The Laco Augsburg 42 is an automatic pilot’s watch at €340 inclusive of VAT, available on line directly from the brand. Laco have been operating since 1924 or 1925, and its name derives from co-founder Frieda Lacher, who set up business as Lacher & Co. with her partner, or business partner, Ludwig Hummel. They separated (in terms of business) in the 1930s, and Frieda apparently continued business manufacturing watch parts. Her son Erich Lacher entered Lacher & Co. in 1936 . I’d love to learn more about Frieda Lacher who must have been a courageous and enterprising woman, but I can’t find any information.
Stainless steel case
The Augsburg Pilot’s Watch by Laco is moderately sized at 42 mm (a 39 mm model is also available), 12 mm thick, with a water resistance of 5 atm (50 metres, no swimming). It has the characteristic Type A pilot’s watch dial, with numerals, hour markings and hands coated in C3 SuperLuminova. The calf leather strap has the characteristic rivets typical of the wartime B-Uhr watches.
Display caseback
The watch has a sapphire display caseback, showing the movement, which is the Laco 21, based on the Miyota 821A made in Japan. It runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour, 3 Hertz, and it doesn’t have the stop-second function. It is self-winding, with a power reserve of 42 hours. It is just 26 mm in diameter, which is why the sapphire caseback window is so much smaller than the overall case size. But it looks good, with Geneva stripes and a simple skeletonized oscillating weight.
Price and reference
All considered, the Laco Augsburg 42 is a watch that combines the history of one of the original B-Uhr manufacturers with contemporary features – principally the sapphire caseback – and an attractive price, €340 inclusive of VAT, US$410. It is reference 861688.2, and it is available online from the Laco website with a delivery time of 2 or 3 days. Further information from the Laco website.
