Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Sorry to be unfair, but the quoted price is ridiculous.
On the WUS LE, the dial was totally new, from scratch. Font, spacing, thickness of printed parts, lume. Everything.
The hands were 100% custom made too.
Both the Black edged hands, as the second, optional, blued hands.
The engraving was custom too, including the caseback.
The crown was custom made for us.
The movement was modified, the Rotor with associated bridge removed, hacking function added(I think) and the barrell changed (said my watchmaker).
The Laco Forum is supported by WUS, and we members have given Laco a lot of business.
You yourself is a superb customer, I less so. I have bought 3 watches from Laco direct, and had my 55mm restored, so I am not a bad customer myself.
If the cost is not more realistic, it will go the same way as the A-dial LE and the A-11 project.
Which I would hate, as this is a truly fantastic opportunity to not only have a lot of fun, but also creating something unique.
I am in the process of having an Anonimo created with a special, one-off dial, and special hands, made to my spec
Yes, I expect to pay for it, but the end result will not cost me 2.5X a "standard" Anonimo.
And I have not bought an Anonimo previously, so I am not a even a good customer ...
Just my thought, excuse me if I ruffle some feather..
Off to a shower, friends are waiting at the Easter Sunday Brunch!
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kubelwagen
Apologies for a noob question: how does a Laco 69 case look like?
http://www.uhrenschmuckshops.de/files/laco1969.JPG
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
I have to say, this is brilliant marketing ...... Laco has found a box with 50 NOS movements in the basement and has no models to put them in. So these are, essentially, a write-off. That story changes completely with the idea of this WUS-special and these movements are suddenly a strong selling point and command a premium pricing ...... :think:
My questions: how special is this movement (aside from its historic significance) and does it outperform e.g. ETA's 2824-2 ??
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of a vintage NOS movement in this LE |> but at the proposed pricing I will have to reconsider (and maybe drop out :-|)
RonB
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Hi -
While I do not speak for Laco, I think I can provide some insight into pricing.
First and foremost, any pricing is their business. We can complain, but thinking that we can do a bulk purchase and find a watchmaker to do the dials and hands differently: get real. The devil is in the details, and my experience points towards spending some serious bucks to do any sort of dial design and/or hands design. Even an independent master watchmaker is not a designer and finding the people who combine both is neither cheap, simple or easy. I really, really don't think it can simply be done that way: if it was that easy, others would be doing it. Further, no one here is going to be able to manage such a project, and unless you really know what you are doing in such a project, you will end up with a suboptimal solution.
I really don't see how this can be done without Lacher being seriously involved. It will cost money: what things cost in the past is not really a good measure of what they cost now, as the industry (and Lacher!) have gone through significant changes since then. If anything, I think Lacher didn't earn money on the B watch at all, when all was over and done with.
Now, that said: one of the costs will be the CLA of the movements. My watchmaker here in Germany needs about three hours to do a proper CLA and have the watch back in the case and hands attached: hence we are looking at something like 150 hours of labor just to do a basic CLA and get the watch together, without any materials costs. The movements may or may not be "free": they go for around €20 as NOS without CLA on eBay when they do appear. The cases have a price, the dials will be done new, also the hands. It all adds up. Lacher is a business as well, and needs to make money on this.
JohnF
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MHe225
I have to say, this is brilliant marketing ...... Laco has found a box with 50 NOS movements in the basement and has no models to put them in. So these are, essentially, a write-off. That story changes completely with the idea of this WUS-special and these movements are suddenly a strong selling point and command a premium pricing ...... :think:
My questions: how special is this movement (aside from its historic significance) and does it outperform e.g. ETA's 2824-2 ??
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of a vintage NOS movement in this LE |> but at the proposed pricing I will have to reconsider (and maybe drop out :-|)
RonB
I think it will be helpful if we know the year(s) those NOS movement were made. Had they been made during WWII period, yes, they definitely can demand a high premium. However, if they were made in the 1970s and can be found in many cheap watches during that period, then obviously they should not charge such high price.
Keep in mind that you can get true Laco/Stowa etc made/used in WWII for around 4000 euro.
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Discussion has really slowed down, and I think it's because we all know what we want to vote for. When will the poll be up?
Also, any news on the price? Is it firm?
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lukeaar
Discussion has really slowed down, and I think it's because we all know what we want to vote for. When will the poll be up?
Agreed. I'm ready to vote, too, Uwe. Thanks for your fine (and frustrating, too, I'm sure) management of this project.
Kind Regards to All,
Myron
Re: 2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION
Quote:
Originally Posted by lukeaar
... we all know what we want to vote for. When will the poll be up?
Do we?
Maybe we need to vote on the choice of movement too. I appreciate that it may take ca 3 hours for a full CLA of the movement in addition to the $20 or so value of these movements. That puts it in the same price range (I think) of a nicely decorated ETA 2824-2, a Valjoux 7750, ...... :think:
Rereading some of the comments above, after all is said and done, what is so special about this movement? It's good for bragging rights (40 y.o movement in my watch), but other than that .....
Again, don't get me wrong - I'm playing devil's advocate here. Interested to hear other & more opinions and views.
RonB
