Laco Paderborn Blaue Stunde: the trendy Flieger
2 December 2017
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The Laco Paderborn Blaue Stunde (reference 86082) was the big surprise of the return. At Aero Avenue, we've always been fans of Laco Paderborn in its original version. Recall that this subtly modernized execution of the B-Uhr won the prestigious IF-Design Award in 2015. Its dial with a magical readability, blued hands, horns much thinner than those present on other Flieger watches Stowa, already gave him a sporty and elegant style.
The Laco Paderborn Blaue Stunde takes again the case of the original version, always in a sanded execution. However, no dark steel here: the surgical stainless is here in the natural, well helped by a fine sandblasting very qualitative. The bottom of the dial is blue "Sunray", reflecting the light according to the orientation of the wrist. The combination of the typical Flieger type B dial (see explanation of the different B-Uhr or Beobarchtungs-Uhr: watch watches) here treated in blue and the sandblasted case completely changes the Laco Paderborn, it's like if she had dressed in evening dress.
But the firm Laco, one of the only five manufacturers allowed to produce the original Fliegeruhren (commonly known as Flieger) with firms such as Stowa watches or IWC watches, did not stop there and used a beautiful gray nylon strap. NATO inspiration. This is the same type of bracelet used on the Laco "Cockpit Watches" as Laco DC-3 or Laco JU. This bracelet perfectly matches the satin of the case to create a set that exudes a lot of class while maintaining a sporty side.
Above all, no compromise has been made on the B-Uhr inheritance, specifically B-Uhr type B dial: the Laco Paderborn 86082 retains the dial type B with exceptional readability day and night. Just like the 2015 Paderborn, this Flieger is almost a flashlight at night! We have no idea how Laco manages to apply such a concentration of Super-Luminova on the dial and the beautiful blued hands, but the fact is that it works perfectly. So much so that the phosphorescence is clearly identifiable in a room with dim lighting.
Movement side, we stay on the caliber Laco 24, Laco version of the famous Swiss movement ETA 2824.2. This movement beats at 28800 bph (beats or vibrations per hour) and ensures a nice fluidity to the second hand, as well as a high level of precision. The automatic watches do not play with the same orders of magnitude as the quartz ones: remember that for the most precise the chronometer certification of the COSC imposes -4 / + 6s of maximum drift per day.
The rest of the features are unchanged: domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal (always readability: the Fliegers are flight instruments), 5 ATM waterproof, engraving FL23883 (the official flieger engraving).
Laco (Lacher & Co) was founded in 1925 by Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel in Pforzheim, in the Black Forest. This manufacture gained its nobility thanks to the aviator watch Type B: the famous "Fliegeruhren" which inspired LACO Paderborn, initially manufactured according to specifications directly issued by the RML (Reichs-Luftfahrtministerium).
Originally based on Lindberg's Longines design, the design of the RMP quickly evolved into the Type A dial as presented on the Laco Münster. The type B dial followed quickly, and during the period when both were available this dial was preferred by browsers. Thus the Flieger type B with its hours in the center to leave the minute fair, more important in air navigation, has become the archetype of the pilot watch for its functionality.
The engraved inscription "FL23883" on the left of the case means FL for "Flieger" and the number 23 indicates that it is a navigation watch.
Aero Avenue is official distributor of Flieger Laco.
