2011 Laco Special Edition Project - PROJECT THEME

[Rev Fred]

You are right, Aristo does have a model with the sextant dial.
But I guess it's still more unique than your run of the mill A-dial B-dial...
Since the project is still in it's early phase...
Anyone with suggestions on the dial design better voice out now.

WOAH! Cool it! This is a thread about the general theme of the watch. There are steps involved in these projects, the first being to choose a general theme, and from there you choose the appropriate dial, hands, name, engraving etc. You will get the chance to debate the dial ad nauseam in the coming weeks, as well as all the other aspects, in separate threads.

For what it is worth I would be totally against anything carrying the SS logo, or in fact any design which has any association with the SS whatsoever. Wehrmacht, Luftwaffer, U-Boats maybe, but the SS should be out on taste grounds straight away. I can't believe anyone would go against that. It would be like having a swastika on there for heaven's sake!

With regards to the point about copying the dial design of a watch in someone's collection, there are no copyright issues at all. Ownership of a book does not give you any rights to the IP vesting in it, these belong to the author. With a watch, any rights would have belonged to the original creator, no doubt now long dead.

I can't believe you guys are SO unambitious with this opportunity. The general consensus seems to be "Oh! Its just TOO hard to design anything different, lets just put an existing dial in an existing watch and be done with it! Oh, my sore head, all that creativity was SUCH hard work!"

THEME people. What will the THEME be? Stay on TARGET!

[macct]

While Laco is most associated with historical Pilot watches, the typical B-hur hommages have been widely done. I think doing something different would be better for such a limited run. I do like the dial below, finding it keeps it in the genre, but different than an A or B dial.

e

In terms of my own thoughts, I would prefer a watch with more historical reference than modern. The movement is also small (26mm), so I think a smaller case would be more in keeping with the design. From an earlier post, it sounds like the two smallest case sizes would be 38mm and 42mm. It would also be nice to have an exhibition back. While the movement is not special in design or finishing, it would still be nice to see. As a variation off of a pilot, I would also suggest something like an officer's watch (deck watch style) with arabics and a dark dial. The hands would be on the traditional side with no date. It will be interesting to see how this project evolves.

[hanz079]

Erm... did I come out sounding rough?
Sorry if I did...
What I meant was if there is any suggestions, now is the best time to be heard.
Any pictures or references would be ideal.

[Uwe W.]

WOAH! Cool it! This is a thread about the general theme of the watch. There are steps involved in these projects, the first being to choose a general theme, and from there you choose the appropriate dial, hands, name, engraving etc. You will get the chance to debate the dial ad nauseam in the coming weeks, as well as all the other aspects, in separate threads.

Exactly! These projects are like herding cats with everyone running off in different directions with long lists of ideas. The purpose of this thread is to establish a theme for the watch - nothing more (other than possibly a name for the project). Let's try to focus on that. As Rev Fred said - there will be plenty of opportunity to discuss all the different design elements later on. We're not trying to design an entire watch in one thread, just to give this project a direction to move in.

Erm... did I come out sounding rough? Sorry if I did... What I meant was if there is any suggestions, now is the best time to be heard. Any pictures or references would be ideal.

Nothing wrong with what you said! I believe Rev Fred just didn't want everyone to get the wrong idea that this was the time to discuss dial designs. However, you are absolutely correct, now is the time to discuss the theme if you have an opinion on it - and yes - pictures will really help to support your point.

I've seen a lot of people sign up in the REGISTRATION thread saying that they are only interested if it's a 'pilot' watch project. Why is it that I haven't seen any of them commenting here on why they feel that way - or how a pilot watch would be suitable for a special project such as this. I would have to assume that all they're interested is a B-Uhr identical to those already being made except with the vintage Durowe movement. Nothing wrong with that, if that's what you want. I have an Archimede that is the same as one of their production watches but was a special edition only because it uses a vintage Junghans movement. It is done.

I think we can stop discussing the W-SS label on the artillery B-Uhr. Of course we wouldn't ask Laco to print such a symbol on the dial. Our concern here is watches and their design, not politics.

[Uwe W.]

While Laco is most associated with historical Pilot watches, the typical B-hur hommages have been widely done. I think doing something different would be better for such a limited run. I do like the dial below, finding it keeps it in the genre, but different than an A or B dial.

Good point and I agree.

The movement is also small (26mm), so I think a smaller case would be more in keeping with the design. From an earlier post, it sounds like the two smallest case sizes would be 38mm and 42mm.

Actually it would be a 36 mm, not 38 mm, but the point is still a good one. We will discuss the case later in another thread, but the movement size should be a consideration for the theme too.

So far I have yet to read anyone support the idea of using one of Laco's civilian watches as a theme. I would have thought someone would have been interested in something along the lines of a Laco Sport. Does this mean we could at least narrow the theme selection down to it being a military inspired watch project?

We'll let this thread run for at least another week to give other people an opportunity to join in, and then we'll vote on the theme. So please voice any ideas you might have on this subject now so that we can incorporate them into the vote.

[Janne]

I interpret the wish for a "Pilots" watch as a wish for a dial with aMilitary connection. The guys wishing a Pilots dial (in fact the B-uhr dial) have already a huge selection to choose from.

As I wrote on a earlier post, we have dial designs stretching all the way to the late 1800.

I saw an interesting dial (again, source Knirim) belonging to a WW2 Submarine stopwatch.

Yes, it would be very challenging converting this dial to a 3 hand configuration.




Several pre-WW2 design are only suitable with the Laco Marine case
Some would look good with the B-uhr case.

Re W-SS: always a possibility to use a similar looking text. W-Laco ? W-ZZ etc Or even W-SS where the S is writen as a normal S and not the flash bolt, sharp curvature S.

Do not forget that SS used the skull etc. The W-SS is a more unusual one.

[Janne]

For inspiration, look on www.knirim.de

Does anybody have the book?

[Janne]

Durowe 7525 movement


Pic borrowed from Dr Ranfft's Pink Pages

[redwatch]

Well, since the case and the movement have been decided already, perhaps we can have a "Patina" dial just like what they did with some of those new Panerai watches (e.g. 372). We just need to decide wether it is a type A or type B dial. I would hope for a type B dial because it is less common.

On the case back, maybe we can print everything in German, not English.

So basically the limited watch will have the following "new" features:

1) vintage German made hand-wind movement
2) "Patina" dial but should still "lume" at night!
3) Case back engraved in German, not English

[Janne]

2 case designs, not yet decided.

Correct, UWE?

B-uhr case 36, 42, 45mm



The other case (Marine) 44mm