LACO Pilot Baumuster B Special Edition (Forum Project Wach) - Discussion

[BRUCE]

Janne, both you and Garaventa have examples of B-Uhr history that somewhat outrank my Luminox 1572 Field Watch. History good.:thanks


Bruce b

[Janne]

Janne, both you and Garaventa have examples of B-Uhr history that somewhat outrank my Luminox 1572 Field Watch. History good.:thanks Bruce b

Thanks, Brucie!
The fact that I own an Original makes it extra special for me to see this wonderful WUS Project coming to a happy end.
It is the watch that I think made me into a Collector.
The Original is virtually unwearable, the few times I have worn it I had to be just SO careful. You catch it against the table, just everywhere!
55mm is very large on my medium sized wrist.
But do not frown on your Luminox! In 60 years, it will be just as exotic and unusual as the one I have. Janne

[hwilsdorf]

Hey Bhanu,

Whats taking Laco such a long time for the final draft and crown design? I want my #7 ASAP!!!! Im starting to experience sleepless nights already!!!!

[Paulo]

My guess is specs are fully defined, so Laco is working on the final draft and price.

[Crusader]

Of course, in the lume pattern choice, historical precedent could be considered.

The whole point of the Baumuster B wa sto make time even more intelligible, and that goes for the lume, too.

I.e. not everything that could have been lumed was in fact lumed. The inner hour circle was considered secondary, and not lumed, or only had the dots lumed.

The luming of only every other minute/second number is well attested in historical watches, it is by no means a modern Wempe-designed pattern.

My suggestion: lets stay with the original Laco pattern, whatever that is.

Re differently-colored hands and dial: I have seen this on many original B-Uhren ... looks to me like different lume types were used (perhaps radium on the hands, and non-radioactive material on the dial?). Airplanes in WWII were equipped with UV lights which would make even non-radioactive lume glow well enough.

[Janne]

I agree, Crusader! If only the dots were luminous on the inner circle, that is how it should be!

Greetings Janne

[Crusader]

By the way, the B-Uhren crowd here may be interested in this little piece of info about the original B-Uhren strap: Have you ever wondered ... what the metal keeper on B-Uhren straps is for?

[Nalu]

I am signed up with Bhanu (thanks for the reply and all the work on this project!) and am looking forward to the fruition. That doesn't mean that I'm in a rush however. I'm more than happy to wait for blued hands.

Note that I'm pretty certain this option is for chemically blued steel hands, not flame blued steel hands. I would kill for a genuine set of flame blued hands on this watch, but I doubt that:
1. Laco would be willing. It's a complicated process, labour-intensive and wastes a lot of hands.
2. The group would be willing to fork over the extra money (it would be a lot more than 30 Euros) for the option.

Both my Laco and my Lange have the lume dots on the hour track. PB is down for maintenance or I could post photos

[Paulo]

For all the lucky guys that have an original B-Uhr, what I would like you to check, as lume is long gone, is the eventual difference of the painting, trying to see if any parts show the typical "burnt" look of old tritium, which can seem similar to patina at first look, but it's noticeably different.

[Janne]

I checked it again, thrugh my sons toy microscope. I wetted the crystal for better vision.
I also angled the watch to see the thickness better
You are all right, I was wrong before, I can see a difference!
These areas appear to be thicker, and the surface is slightly cratered/pitted. It is also matt.
* All of the minute markers,
* The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50
* Arrow
* The dots ONLY on the hourcircle
* Second hand

The Hour and Minute hands look different again, they have:
a thick layer,
it is finely grained with very fine cracks that follow the hands.
color is lighter than the above mentioned areas.

The rest- minute numbers 5, 15, 25, etc, the inner ring, the hour numbers, are of a more glossy, thin material, I should say paint.

I have edited my previous posts so no confusion arises from that old faulty info.

I hope the above helps! Sorry I am unable to take a decent close uo photo.

Greetings Janne