Laco Watches: From WWII Flieger Heritage to Modern German Tool Icons

by Brent Robillard

In the world of tool watches, few names carry the weight of history quite like Laco. Founded in 1925 in the German watchmaking town of Pforzheim, Laco was one of the original five manufacturers commissioned to build B-Uhr pilot watches for the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Today, Laco blends that utilitarian legacy with thoughtful, contemporary watchmaking—producing timepieces that are both steeped in history and firmly planted in the present.

Where many brands draw loosely from vintage influences, Laco operates with something closer to fidelity. From authentic B-Uhr reproductions to updated dive watches and tactical chronographs, Laco is a brand committed to its roots with an eye firmly on the future.

And what better time to delve into these roots (and this future) than now, during their centennial celebrations.

A History of Laco Watches — Laco has a history steeped in aviation @calibre321

The Early Years: Lacher & Co and the Birth of Durowe

Laco’s story begins with Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel, who founded Lacher & Co in 1925 in Pforzheim. Early on, they recognized the importance of movement independence. In 1933, Hummel founded Durowe (Deutsche Uhren-Rohwerke), a movement manufacturer designed to provide Lacher & Co—and eventually other German watch brands—with high-quality, domestically produced calibers. This vertical integration was a bold move at a time when many German brands relied on Swiss ébauches.

Durowe quickly became a cornerstone of German horology, producing both manual-wind and automatic movements. It enabled Laco to become one of the few truly self-sufficient German watchmakers—an asset that would prove critical as wartime demands escalated.

A Watchmaker with Wartime Heritage: The B-Uhr Legacy

The name Laco is inseparable from the mythology of the Beobachtungsuhren, or “observation watches”—better known today as the flieger.

In the late 1930s, the German Ministry of Aviation commissioned five manufacturers—A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, Stowa, IWC, and Laco—to produce pilot’s watches that adhered to strict military specifications. These timepieces had to function flawlessly under extreme conditions and prioritize readability and reliability above all.

The original B-Uhr (Baumuster A) models were characterized by:

Oversized 55mm cases to be worn over flight suits
High-contrast Type A dials with Arabic numerals and a triangle at 12 o’clock
Hacking seconds for precise synchronization
Anti-magnetic soft iron inner cases
Breguet-style blued hands for legibility
Oversized “onion” crowns for gloved operation
Long leather straps to fit over bomber jackets

Later, the Type B dial (Baumuster B) was introduced in 1941, featuring an inner hour track (1–12) and outer minute track (5–55), which improved time-reading precision during aerial navigation.

Laco’s contributions, powered by robust hand-wound Durowe and pocket watch movements, went on to become icons of aviation history. These weren’t just watches—they were essential tools of war.

Today, Laco keeps this tradition alive with its Original Pilot’s Watches—modern timepieces built to the same technical specs as their WWII predecessors, right down to the engraving “FL 23883” on the case flank, denoting their official Luftwaffe designation.

The Modern Laco: Tool Watches with Soul

While the flieger remains the cornerstone of Laco’s catalogue, the brand has in recent years embraced a new chapter—one that explores rugged, functional watches designed for modern professionals, explorers, and collectors:

Laco Sport DLC – A stealthy blacked-out pilot’s watch with a sandblasted case and luminous Type B dial, reimagining Laco’s legacy for tactical urban use.
Laco Kiel Sport Chronograph – A modern, mecha-quartz-powered chrono that merges flieger DNA with stopwatch utility. Oversized pushers and bold orange accents bring cockpit instrument vibes into the 21st century.
Laco Hamburg DIN GMT 8330 – A GMT-equipped field pilot watch built to meet DIN 8330 standards for professional pilots. Dual time zone functionality meets ultra-legibility and durability.
Laco Atacama Quarz UTC – A quartz-powered mission watch designed for field use, complete with UTC capability, 200m of water resistance, and hardened mineral crystal for impact durability.
Laco California Dial Limited Edition – A stylistic detour with vintage charm. This limited edition reinterprets a dial design once used by naval frogmen and early divers, fusing Roman and Arabic numerals for quirky readability.

These modern models demonstrate Laco’s ability to stay rooted in its tool watch legacy while embracing materials, movements, and designs relevant to today’s wearers. Whether powered by automatic, mecha-quartz, or high-accuracy quartz movements, each model upholds the brand’s commitment to Made in Germany quality.

Pforzheim: The Heart of Laco

Unlike Germany’s better-known watchmaking region of Glashütte, Pforzheim developed its horological identity through a different lens—one shaped by industrial strength, accessibility, and cross-pollination with the city’s goldsmithing and jewelry trades.

Established as a center for jewelry production in the 18th century, Pforzheim became known as the “Goldstadt“ (Golden City), a moniker earned through its flourishing precious metalwork and decorative arts. By the early 20th century, this expertise expanded to watch case production, dial fabrication, and eventually full-scale horology.

Laco was both a contributor to and beneficiary of this ecosystem. Its ability to produce complete watches—cases, movements, and dials—in-house or locally sourced, made it a powerhouse of mid-century German watchmaking.

Even after the city was nearly destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945, Laco and the Pforzheim watch industry rebuilt. Today, that same spirit of resilience and craftsmanship informs Laco’s work, giving its watches a tangible sense of place and purpose.

Laco in the Modern Context

Laco stands apart in today’s watch landscape by building tool watches that are not only historically grounded but also engineered for real-world application. The brand’s ties to aviation, military timing, and utilitarian function are more than marketing—they’re part of the brand’s structural DNA.

From the B-Uhr cockpit watches of the 1940s to GMT-equipped field watches tested to DIN aviation standards, Laco’s catalogue remains authentically connected to professionals who rely on their watches in critical situations.

In a marketplace increasingly filled with aesthetic throwbacks, Laco continues to create watches that walk the walk. With honest construction, legible design, and a commitment to the ethos of form follows function, Laco has secured its place in the modern tool watch pantheon.

Alongside brands like Hanhart, Sinn, and Junghans, Laco represents the best of German utility watchmaking—deeply historical, utterly practical, and unmistakably Made in Germany.