Pforzheim, October 2021 – Since the 1940s, pilot watches have fascinated people with their precision, durability and clarity of design. Looking back at the production of these timepieces from the company’s history, the watch brand Laco now connects the story of historic pilot watches with timeless modernity in the new, configurable “Flieger PRO” line.
Flieger Pro – as in PROgress
Even though the tradition of the Laco brand is maintained with great attention paid to detail in the “Pilot Watch Original” and “Pilot Watch Basic” lines, the Laco team is always taking modern developments into consideration and makes it a point to include customer requests in the products. The new Laco “Flieger Pro” collection reflects this attitude by satisfying the desire for more diverse customization in a special way thanks to an innovative online configurator. Based on the typical characteristics of pilot watches that have been synonymous with the brand for multiple decades, Laco is reinventing its watch series without losing sight of its historic legacy.
Flieger PRO – like PROfessional
With a nearly unlimited number of design options, the new tool allows you to assemble a “customized” pilot watch for your wrist, entirely based on your own preferences. The Laco Stuttgart PRO (type A) and Karlsruhe PRO (type B) models serve as the basis for this – available in case sizes 37 mm, 40 mm and 43 mm. It doesn’t matter which configuration is selected – an individual timepiece is always created that is produced individually by the watchmakers in Pforzheim. Just like all Laco pilot watches, the entire “Flieger PRO” collection is characterized by its durability, functionality and legibility and thereby combines the historic legacy of the observation watch with advanced watch technology. The bolted bottom and the screw-in crown make the watch waterproof up to 20ATM and prevents the penetration of moisture even under widely fluctuating pressures and temperatures. The ergonomically curved lugs, combined with the flat casing height, offer increased comfort. The optional double-sided mirrored sapphire glass ensures increased legibility, even in poor lighting.
Flieger PRO – like PROduct configurator
A mechanical Swiss automatic or hand-wound movement ticks in all models of the new line, while several levels of quality and refinements, such as decorative patterns and blued screws, can be selected. Other options are available for the casing finish with a brushed or dark sand-blasted surface, borrowed from the company’s pilot watches. Even in the design of the dial, numerous additional options arise from the choice between the two models, the “Laco” writing and the option of the date. The models cost between 850 and 1600 Euro, depending on the details.
The groundbreaking and simple to use tool emphasizes once again the company’s close proximity to the customers and its connection to the historic pilot watch and its modern interpretation in the present. The new online configurator is already available from September 2021 and can be accessed on the watch manufacturer’s website.
Passion and tradition
The German watch brand Laco, based in the black forest town Pforzheim, has a corporate history that stretches back to 1925. The „Golden City“ has been the location for this small but long-established manufacturer from the very beginning. This traditional company earned its fame by constructing the legendary 55 mm sized observation watch, as one of only five licensed companies in the 1940s. Around twenty years later, with more than 1200 employees, Laco was counted as one of Germany‘s largest watch manufacturers. Today, the small team places emphasis again on handcraft. It is quality that counts in production, not quantity. The products range from pilot and navy watches, through to elegant chronographs and the purist Classic Line. But all Laco models have one thing in common: the highest quality, outstanding design and functionality in use. In addition to their own online shop, Laco also offers for sale at the factory in Pforzheim. From Monday to Friday, this offers an opportunity to pick up a new watch directly from where experienced watchmakers have manufactured it intricately by hand.