Laco Kiel.2 Blau

by Brent Robillard

Classic Flieger Chronograph Gets a Splash of Colour

There’s a certain gravitas to a Laco pilot’s watch. Whether it’s the historical B-Uhr heritage or the brand’s understated, function-first design language, Laco doesn’t tend to shout. And yet, with the new Kiel.2 Blau, the German brand adds something unexpected to its chronograph lineup: a vibrant sunray blue dial that balances precision with personality.

We’ve had the opportunity to go hands-on with this latest iteration, and we’re pleased to report that the colour update doesn’t detract from the Kiel.2’s tool-watch roots—it enhances them.

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From Pforzheim with Love

Founded in 1925 in Pforzheim, Germany, Laco (short for Lacher & Co.) began as a producer of high-quality wristwatches during the interwar years. The brand rose to prominence in the 1940s as one of just five manufacturers commissioned by the Luftwaffe to produce the iconic B-Uhr (Beobachtungsuhr) pilot’s watches—large, highly legible timepieces designed for aviation navigation. These watches cemented Laco’s reputation for precision, durability, and function-first design. Despite significant setbacks, including the destruction of its facilities during World War II, Laco rebuilt and continued producing mechanical timepieces through the decades. Today, the brand remains based in Pforzheim and is celebrated for its faithful reissues of historical fliegers, as well as its expanding range of modern pilot’s chronographs, maritime watches, and German-engineered tool watches.

Key Features of the Laco Kiel.2 Blau

A Flieger Chronograph Reimagined

The original Kiel.2 in black has been called “brutally honest”—a no-nonsense flieger chronograph rooted in utility, with little ornamentation and plenty of wrist presence. At 43 mm across and 13 mm thick, the Kiel.2 Blau retains that same case architecture: fully satin brushed stainless steel with angular lugs, an unprotected turbine crown, and large, piston-style pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock.

But then there’s that dial.

In place of stark matte black is a deep, dynamic blue, radiating outward in a sunray finish that catches the light with every wrist movement. It’s still a pilot’s watch at heart, but the blau dial brings a modern lift to the overall design—less cockpit, more cockpit lounge.

The white Arabic numerals remain crisp and legible, thanks to their contrast against the rich blue background. Likewise, the vintage-style sword hands and chronograph counters at 12 and 6 o’clock (and the small seconds at 9) are unchanged, maintaining the visual symmetry that made the original so effective.

Under the Hood

Inside, the Kiel.2 Blau is powered by the Laco 500 movement, based on the tried-and-true SW500 architecture. It’s a workhorse automatic chronograph calibre, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 56-hour power reserve. The movement is visible through a sapphire case back and features a decorated rotor with Laco branding–though it bears mentioning that various finishing options exist from standard Elaboré to Top Grade with decoration.

No matter what you choose, the pushers give a satisfying mechanical click—nothing spongy or vague here—and the chronograph operation is clean and precise. You feel the connection between fingertip and mechanism, the way any good flieger chrono should behave.

On Wrist

The Kiel.2 Blau wears as you’d expect from a 43 mm pilot’s chrono—substantial, but well-balanced. The brushed finish helps tone down the case’s visual weight, and the curved lugs do a decent job of hugging the wrist. Still, it’s not a small watch, and those with thinner wrists may find the lug-to-lug span a touch long.

It comes on your choice of a black or brown padded leather strap—a nod to the Luftwaffe heritage that inspired the B-Uhr designs of the 1940s. We had the brown variant, which looks great with the dial tone. However, there is also a bracelet option which I really like paired with the blue. It is a brushed five-link that tapers significantly from 22mm at the lugs. The clasp is a small push-button foldover; while it does not have micro-adjust, it is quite slender and unobtrusive.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 43mm Diameter 41.5mm Lug to Lug 22mm Lug width 14mm Thick Screw Down Display Case Back 100m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Domed Sapphire Crystal Sunray Dial Sword Handset Printed Indices C3 Super-LumiNova
Movement	Laco 500 25 Jewels 28 800vph 56-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Stitched Leather, or 5-Link Stainless Steel Bracelet Option

Laco Kiel.2 Blau

Final Thoughts

With the Kiel.2 Blau, Laco has struck a welcome balance between historical fidelity and modern flair. The sunray blue dial elevates the experience without compromising the watch’s tool-watch ethos. It’s still honest. Still robust. Still unmistakably a flieger. But now—with just enough colour to make it sing.

For fans of classic German chronographs looking to add a little personality without sacrificing authenticity, the Kiel.2 Blau is a compelling addition to the cockpit.

Pricing & Availability

The Laco Kiel.2 Blau retails for $2650 USD (approx. $3600 CAD). For more info, fly on over to the brand website.

About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

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