-
Nov 18, 2019, 06:43 PM
#1
Laco Aachen Taupe LE - first impressions and closing thoughts
Part I
This thread follows the posts:
https://www.intlwatchleague.com/showthread.php?10161-And-what-did-you-buy-today/page560
https://www.intlwatchleague.com/showthread.php?10161-And-what-did-you-buy-today/page561
https://www.intlwatchleague.com/showthread.php?10161-And-what-did-you-buy-today/page563
Stories
As most of you already know, Laco is a watch brand established in the mid-1920s in Pforzheim, Germany. As a common practice during those years, the company used to buy Swiss movements ready built to encase or – what we would call nowadays – in kit.
At some point, the original founders– Hummel and Lacher – decided to go their own, separate routes. Hummel stayed at Laco, while Lacher's son started to offer complete watches under the brand Erich Lacher Uhrenfabrik.
Later on, Hummel founded the company Durowe and eventually became the most popular watch producer in Pforzheim. Durowe, now capable of manufacturing its own movements, supplied mechanisms to Laco and other companies.
Wempe schematics
With their facilities almost destroyed during WW II, Laco managed to return to its main activity in 1949. However, in 1959 was already clear to them that their future wouldn't be a happy one and eventually Laco-Durowe was sold to…Timex. Yes, that Timex!
It was a short marriage: in 1966 Timex sold the company to Ebauches SA (Swiss) while, at least Larcher & Co was allowed to keep its name. However, as many others, it would not resist the quartz revolution.
Meanwhile, the small sister company Erich Lacher Uhrenfabrik would manage to survive and in 1988, its executive manager, Horst Günther, acquired the Laco name and rights and a new life was instilled into the company; not for long. The year of 2009 would see its insolvency. Time fora new experience with KIENZLE AZ and time to fall into another hole. Quite a tortuous life, actually.
Finally, in 2010 Laco was reduced to the bare minimum, but under a new management, the company decided to focus on a group of watches they knew very well: the pilot watches based on their old catalogue,soon to be extended to a group of other categories.
The fact that the original Laco was one of the five (together with IWC, Stowa, Wempe and Lange) suppliers of the German Air Force during WW II, gave it some sort of primacy (or/and marketing advantage) over other brands, when it came to the modern – and sometimes not so modern - reinterpretations of the old pilot watches aesthetic language.
Today, Laco offers two pilot lines: the Original -aesthetically close to the designs of the early 40s - and the Basic – more affordable and showing a modernized look. Replacing their "ancient"Cal.5, movements by ETA/Unitas and by Miyota are now their "motors"of choice.
The Laco Aachen Taupe LE
The Laco Aachen Taupe breaks some of the original rules. Apart from keeping the expenses down – which is important –surprisingly, those may have been the main reasons why I decided to get one.
First of all, I didn't want a reedition/reissue/replica of the watches worn in the 40s. What I did want was an affordable, simple watch, with the Type B dial configuration, because I find it enhances the legibility and that graphic approach does appeal to me.
Ooops!
I only had to wait for two days, before Fedex delivered the watch ordered at the Laco online shop. Nice travel case, interesting watch, everything as it should, until I looked at the movement and…there it was: a proud screw was menacing to go away and the rotor was as loose as a rotor can be! 
Truth be told, some 3 weeks before I ordered thewatch, someone on another Forum was complaining about the exact same problem. However,I could never imagine that, in three weeks, Laco would be so busy, to the point of not having enough time to buy a new set of screw drivers. I was wrong. 
I e-mailed the company, sent a pic and informed them that I would take the watch to my watchmaker and I couldn't care less for the warranty. No response, so far. 
Anyway, the watch is now fixed, thanks to my watchmaker. He did it for free; he's a great guy. 
The Laco 21 movement
Let's move on to the watch: the movement it's a cheap (in all senses) Miyota 821A baptized Laco 21. For the Taupe series a hacking function was added, which can be handy. I was curious about this movement, because it's the first time I have direct experience dealing with it.I heard some complaints about how noisy it can be, but after my watchmaker replaced the rotor and lubed one or two points – don't ask me exactly what he did – the noise is almost absent. The shape of the case can also help to keep the noise down, but now I'm speculating. 
Crown on the hacking position
The specs for the Miyota 821A are, let's just say,rather modest - yes, that's a euphemism - but still not worse than the ubiquitous Seiko NH35.
- Accuracy per day: -20 to +40s
- Posture difference: under 50s
- Power reserve: 42h
- Bph:21600
Laco claims to regulate this movement to an accuracy of -10/ +20s per day. Let's see what the Timegrapher tells us.
Measurements taken 10 minutes after the movement was fully wound @ 30s intervals.
|
|
Amplitude (49º lift angle) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not brilliant, but actually not bad for a cheap movement. The beat error is great; the delta not so bad and way better than the original specs; the average rate (always on the plus side) is respectable and the only cause for concern are the low amplitude readings, in particular on the crown down position, one of the most important parameters for a stable rate in real life situations, given the fact that most of us wear the watch on the left wrist. Anyway, the values suggested by Laco are perfectly credible. Good job. 
* After 24h of normal wear, the gain was consistent with the average deviation calculated from the Timegrapher readings.
(to be continued)
Last edited by CFR; Nov 30, 2019 at 08:48 AM.
-
Post Thanks / Like - 9 Likes
Likes: 
Reply With Quote
