The Best Budget Flieger Watch! - Laco Aachen
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2024
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I don't often use exclamation marks in my thumbnails, so you know it is going to be good. And it is. Just a sweet little watch, that does most things right, and with very little for me to moan about, which is a welcome change. Cheers, JOMW.
Made in Germany, Japanese movement - is the strap Italian leather for full on Axis mode? :0
XD
Àhahahaahhaha
Clever and funny!!
Ha! The lume is neutral.....
Outstanding!
Let me rant: I have the updated Aachen 39 model, the movement hacks (I am a female with puny twig wrist, hence the size is a blessing for me). Despite the decoration rivet, I am also satisfied with the straps, as leathers feel thick and substantial. The leather color is reddish brown, like those red wings, which aligns with my liking. Purist do bash this watch for whatever reason (girlie sized/miyota/snap exhibition back/ decoration rivets/overpriced for the spec/ etc). Anyone have to see this watch in person. In reality IMHO this is a very solid watch for what it is. I wouldn't say this as a beater watch (that is my F-91 W), but they are just as sturdy as anyone would need them to be, and will do very well for daily grinds for any city dwellers (daily civilians, not armed forces). That being said, as a fan of mid century aesthetics, I do fancy the higher end Kempten or Speyer. But IMHO I do see my Aachen have pretty much covered what I need from a nicer watch, will just serve very well for years to come ( plus from the finish and smaller size, I can sneak them for dressier occasions). If you have kids, or other adulting responsibilities, can't justify $1000plus splurge on the "originals", these Aachens and Ausburgs make great options.
Well said and yes, the latest version of the Aachen hacks!
I ordered mine just yesterday, can't wait.
Greetz from Germany 👍🏻😊
What size wrist are you? I am looking at an augsburg 39, but am worried it would be too large for my 6.3" wrist
Agreed. I have the Laco Paderborn and a Aachen blue dial 42 mil. Both are great, but I must about, I really like the blue dial in the Aachen.
PS: There is absolutely nothing wrong with a Myota movement, they're a solid work horse.
Oh no your showing off my secret fleiger watch I was saving up for. Most of the other TH-cam watch channels don't even mention it . I'm glad you did great review.
Just got mine last week and love it! 7 1/2 in wrist and the 42mm fits perfect, in case you were wondering.
I own two Lacos, this B-dial Aachen as well as the A-dial Augsburg. Both are part of Laco's "basic" flieger line and have the non-hacking Miyota 821A movement which is my only really criticism of them because the original WWII era fliegers hacked. I've never found that to be a huge issue for me but I think Laco could easily source hacking Seiko NH38 movements instead. If you step up in price to Laco's "original " line you can get ETA hand-winding or automatic movements with thermally-blued hands and darker steel case with lugs that mimic the originals.
If one doesn't mind going with a manufacturer that isn't one of the original suppliers (A. Lange, Wempe, Laco, IWC, and Stowa), then Steinhart (German/Swiss) and Tisell (Korean) have models that should be considered at roughly the same price point as this Aachen.
Lastly, we call them pilot's watches but in reality these were observer watches. Pilots didn't have these watches issued to them, instead they went to navigators/bombardiers/observers before a mission and had to be given back in when the aircraft returned to base. These Beobachtungshur watches were carefully calibrated to what we now would consider COSC specs and were very important tools for precise navigation using dead-reckoning and other timed techniques in vogue at the time before electronic means took over after the war.
Given the historical use of a flieger for aeronautic navigation (especially the type B, worn by navigators; type A by pilots) I think that the non-hacking Miyota is a big deal if you're into authenticity. Hacking would have been a requirement for all the pilots and crew in a squadron to synchronize watches. But that is a really picky criticism, because who of us is flying attack sorties in an air squadron?
I have just bought a Laco Aachen auto 42mm and it hacks. Regardless of if its fully wound or not, pull out the crown and second hand stops dead, no back hacking. So I assume that Laco may have updated the movement in later versions (its March 2020)
@@phillipembury2271 Laco kept the movement the same, but the movement itself has been improved by Miyota. (They added hacking, I'm not sure whether there were other improvements as well.
The pilots themselves wore i. d. R. chronographs, e.g. B. from Hanhart or Tutima, as a reserve for when the boardcomputer on the plane did malfunction. I got this from the Germany wiki and translated it loosely, my German is not so good. But yes the type B was worn by navigators who then with a octant would navigate where the plane was.
I think the Type A / B thing is something that came later.
You are wrong about the Pilots watch.
The pilot whore a Hanhart Chronograph.
The A-fliger is a older style navigators watch.
And the normal size of the Fligers and pilots watches are actually arround 50 - 55 mm.
At 6:05 the "old Laco" watch is a special edition model "Erbstück" which is hand-aged by the company to give it a vintage appeal. It's a newer model with an older appearance.
I did not realise Laco made such timeless watches. I might be on the lookout for just one more watch. Again.
It's almost scary how you published this video just in time when I'm debating over buying this model 😀
So what did you decide on?
I bought this Aachen flieger Laco watch in 42mm size and I can't wait to receive it! This is a really gorgeous watch... Nice video like every single one I saw from your channel 'til now! 👍👌
This is the best watch channel.
Invicta isn't run down, while Seiko and or Orient are praised in the same breath... As some other watch channels regularly do.
Your review pushed me over the edge... I googled 'laco watches canada.' Turns it there's a dealer in Vancouver just a short drive for my flat! I thought I'd go and have a look at them, since it's always better to hold something before you buy it. Or marry it. I held the B dial on my wrist, and then the A dial.... and for me the simpler A face just felt perfect. The B dial I find a little difficult to get my brain around - the small hour numbers seem to get hidden behind the hour hand, to me anyway. The A dial looked great. So... I bought it. I've had it for a few days now and really enjoy the look and feel of this watch. It's simple, classy, somewhat vintage-feeling. Great dial, numerals, hands, second marks. The strap was too big for my thin wrist, so I got a shoe place to punch in two more holes. One is off center, but so it goes. I love this watch. (btw, I got the 42mm Augsburg). It's my 2nd watch.... after my SKX007. .....what should I get next? hmmm. Thanks again for your review, Jody!
I just picked one up for £200, what a fantastic watch for the money. This video was the deciding factor for my purchase. Great video as always. I did go for the 42mm which is just perfect on my 7.5 inch wrist.
Jody, you're like the hardest working reviewer on the tube. Don't work too hard fella.
Very cool! Laco authenticity certainly adds value & credibility. 39mm looks fine too! Cheers Jody 👍👍
Been waiting for this
I have a Laco and I love this watch. The strap is very stiff. But after rubbing leather softner into it for 15 minutes it softened up quite a bit. Laco pays a lot of attention to quality control. My automatic version runs about +5 seconds a day which is pretty good in my book.
Looks good on you. Thanks for keeping up on the "perspective shot", I think you're the only one doing this (bravo!).
Yes, I noticed that Sydney does seem to have a lot of sunny days 😎
Thanks mate! Yeah, I have added the high perspective shot, and the outdoor shot. I think an improvement. Cheers!
I like what Laco does. You want budget automatic - go for Miyota version, you want upgrade with the same design, we can make you a version with ETA - everyone can get a cookie from them.
Great review, Jody! Classic style and incredible value in the Aachen. Love Laco!
Great review Jody. I think the 39mm looks great on your wrist, nicely proportioned. Thank you for another great video :)
I just came accross this review. I agree with Jody wholeheatedly. I bought the 42mm Aachen from Marc at Long Island Watch during his Black Friday sale, and it is simply perfect. The watch wears beautifully, the Miyota is performing faultlessly and the lume is exceptional.
Sure, you can find cheaper variations but none have the history that Laco has to offer. Stowa is gorgeous but oh-so expensive. I simply adore the Laco and plan to add the Paderborn to my collection when in Germany in April.
I’m loving the type B layout. Something about the rigs and number arrangement really appeals to me.
Laco is really underrated when we are talking about flieger watch, real brand heritage in making flieger watches, solid build quality, made in Germany (except the movement), what's not to love?
The movement is EVERYTHING to the value of a watch. This is Miyota, not Laco.
@@karstensiegmarsson5304 the movement is not everything, build quality it much more important. You can buy an ETA for $200 to replace the Miyota when it never breaks.
Jody I always look forward to your review's honest and to the point ,I am in Germany for the next four days and will be searching the jewlers to find and try on the 42 mms version ,if I like it I will buy it thanks for your review's
Only problem that I see for myself in buying this amazing time piece is that will need to purchase a matching accessories like a Heinkel He-111 Bomber or a Junkers JU-86 Stuka. Outstanding presentation,
Great review! I was only vaguely aware of Laco as a brand and never really paid attention to their offerings. That has changed as of now.
Received my 39mm Aachen this week and - surprise - it’s a hacking movement! The second hand stops when pulling the crown in position 2 :-)
It’s a new series? The watch should be brand new as the shop received it the same day I bought it.
Another information: the watch gains 4 seconds a day. This is perfectly regulated and a big job in this price range.
Anyway - two more reasons to love this watch. It’s great.
you can choose to buy with Miyota 821A or Miyota 8315, so the Miyota 8315 seems to have hacking
Wonderfully done/executed review.
I agree with the title. I think this is the most ‘perfect’ watch for the price I’ve seen on your channel - even the choice of 2 sizes is great. Can’t think of any negatives :) ...Great review.
Thank you :-)
If you ever feel like giving other peoples stuff away again, keep me posted for this one! The flieger design definitely catches my eye😍, especially with that lume! Have a look at Geckota k-01 (10 bar + saphire crystal)🤤
Great video as usual. I always thought though that an onion crown was 'onion shaped', ie round? The old ones I've seen were certainly round. I have to agree,a nice watch though.
Ended up picking one of these up, in the 42, following this video. Cracking watch, particularly as the newer ones now include hacking.
Been pondering this one for months, especially the 39mm model because of my wrists. I just pulled the trigger because of this video.
😲
there is a new limited release of the Aachen 42 in a taupe colour... Looks stunning
Looking fantastic, great review as always 👍
Worked great & gave it to someone that liked it & got another. Will wait for a cheap mechanical or used one.
Great watch!! Nice to see it on the channel
I'm not normally a fan of Flieger style pilots watches, usually the all printed dial and lack of finishing work to keep with that tooly military aesthetic doesn't reflect the price of the pieces for me, however something about this Laco really appeals to me. I think their logo being a little splash of flair to the face really adds something to it. Great review!
Thought this was the Tisell pilots watch. Great video!
You just made me buy this watch! Thank you... :)
Can't argue about quality when it comes to german built watches... And there are many brands out there.
You should try reviewing a HUGO JUNKERS. A brand named after the good Hugo :).
I've always wanted one of them!
Great review. Personally I prefer the A-type with the blue sunburst dial - less authentic but more fun to look at.
A Laco is on my shopping list that's for sure, just cannot decide on the model, the DC-3 is my current fave although the Spirit if St. Louis is a little different. Saving for one then you through in that skeleton smart watch that I'm running out of time on gearbest. What to do, what to do?
Great lume on laco.
Nice review.
There’s no doubt that these are the best value Flieger or B-Uhr style watches right now. You get the heritage (Laco made them for the Luftwaffe in WW2), a customized automatic movement, display back, sapphire, a lovely finished case all for 10% of the cost of an IWC.
Definitely go for the 42mm. I had this in 39mm and found the face somewhat too busy. I reckon the 42mm would be perfect.
Their Erbstück range are also lovely but 5 times the price.
I agree with you: you should have gone for the 42 mm, that is exactly what I want.
Thanks for the information, is the one that I needed, the bigger brother of your watch will be mine (in a good sence, of course :-D)
Excellent review, as usuall.. just a small point. Laco was one of four (not five) German companies making fliegers for the luftwaffe . The fifth company was IWC (Swiss).
Another great video! Thank you.
Cool review, I like Laco, a company with a lot of tradition and not far away from where I live. The watch looks great.
Beautiful watch.
That's lovely. Great watch
Nice watch. Great video and review.
Great review
Always fancied a Type B but not enough to pay the £800 - £1000 that most cost as I wouldn't wear it that often. This Laco is perfect for the £300 it costs in the UK (from Page & Cooper) and has that little bit of authenticity being they were one of the companies that made the actual ones from WW2. I have an Aachen 42 on its way along with one of Laco's black leather straps for a different option.
Very nice watch and as always, a great, well balanced review...there's lots of competition at this price range, but I'm sure they'll sell their share.
I think bigger is better only if the lug length remains constant. I wish it were 100m water resist too and then I’d put it on a 2 piece NATO and not have to worry about bathing or swimming or even washing my car. It is very beautiful though and all other aspects are very well executed. Nice review yet again Jody.
Steven Wymor Geckota do the most practical Fleiger with 100m water resistance and a seiko automatic movement
I've got a Laco but I'm considering the Geckota for practical purposes.
Richard P thanks, I’ve bought straps and diver spring bars from Geckota. I’ll have to take a peek at their timepieces, although I think I remember them being kinda pricey. Thanks again.
I have pvd version because I just love black watches but agree that this watch is best at that price point
wow nice watch really like it i would go for the 42mm cheers
Laco make superb flieger style watches. Personally i think it is worth paying the extra for the flieger original models which are still not ridiculously expensive but these flieger basic models are still excellent. The Miyota movement may not be exotic but it is solid and reliable and keeps price reasonable. And although watches shouldn't be about brand it is nice to have a flieger from one of the original makers.
We have a tradition to pass Watches trough generation!
This will go great with a wide variety of NATO straps! Especially the classic Bond strap.
Good review! Have been waiting for a review on a 39mm Laco flieger..still considering if I should get one or just stick to my citizen nighthawk as my flight watch
Good review Jody, good of you to remind the world we are getting ripped off paying 19% taxes. Nice timepiece too!
Tell me there are ways around the VAT? Or, at a minimum, are there ways to reduce the amount of VAT?
No. :(
Hi there, just bought the Aeromatic 1373x. NH35 movement, full lume dial, stainless steel, hardlex. Got it from Amazon.de for 59 Euros, very happy with it!
www.amazon.de/Aeromatic-1912-Flieger-Automatik-A1373X/dp/B07GXLVHBM
You made the right choice... the 42 is way to top heavy and doesnt wear nice on the wrist. Wears very large and clumpsy even for a flieger.
Buying the blue 42mm this week
It's a beautiful watch..a leather nato would nicely complement it
That is a nice watch and is very well priced for it being "German Made". I prefer the the Orient Flight which is 2-3 times cheaper with screw down crown, inhouse movement and pretty decent lume. This is a great alternative however if you want something European.
Hi Jody, ALWAYS enjoy the vids, tx so much. Question: what kind of watch winders are you using if you don't mind me asking. Could you do a video on watch winders as a special? Tx!
The new Taupe has hacking..😁👍🏻
I keep looking at that Blaue Stunde version of this watch.
I have a few Flieger watches both type A & B, however my favorite one ( at the moment ) is the Citizen Avion with eco-drive and date, not quite the true Nazi Air Force watch, but it has endless power from any light source and is very accurate for being a quartz, nice big watch face and oversize crown and for a very reasonable price too !
I am making notes on all these movements _7 a day worn is pretty bloody good?The Seiko you replied about has a similar face but in white.Looking forward to wearing it albeit a Frankenstein affair! I do like pilots dials.But I do have a long love of old piston engined ww2 aircraft.How to us blokes ever manage a wife ????We have alternative affairs with so many things to keep us ticking? Cheers ,Len.
I have been looking forward for this review urging to get this or a diver... decisions... Citizen Excalibur and this hmm sounds good to me
Bought a Naviforce, is quartz & wr 30m, $17.00. Got it to try type B & see if I like the dial.
Awesome watch.
I love the 42 but wish they did an entry level 55 with extra long strap to wear over a jacket sleeve (like the original)... I would wear that on my motorbike. WR is fine, you have bigger problems than keeping your watch running if you are an airman submerged in water.
Agreed a cracking watch. Comes heads on against the Steinhart Nav B-Uhr 44 Automatik B-Muster. It would be a complete no brainier purchase (for me) if I could swim in one of these. (Just in case the Red Baron forced me to bale out after a dogfight over the English Channel and I found myself in the drink). Great review - as always. P.s. There is always the Seiko SNZG15K1 loads cheaper and you can swim in it.
A nice modern interpretation of a classic flieger from one of the original 5 flieger manufacturers of ww2. And, at a great entry price level.
I agree, 42mm might be the best size without getting too big, or in 39mm case a bit too small.
I am personally interested in their original pilot design which is the most accurate version to the original ww2 models, just in a variety of case sizes proportionately.
As such, I was originally thinking a new 39mm size would have been better because the old style lugs sit very straight and a bit high off the case and wrist. Bring the case size down to 39mm might remedy some of that jutting out when in the wrist.
However, looking closely at the new 39mm case size, I was dissuaded to pursue the 39mm for several reasons.
1) the lugs are proportionately scaled down, as such, i was a little disappointed to know the lug and strap size would be down to 18mm instead of being 20mm
2) the strap size was down to 18mm, however, the rivets on the straps are the same size and feel they are just a little too big for the pair of rivets in the 18mm strap. I notice they run a but close to the strap stitching along the side. In a number of examples I've seen, the rivers have a bit of overlap on the stitching, making it appear a bit crowded. Had they kept no smaller than the 20mm strap size as they have in their 42mm model, this would not be an aesthetic issue
3) 18mm just seems a but petite for a strap for what should be a robust flieger and tool watch.
4) 42mm is the ideal size for a modern flieger. Not too small and just large enough to have some wrist presence and that extra legibility.
This is the watch that I want
Tough one for me I've been looking into a classic pilot watch. 18mm lugs and Miyota kinda kill it for me. Been looking more at tissell on the low end and stowa on the higher end.
I was wondering is there an ultra affordable chinese flieger dial type b watch with saphire glass and quartz movement ?
My bought my brother an inexpensive 41 mm from Aristo it reads HUGE without the bezel. I'm off the opinion these read one size up. Personally I think the 39 mm is just fine as a daily unless you type who just love massive watches. Then go with neo-vintage Original with 45 or 55mm.
I had a Victorinox Air Boss that felt a little too large at 42mm and 22mm lugs and a lug to lug at around 50mm and I have 7" wrists. I wonder if you will find the 42mm a little too large.
Beautiful!!!!
Swatch Irony Sistem51 Arrow is a pretty interesting take on a Flieger watch. Can be found for around $ 150
A Flieger has always been on my list of future buys, and it has to be one of the original five companies (which means Laco for me given the costs). I would consider this except for the Miyota movement, not sure why they would choose that basic movement. Also, not really an onion crown shape.
Thanks for the review, a good one as always.... Cheers Jody
Steven Williams they also have models with the 9015 and 2824, but a tad more expensive
Nice video but what happened to the seconds hand at the 6:20 minute. Was it a glitch in the video or did the hand jump?
Maybe should get one of those watches.
Hi there, probably (and of course I would appreciate it) I will get an answer for my question, which is: does this Laco Aachen worth the extra price compared to the Seiko SNK809? The cost is 4 times more between them. Which do you offer to buy? Thanks a lot!
Tony McGuinness dead ringer! Thoroughly enjoy your videos, keep up the good work!
I feel torn about the size.. because the bigger size is like you said more historically correct. Ive read fliegers originally used to be around 45-55 diameter. I bought the 42 version for that reason
Just bought a 42mm with the uprated movement which now includes hacking etc for £239 great value and looking forward to it. How’s the SAN Martin?
i wanted a Laco orange marker dial but regrettable non of their orange is beyond 42mm... so i chose the Geckota brand type B at 44mm instead (earlier version, model might be no longer available ) they might have something similar for later / current batches. Pilot watch is suppose to be BIG and original German flieger should be 55mm
Jodi… I just bought the 42mm version and wow… is the rotor ever noisy…. Now I realize this review is from 3 years past so the comment may get lost… even with the loud rotor I’m quite pleased with the purchase for $410 Cdn.
James! You can remove the rotor very easily, and it becomes a manual wind. Worth considering for an occasional wear watch, I think.
Can you put a link to where you got your rotating watch display kit (in the background). Thanks!
Nice and classic. And yes bigger is better I reckon for the Fliegers, especially at night with all that lume. Oh and btw....Sydney has
an average total days a year with sun, either full or partly sunny of 236. Melbourne, ummm yeah... 185
And Perth has the most hours off sun then any capital!
While I don’t really like the style of fleigers, I can appreciate the quality of this watch.
You are saying flygers. Ie is pronounced ee in all languages, including english
Nice pilot watch. I would prefer a watch in this price range to have an ETA movement. It would make more sense to buy the snk809 than this watch when considering the movement. The 42 mm would be to large for most wrists considering the wide visibility of the dial. This makes the 39mm a good choice. It is understandable the 39mm is offered. The trend is now moving to 40mm to 36mm . The type A dial would also be a better choice in a 39mm rather than the type B. Thanks for the review .
Don't often like pilots watches but I like this one, Jody. Think it's a bit naughty putting made in Germany twice on this watch .what do you think ,Jody. Thanks for sharing . very good as usual.Best regards from Adrian in Sheffield England 😀.