2018 Laco Westerland Bronze 45mm Manually Wound

Here we have a 2018 Laco Westerland Bronze Manually Wound, the now discontinued quintessential B-Uhr (Beobachtungsuhr) Observer watch, part of the cockpit arsenal of instruments it was initially issued at the start of each mission and was then returned ready for the next mission; the 55mm watch was made for German Luftwaffe and Allied navigators between 1939 and 1941, they were manufactured by one Swiss company and four German companies, IWC, Laco, Lange & Söhne, Stowa and Wempe. This more contemporary-sized 45mm sandblasted bronze case will uniquely patina over time, the curve of the case leads to flat-ended tapered lugs, and a lug-to-lug length of 53mm and a case thickness of 13mm give the watch an impressive wrist presence. On the right side is a sizable onion-style crown, perfect for adjusting while wearing gloves. On the left side, FL23883 is engraved FL, meaning Flieger, 23 means navigation watch, and 883 is the code used by the German Testing Office for Aeronautics. A smooth bezel holds the double-domed sapphire crystal AR coated above a matte black “Baumuster A” dial; an outer minute track has baton markers at the hour surrounding Arabic numerals and the characteristic triangle and two dots at 12, all coated in an antique-coloured Super-LumiNova C3 for that vintage aesthetic; thermally blued sword hands are filled with the same lume and complemented by a tapered second hand and benefit from Laco’s Erbstuck (Heirloom) ‘aged patina’ treatment. On the reverse, there is a solid stainless steel case back inside a manually wound Sellita SW210, with 19 jewels, beating at 28,800 beats per hour. The watch comes with a 22mm brown rivet-style leather strap and pin buckle, and it also benefits from Laco’s Erbstuck (Heirloom) ‘aged patina’ treatment and Laco presentation box and papers.

This watch is sold with its Laco Box and Paperwork. The watch comes paired with a 22mm brown rivet-style leather strap and pin buckle. The watch is from May 2018 and is in used condition, but overall, it is in fair condition, as you can see from the photos, with patina developing throughout. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.

This Laco Westerland Bronze in 45mm is an absolute beast on the wrist in the best of ways, whilst having a shorter lug to lug for the size at 53mm it is surprisingly wearable and comfortable. If you have been looking for a historic pilot watch with character and wrist presence that also won't break the bank, you have now found it. Snap this one up whilst you can today!

Reference : 862087
Movement : Manually Wound Sellita SW210
Age : May 2018
Year : 2018
Case Size : 45mm
Case Thickness : 13mm
Lug to Lug : 53mm
Lugs : 22mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : Box & Papers
Case Material : Bronze
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Laco was founded in 1925 by Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel in Pforzheim, Germany, under the name Lacher & Co. Towards the end of WW2, the RAF bombed the city, devastating the businesses and homes of the population. Under the USA's “Marshall Plan,” the city was able to rebuild itself, and Laco built a five-story factory that specialised in pilot watches. In 1961, the company was sold to Timex. It managed to survive the Quartz crisis of the 1970s and still produces pilot-themed watches today.