First Laco Arrives!!!! Aachen Type B

[47 Ronin]

First my thanks to Uwe for his assistance.

Excuse the poor quality of the photo's, they were taken with my Blackberry. Due to comments about the face colours in privious posts, I got what my eyes say are an accurate representation of the colours being yellow/green mix.

Just for the record, I followed Uwe's advise and ordered directly from Laco in Germany. Cost of the watch with Miyota movement was 166.33 Euro, with 39.95 Euro shipping fee. Once delivered to me in Ontario, the duties were $40.00 Cdn.

Anyways, here's the bad pic's.

[47 Ronin]

Woops! forgot one.....

[Uwe W.]

Congratulations! That was really fast, but more importantly, what do you think about your new acquisition? I'm thinking you must like it, otherwise you wouldn't have called your thread "First Laco arrives".

My older generation JU52 says hello:

[Myron]

Nice watch. I have always liked the Miyota cases.

Myron

[47 Ronin]

Thanks Uwe.I was sitting in my hotel room in Ohio Sunday night, made my decision, and placed the order for the watch directly with Laco. As you can see by my post, it arrived Wednesday afternoon. Do I like the watch? Heck Yeah! Love the strap, and the smell of fresh leather. Only one potential issue, the strap is a little short for my liking. Mind you the strap needs to conform to my wrist a little better as it wears in. I think it would be disappointing to have to put a replacement strap on the watch.I have other items I would like to add to my growing collection as the budget allows. Then I'll pay a stop back by the Laco shop and add something else.

[Gabriel A. Zorrilla]

I got a Navy last week, and does not say Made in Germany either. It kinda p***** me off, it's always nice to show up a watch with that label.

[47 Ronin]

Sorry you feel that way. it doesn't bother me too much obout whether it says made in Germany or not. most people I know won't even know the Laco name. Those that are interested and will ask. Guess then I have a story to tell.

[topher512]

As an owner of two beloved Lacos (Laco Pilot Chrono and Navy Miyota Luminous), I bid you welcome! (I understand your disappointment with the strap. You're right, it will relax in time and fit better. As for me, I'm a strap guy as well as a watch guy and dig hunting down great alternate straps.)

[Gabriel A. Zorrilla]

Ronin, dont be shy in experimenting with straps and deployments. I think straps for watches are as music for movies, without a good one all the atmosphere is ruined! Also, it's the easiest part to customize.

I just bought a chestnut Roma band and a rough finished push button deployment for my Navy. The combo costed me about 50 bucks (the watch costed me about 300, so the ratio is good) I dont know this model, but the differences between the Miyota movement and the ETA are not just the movement but also the crystal (its mineral in the Miyo, sapphire in the ETA) and i bet a better strap. The one in the Navy Miyo costs about 15 usd retail (i found it doing my shopping search) I imagine LACO gets hundreds for 4 or 5 bucks each.

I never ever imagined that the strap and deployment world is SO HUGE specially for Europeans and people from USA or Canada which less restrictive customs and usually free shipping. There are excellent online shops that will offer you almost unlimited amounts of combos. And also in the WUS forums there is people who will make you a custom if you are pretentious! I think a nice strap/deployment or buckle combo can make your 100 usd watch look like a 500 one and it's the only part that us, customers, can have tailored to our needs (regular customers, not those who can afford 100% custom made watches).

[47 Ronin]

Topher, thanks for the welcome. I was happy with the strap in many ways, especially "echo leder" on back of the strap. any replacement strap won't have the Germanic writing. That is more of a comment, than an " oh no, I'm so devastated" remark. I'll give the leather some time to relax, and judge how I feel at that time.

Gabriel, I agree with your comments. When I purchased my Seiko 5, I bought it with a crappy strap as I was intending to replace it straight away, ditto with my black mako. the 5 has a new black leather strap and functions as my go to beater. The mako was suppose to have a shark skin strap put on it. But like you said, there are many different strap options out there. The result of that has been my inability to order anything as I haven't made up my mind yet, lol.

My other thought, and I would guess this might be do to nostalgic reasons is a 20mm strap seems way too thin for this watch. I've seen other comments on this forum thinking the same. If I do get to the point of making a change, I will be going to a 22, and preform a little cosmetic surgery to make a proper fit.