Successful Swiss watchmaker, Laco was founded in 1925 and began its success story deeply anchored in German roots. The company is proud of its reputation for precision, reliability and authenticity. At home in the cockpit, but just as stylish when paired with formal or elegant attire by night, Laco watches can transition from something professional to something stylish depending on the occasion. The brand’s entire collection is home to wristwatches for maritime, aviation and military industries. Having defied the odds and survived a turbulent journey throughout time, the wristwatches developed by Laco show great dedication to remaining at the forefront of technology. The brand has moved with the times to keep current whilst never losing sight of its heritage. Some popular Laco watches include those from the Pilot Special, Pilot Basic, Pilot Original and Aviator series. The brand also offers an array of sports watches imbued with retro aesthetics that impart a distinct vintage-inspired look on the wrist. A series of reliable chronographs are also available from Laco, developed for the wrists of Navy personnel.
The story of Laco watches began with timepieces being developed under the name Lachers & Co. With values of reliability and precision at the forefront of each design, these wristwatches proved successful tools on the wrist of the military. Disruptions to manufacture were endured and overcome by the brand, who survived the odds stacked against it and began developing timepieces for use during the Second World War. The company became one of just five who supplied to the German Luftwaffe during this time.
It was not until the turn of the millennium that Laco watch company decided to reinvent and redesign some of its most remarkable and memorable timepieces. Greater attention was dedicated to the development of the mechanical movements that powered them, as well as the level of meticulous decoration carried out in the finish of each engine. Genevese stripes and blued steel screws are just two examples of finishes that can be admired through a sapphire caseback of a Laco watch, many boasting a vintage-inspired aesthetic that has been a preferred element by collectors of the brand’s previous models. During this time, the Ministry of Aviation devised a set of requirements that a military tool had to meet. This was known as the FL. 23883, which stood for navigation devices. The code was engraved onto each Laco watch, located on the opposite side to the winder.
Combined with an octant, Laco’s aviation timepieces were used to determine the exact position of an aircraft. Thanks to a legible dial and an easy grip crown, Laco watches were the first choice for many a member of Germany’ Air Force. Today, some notable designs include the Pilot A (recognised for its triangular marker at 12 o’clock accompanied by two dots) and the Pilot B models (with large minute numerals that mark 5 increments along the track and hour markers displayed in an inner Arabic numeral ring). In addition to this, the Laco Pilot 1 Watch Type C has an additional feature of a useful chronograph, with some iterations equipped with a day and date aperture too.
Aviator watches from Laco today pay tribute to the importance of such an indispensable tool in the cockpit during the 1940s. At the same time, they bring key elements through to the brand’s modern timepieces. The models from these collections now express freedom, precision and robustness. Laco is remarkably proud of its history. During the 1940s it was among very few manufacturers granted permission to develop timepieces for the German Air Force and the brand continues to honour this role with its newer designs. Whether worn in the cockpit or combined with a professional suit, Laco watches drive forward the brand’s commitment to creating exceptionally precise wristwatches whilst paying homage to the brand’s German heritage.
