]

I would be in. I will email HotNerd.

DH