2011 Laco Special Edition Project - GENERAL DISCUSSION

Do I get two votes?

:-d

I too like the proposed polling timeline and conditions: 'finalist' thematics, single votes, and the one week cutoff. I would trust Uwe's discretion to re-poll the group in the event of a close call and keep the project moving forward. Besides, it sounds as if we'd all like to start formally discussing design particulars and movement finishing anyway....

Hi Uwe,

I personally feel building a Laco watch with a vintage Durowe movement is awesome. It will be a very special watch

I'm on a business trip; I've been monitoring the forum but haven't had time to contribute - my apologies. With voting I was planning on using the STV system (Google it); we used this for another project watch and it truly is a fair way to resolve close decisions. I have no intention of deciding close votes - we tried this first in the other project and it was a disaster. Essentially, everyone will be allowed to rank the choices in order of preference - and that weighting will decide the outcome definitively without any chance of a tie. I will explain more when the time comes. Also, I wasn't going to create a ballot with extremely specific choices, just loose themes. Once we have a theme decided we can move on to the other aspects of the design and fine tune the theme to our liking.

Piccolo8 said:

Before starting the vote, I feel we need to know some more details of given conditions. Movement(Durowe 7425) - Possibility of modification(=hack etc.) and/or decoration. Case - Which LACO stock cases are available. Price - At least, a bottom price should be presented.

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I will ask about the possibility of modifying the movement, however, everyone should be aware that this would add a substantial cost to the project. I'm concerned that an elevated cost will hinder the success of this project.

The cases are the Pilot 42 and 45 mm - Navy 44 mm. The 36 mm Pilot and Navy cases might also be available but they have as of yet not been mentioned by Laco.

As I stated earlier, Laco is working on giving us a base price; everyone should keep in mind that patience will be needed throughout this project. Laco will work as quickly as possible to accommodate our requests, however, their day to day business will of course take precedence.

Uwe W. said:

I will ask about the possibility of modifying the movement, however, everyone should be aware that this would add a substantial cost to the project. I'm concerned that an elevated cost will hinder the success of this project.

The cases are the Pilot 42 and 45 mm - Navy 44 mm. The 36 mm Pilot and Navy cases might also be available but they have as of yet not been mentioned by Laco.

As I stated earlier, Laco is working on giving us a base price; everyone should keep in mind that patience will be needed throughout this project. Laco will work as quickly as possible to accommodate our requests, however, their day to day business will of course take precedence.

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Thank you, Uwe.
So basically no new news.....

I just wonder why they offer DUROWE 7425 for the project, while only offering rather larger cases for the movement.:-s

They could use such a precious movement in a modest size case as their own special edition just like edition 1969. I am puzzled.:roll:

If the Pilot 42 and 45 mm, Navy 44 mm are the only choice, I would go for 42mm flieger. WUS edition A dial would be interesting, as A dial currently offered by LACO looks somewhat unbalanced to me(especially hands shape).

This could be a perfect match for the first LACO WUS special edition B dial as well.

Has anyone ever seen original LACO A dial?

No, never seen a laco A-dial.
Not many were made, they increased the readability by designing the B-dial very quickly.

I have been thinking:
A the A-dial was made very early in the war, in small numbers, I imagine that the chance of them being destroyed (= shot down) is much larger.
As we all know, the RAF shot down a very large number of the Luftwaffe bombers during the Battle of Britain.
Once they changed the dial to the B-dial in early 1942 (or was it -late -41?), there were not so many bombers being shot down. The Germans were kind of superior in the air over the Eastern front up untill mid -44. So not many B-uhren were lost considering the huge number of aircraft there.

(N.B. NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT.)

Piccolo8 said:

I just wonder why they offer DUROWE 7425 for the project, while only offering rather larger cases for the movement. They could use such a precious movement in a modest size case as their own special edition just like edition 1969. I am puzzled.

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There is news from Laco.

I've already updated the OVERVIEW thread with the information, which essentially outlines the cases being offered and a base price for the Special Edition.

The list of cases: Flieger 42 and 45 mm (with FL engraving), Marine 42 mm (without FL engraving), Einsatz Black 46 mm, and Laco 69. I don't want this thread to turn into a discussion of cases, so please save your comments for when that specific thread is started once the theme has been decided.

The other item is the base price: 1,498 EUR. IMPORTANT to remember is that this is a rough estimate; Laco will only be able to calculate a firm price once we have finished the design process. Obviously, the more elaborate the project becomes, the greater its cost will be.

Uwe W. said:

There is news from Laco.
The list of cases: Flieger 42 and 45 mm (with FL engraving), Marine 42 mm (without FL engraving), Einsatz Black 46 mm, and Laco 69. I don't want this thread to turn into a discussion of cases, so please save your comments for when that specific thread is started once the theme has been decided.

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Thank you very much for the news. here I made a list of available cases with retail price of existing/existed models. (Not for the discussion, just as an information.)

Laco 69 = 1,279EUR with Durowe 7423(Blued Screws, polished ratchet and crown wheel). Mineral crystal.
Flieger 45mm = 690EUR with standard grade ETA Auto/HW. Sapphire crystal
Einsatz Black 46mm = 490EUR with standard grade ETA Auto. Sapphire crystal
Flieger 42mm = 490EUR with Standard grade ETA Auto/HW. Sapphire crystal
Marine 42mm = 490EUR with Standard grade ETA Auto. Sapphire crystal

The other item is the base price: 1,498 EUR. IMPORTANT to remember is that this is a rough estimate; Laco will only be able to calculate a firm price once we have finished the design process. Obviously, the more elaborate the project becomes, the greater its cost will be.

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Dose the price include minimum decoration like blued screws or just cleaned and timed movement without any decoratin? :think:

By the way, with 1,498 EUR, we can buy Einsatz Black 46mm(490EUR) and Flieger 42mm(490EUR) and Deutshce Post Edition 1972 with plain Durowe 7423(348EUR) even with cheaper bill......... :roll:

Apologies for a noob question: how does a Laco 69 case look like?

Piccolo8 said:

Dose the price include minimum decoration like blued screws or just cleaned and timed movement without any decoratin?

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It's a base price for the movement as photographed but fully serviced. Of course modifications to the movement will only increase the cost.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kubelwagen said:

Apologies for a noob question: how does a Laco 69 case look like?

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I will post photos in the CASE thread that I'll create later today. As I said, I don't want to start a discussion on cases in this thread.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Almost 1500 Euro is considerably more than the WUS LE B-uhr ended at. I hope Laco will include a complex dial and hands in that price.

I fully understand the NOS movement is bringing the cost up.

Piccolo8 said:

By the way, with 1,498 EUR, we can buy Einsatz Black 46mm(490 EUR) and Flieger 42mm(490 EUR) and Deutshce Post Edition 1972 with plain Durowe 7423(348 EUR) even with cheaper bill......... :roll:

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Ouch .... €1,498 is indeed steep ..... very steep and may cool interest considerably. In fact, there are not that many more expensive offerings in Laco's line-up. :think:

I'm with Janne in hoping that Laco will include a (very) complex dial and hands in that price. To be honest, I don't think that the NOS movement justifies this price tag, so there has to be more to it .....

RonB

Janne said:

Almost 1500 Euro is considerably more than the WUS LE B-uhr ended at.

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What was the cost of that project watch?

I totally agree with you RonB and piccolo8,

it seems they are looking forward to a group of people that don't bother the costs of a "limited" watch.
We will get a serial case, a serial case back, a serial crown, probably a special dial and special hands, driven by a vintage but mediocre movement - nothing really exotic: All for 1.498,- €...at least.

I am disappointed by LACO,


Volker

Uwe W. said:

What was the cost of that project watch?

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I paid 654,50 € in Oct.2008.
The new project watch's calculation is more than 220 % of the amount paid in 2008,

Volker

brainless said:

I paid 654,50 € in Oct.2008.

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As with this project, you used an existing case but with a custom designed dial and hands. And instead of a NOS Durowe, a modern ETA movement?