Time To Watches: Laco

Summary

The Real Time Show: Time To Watches – Laco

Release Date: May 28, 2025
Hosts: Rob Nudds & Alon Ben Joseph

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Introduction

In this episode of The Real Time Show, hosts Rob Nudds and Alon Ben Joseph delve into an in-depth conversation with Sarah Ruman from Laco, a renowned German watchmaking brand celebrating its centenary. Filmed at Villa Sara San during the Time To Watches event, the discussion covers Laco's rich heritage, current offerings, and future plans.

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Laco’s Centennial Celebration

Sarah Ruman opens the dialogue by highlighting the significance of Laco's 100th anniversary, marking a century of craftsmanship and innovation in watchmaking. She mentions ongoing developments and encourages listeners to follow Laco’s social media and newsletter for upcoming announcements.

Sarah Ruman (01:44): "There's a lot of going on behind the scenes, but we are early this year, so we have April now and most of the action will come in fall and winter."

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Heritage and Specialization

Laco, founded in 1925, is celebrated as Germany’s second most prominent watchmaking nation after Switzerland. The brand is esteemed for its pilot or Flieger watches, originally designed for military use in the 1940s.

Sarah Ruman (02:16): "So a lot of tradition and heritage. And it's mostly known for the pilot watches or also the Flieger watches."

Rob showcases a vintage Laco thigh watch, emphasizing its historical design and sheer size, which reflects its original purpose for pilots.

Rob Nudds (03:08): "That is a museum piece if ever I've seen one. Wow."

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Current Collections and New Releases

Sarah introduces Laco's latest offerings, including the Flieger chronograph available in white and black, with a forthcoming blue variant in response to customer feedback. The chronograph is praised for its robust build and excellent value.

Sarah Ruman (04:46): "It's our Flieger chronograph. So we have it in white already and in black."

Rob shares his personal experience with the Laco Squadron Amazonas watch, commending its durability and design.

Rob Nudds (06:21): "I have respect for IWC, but when it comes to getting that feel, that sense, that genuineness for not much money at all, it's an incredible value proposition."

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Design and Functionality Insights

The discussion delves into the meticulous design elements of Laco watches. Rob highlights the exceptional quality of the rotating bezel and diverse dial fonts, which collectively contribute to the watches' unique aesthetic and functionality.

Rob Nudds (08:11): "The machining must be absolutely on point to achieve that kind of robustness and that kind of solidity with every movement."

Sarah explains the feedback-driven approach to design, ensuring that new models like the Flieger chronograph meet customer expectations while maintaining heritage values.

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Limited Edition and Special Projects

Laco celebrates its 100th anniversary with exclusive projects, including a limited edition watch only available through giveaways—100 pieces to commemorate each year of the brand’s existence. Additionally, they are set to release the Edition 100 in late 2025, promising a unique and unforeseen design.

Sarah Ruman (15:46): "So we have our 100th anniversary this year, and we plan a very special project for this year."

Rob eagerly anticipates the Edition 100, praising its exceptional execution and unique design elements without revealing specific details.

Rob Nudds (20:16): "It's unlike anything that's in the collection right now. One of the most notable things is the case flank engraving."

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Customer Engagement and Community

Laco maintains a strong connection with its customer base, ranging from dedicated collectors to first-time buyers. The brand prioritizes stable pricing and actively listens to customer feedback to introduce new colorways and models that resonate with their audience.

Sarah Ruman (05:37): "We have some Laco collectors who really know the whole collection sometimes better than other colleagues."

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Controversial Aspects and Brand Evolution

Alon introduces a thoughtful discussion on the historical context of Laco's pilot watches, addressing the sensitive heritage tied to the German military. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging history while appreciating the craftsmanship and value Laco continues to offer.

Alon Ben Joseph (22:12): "We didn't touch on any of the, well, we can say controversial aspects of the collection... it's a sensitive topic."

He advocates for an open dialogue to explore how Laco navigates its historical legacy amidst evolving societal perspectives.

Alon Ben Joseph (27:25): "I'm very keen to have that dialogue, so I hope they'll come on."

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with the hosts expressing their admiration for Laco's commitment to quality, heritage, and customer satisfaction. They encourage listeners to stay tuned for more from Laco as the brand embarks on its centennial celebrations.

Rob Nudds (21:33): "Sarah, thanks for bringing this wonderful box of tricks. And keep your eyes peeled on what Laco is doing this year is going to be one to remember."

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Key Takeaways

• Heritage: Laco's 100-year legacy in German watchmaking, known for its pilot and Flieger watches.
• Current Offerings: Introduction of the Flieger chronograph and other robust, stylish models.
• Limited Editions: Exclusive projects celebrating anniversaries with highly limited releases.
• Design Excellence: Attention to detail in functionality and aesthetics, ensuring durability and unique style.
• Community Focus: Strong engagement with both loyal collectors and new customers, maintaining accessible pricing.
• Historical Context: Acknowledgment of the brand’s historical ties and the importance of ongoing dialogue regarding its legacy.

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Stay Connected:
Follow Laco on their social media channels and subscribe to their newsletter to stay updated on new releases and exclusive giveaways.

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This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the episode, capturing the essence of the conversation and the key points discussed about Laco.

Transcript

[Rob]

Foreign welcome to another edition of the Real Time show here at Villa Sara San. For time to watches, I am joined today by Sarah Ruman from Alako. Hello, welcome to the Glass Igloo.

[Sarah Ruman]

Hello, people over there.

[Rob]

Hello, people around the world. Why did that sound so much like Eurovision?

[Alon]

Like hello, Berlin, call it?

[Rob]

Who would get 12 points from the brands you've seen exhibiting at Villa Saracen if you were awarding points as in Eurovision style?

[Sarah Ruman]

To be honest, I didn't had any chance to take a look around that much for the other brands. Of course I know many of the other brands, but I don't know the. The booth over there because we're only the second day, so.

[Rob]

Okay, okay, okay. Very diplomatic.

[Sarah Ruman]

Take a walk around.

[Rob]

Okay. I should have booked this a recording on the last day, so I could have got a full rundown from 12 to 1 point.

[Sarah Ruman]

Exactly.

[Rob]

Well, maybe if we have time, we can come back and do it a la Eurovision. That'd be some quite good content. We should explore that. But we are not here today to talk about Eurovision. Know I love Eurovision. Do you love Eurovision?

[Sarah Ruman]

To be honest, no. We have Germans, so.

[Rob]

Well, you won it once recently with LENA 2010 satellite. Come on. She even thought she could win again. She came back the year after. I got to know your German history.

[Sarah Ruman]

Always on the last place or second class. So please don't talk about Eurovision anymore.

[Rob]

All right, we'll talk about football. Maybe that was. That's a little more impressive. Although not recently, of course. Okay, moving on to watches, which is something we both know more about. Sarah represents Laco, founded in 1925, which coincidentally is 100 years ago. So I guess this is quite an important year for you and the brand. So why don't you tell us what's been going on behind the scenes?

[Sarah Ruman]

There's a lot of going on behind the scenes, but we are early this year, so we have April now and most of the action will come in fall and winter. So people should really have focus on laco. Follow us on social media and newsletter and so on, because we have a lot ongoing behind the scenes.

[Rob]

Just in case any of our listeners have never heard of Lacau, which seems unlikely, but just say they haven't. How would you describe the brand to them? What do you specialize in?

[Sarah Ruman]

So I'm always starting with German brand. So of course there's Swiss watchmaking, but second place is always the German watchmaking. So there's glash, of course, in Germany, but we are coming from so the second watchmaking city in Germany, as you mentioned. Before Laco is 100 years old now. So a lot of tradition and heritage. And it's mostly known for the pilot watches or also the Flieger watches. So There were big 55 millimeter observation watches in the 1940s.

[Rob]

Wow.

[Sarah Ruman]

There were five companies who were allowed to produce this. It was Lange and Wembe, Stover, IWC and Lago. So some famous names. And those Flieger watches are. Yeah, many people know it from iwc.

[Rob]

Do you have one over there that I can see or an example of something? Okay, so. Oh my God, look at this. So this has got a strap on it which I assume is meant to be worn around the thigh as was common practice for old pilots. It's actually enormous. It's. Yeah. It's a bizarre thing because it looks like a prop from a movie, like for the BFG or something. Because it's too small to be a clock and it's definitely too big to be a wristwatch. But a thigh watch, it most certainly is. Wow. What a piece. Where is. When is this from?

[Sarah Ruman]

We don't have any documents left, unfortunately, but we guess like 41, 42.

[Rob]

Okay. Wow.

[Sarah Ruman]

55 millimeter.

[Rob]

That's no joke. I don't know. I mean, there are some brands that do produce watches of these dimensions, but really very few that still would ever produce a watch that had such an open edge to edge crystal. So the dial aperture is enormous. There's barely any bezel on this thing. So it looks. Well, it looks like nothing else. Like I said, you know, you might find the odd Casio Mudmaster or G Shock that technically has the same diameter, but it doesn't have the same appearance whatsoever. That is a museum piece if ever I've seen one. Wow.

[Alon]

Because Sarah's brought this box with her.

[Rob]

A box full of watches. It's like I can see the secret box. Little secret box.

[Sarah Ruman]

Some watches.

[Rob]

Yeah. And there's at least 10, exactly 10 pieces in there. But only one of them is a true novelty. But before we get to that novelty, because it looks very interesting, we are going to have to talk about that quite extensively. Why don't you tell me what else you've brought along for our little show and tell session.

[Sarah Ruman]

So we have the new one. I will show you now for real novelty. But it's not available yet.

[Rob]

Okay, okay, Okay.

[Sarah Ruman]

I know that people are always looking for new ones in the shows, but we decided to go for the new ones in summer and fall by end of the year. So you might know this already. It's our Flieger chronograph. Yes, it's our keel.

[Rob]

Yeah.

[Sarah Ruman]

So we have it in white already and in black. So typical tool watch chronograph. And people wanted a blue one, so we want happy customers.

[Rob]

So tell me what you mean when people want it, do they get in touch with you? Like, what does laco's customer base look like? Is it a lot of repeat buyers, people that have multiple models from your collection and so voices that you're very likely to listen to when they get in touch and say, hey, you know, we love the keel, we love the chronograph, but we want a blue one. And then you're like, okay, yes, yes.

[Sarah Ruman]

We have some LACO collectors who really know the whole collection sometimes better than other colleagues. They know everything about our watches. But we also have some like first time buyers which start in the world of mechanical watches with our basic line. So the basic line, for example, is starting at €340. It's a very good price point for a made in Germany watch with mechanical movement.

[Rob]

It certainly is. Yeah.

[Sarah Ruman]

Of course we have a lot of people looking for real pilot watch, but Lacko is much more in the meantime than just the pilot ones.

[Rob]

Yeah, I've got a Lacko Squad Amazonas watch, which I've had for years. I think you sent me that for review back when I was working for a blog to watch some years ago. That was a long time ago. But you know, I love that watch and I wear it frequently when I'm kayaking. And I always said to people I never expected to love it. I love the more heritage inspired visas. I love the true pilot watches. I think that in terms of value for the product that you get on your wrist, there's no better maker of pilot watches than laco. I love Hanhart. I have respect for iwc, but when it comes to getting that feel, that sense, that genuineness for not much money at all, it's an incredible value proposition. But then you said to me, oh.

[Alon]

Would you like to review this?

[Rob]

I think it was a new range at the time, the Amazonas. And I was like, well, I will review it. But I was not exactly excited because I thought, oh, it's a sports watch. It's not really what I think of when I think of Leica. It's not really my style, Whatever, I got it. And I think the retail at the time was something stupid, like 5, €600. I think it's gone up significantly now, maybe around 1,000.

[Sarah Ruman]

No, no, we don't had any price increase since 2017, so we really want to have stable prices. Of course, for the newer models, we have a little bit upper prices because everyone's increasing their prices. But we don't have any price increase since 2017. So the sports models are the same price since we released them in 2018, I guess.

[Rob]

Wow, I really teed you up for that one, didn't I? Honestly, she's not paying me for this. In fact, no one is, which is a shame.

[Sarah Ruman]

Yeah, they are, I think more or less like €1,000. So they start at €930, like our pilot ones with the liter movements as well. So this is our price point for the biggest part of the collection.

[Rob]

Okay. So I had this watch on my wrist for the first time, and it's a very stout, very robust sports watch. It has a rotating bezel. And one of the things that really stands out about it, and I guess anyone who's into sports watches will probably do the same thing. The first time you get them in hand, you turn the bezel to see how good a quality click it has. And this Leico has a better click on it than any sports watch I've encountered before. You hit the five figure mark, there's no joke about that. There's no backlash whatsoever. There's no wiggle room. I'm not sure of the mechanism. It doesn't feel like it's ceramic ball bearings. It feels like a more traditional spring click. But at the same time, the machining must be absolutely on point to achieve that kind of robustness and that kind of solidity with every movement. But the thing that really stuck with me about this watch, in fact, there were a few things that made no sense to me at the time. One of them was, you have got like 16 different fonts on the dialogue. Yes, that's an exaggeration, but there's a. There's a ton of fonts. And I was like, oh, this is stupid. Whatever. Sounds like the cursive Lacko logo. And then the minute track and the hours are different. And then the script down between center and six is something else entirely. Somehow it works. And I don't know, I think that's always a moment to doff one's cap to a designer that is able to pull all these things together that anyone that thinks they know design would say was a bad idea. But then when you see the end result, you're like, oh, actually, that kind of worked. It does work. It does. Annoyingly, it still annoys me all these years later because I don't understand it. But you know, that that's the thing, I guess that's the. If it works, I don't question it because I wear this watch and what. The main reason I wear it, aside from the bezel and all the fonts, is the. The color, the accent color. So I've got the green one. Now, it did come with a blue. It did come with an orange. There was also, I think, an orange and a black sort of split colorway. And I have to say that these colors are the most legible in not darkness, but in dusky and overcast conditions that I've ever encountered. So I wear this watch which is extremely water resistant. What is the water resistant?

[Sarah Ruman]

30 meters.

[Rob]

Okay, 30 ATM. Yeah, 30 ATM. And I wear it when I'm kayaking mostly. And as many of you know, I grew up in the north of England, and so the weather is not exactly good. We have weather, a lot of it, but it's mostly terrible. And this watch just comes to life in these conditions. It's extremely impressive. It did come on a bracelet. I also got the rubber strap and also the bright green NATO. My choice is the black rubber, which has the sort of extended shoulders that you'd expect from, you know, a lot of old Casios and Seikos, and they're perfectly comfortable and, like, great for going over a wetsuit. If you wear a wetsuit, which I don't, but if you do, they're ideal. So kudos to that model. I'm. I'm still holding the chronograph. I'm going to give that back to you.

[Sarah Ruman]

Thank you. Rob, if you want to assist us at the booth, always welcome.

[Rob]

Yeah, I got myself another job. Just what I need. Okay, so what have we got in.

[Alon]

The top left hand corner over there?

[Rob]

This one with the big. Yeah, I've seen this before.

[Alon]

Last year.

[Sarah Ruman]

Still looking for the sport and squad models for Lago. As mentioned, Lago is much more than just pilots. This is our Atacama.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Sarah Ruman]

We also had this model, I think like five, six, seven years already. We designed this together with the German. Again, the click you hear.

[Rob]

Yeah, listen to that. Okay, that's good.

[Sarah Ruman]

I always say it's a German click.

[Rob]

I don't know why it sounds so threatening when you say it.

[Sarah Ruman]

You can't imagine the LACO meeting. So we don't have any designer, we don't have any technical advisor who says us. The watch, this is the new watch. It has to look like this. So it's always a meeting with the marketing department, purchasing department, CEO, sales, and so on. And the Click is so important. So everybody's at the Laco company is testing this click.

[Rob]

Oh my God.

[Sarah Ruman]

So yeah, but we designed this together with the German military. The Atacama was there for years and years and we're always going to several fairs and events. So not only watch fairs, but also other fairs like for the military people. And they told us it's nice to have an automatic squat watch, but if you want a really exact watch which is robust, we need a quartz movement. So we released this one, I think two years ago and it's one of our best sellers at the moment.

[Rob]

It's an extremely unusual watch. I would describe the case middle as bowl shaped. The Crown is at 12 o' clock and to compensate for that there's two mirrored, almost mirrored end links to the bracelet. The. The 12 o' clock end links got a cut out. So the crown is, is either protected when on the wrist or when off, easily accessible, which is a really nice feature actually. It's not like most 12 o' clock crowns where they're always a bit of a struggle to get access to. This one is generously sized and when you do pull the end link down, it is totally proud of the case and that link. And it's a screw down crown as well. So totally rock solid. There's a wide flat bezel that overhangs the bowl case and really is the focal point of this design. The dial is very deep, obviously allowed for by that thin quartz movement which is a GMT with a date at 6 o' clock. Okay, tell me how much this is because there's a lot here that is exciting, a lot that is different. And it's water resistant to 200 meters as well.

[Sarah Ruman]

Yes, it was one of the requests we got from the military people that they have a big face to read the time. So we have 46 millimeter diameter at the front, but only 34 millimeter on your wrist.

[Rob]

Wrist. That's not 34 millimeters. You're lying to me.

[Sarah Ruman]

It is.

[Rob]

I wish I brought a vernier gauge.

[Sarah Ruman]

You don't feel it on the wrist. You don't have to have big wrists for this watch, even if it has the 46 millimeter, because due to this conical shape, the Crown at the 12 and its flexible lux, you don't feel it at all.

[Rob]

Yeah, that's a very good point. The flexible lugs mean that, you know, we always talk about lug drop off, like the immediacy of a drop off. You have some watches that have a very stout lug to lug but the first link of the bracelet adds active length to the L2L measurement. Whereas in this case, the drop off isn't just immediate, it's actually negative. Bizarrely, these two lugs fold under the case. And I wouldn't advise wearing it if your wrist was that slim. I mean, that's like a baby sized wrist. Oh, it's a watch for a baby. A baby soldier. Baby soldiers. That's extreme.

[Sarah Ruman]

Maybe we have to cut this out.

[Rob]

Yeah, yeah, no, we'll leave it in. Don't worry. Neither of us have touched the. The whiskey that's been made for us by a good friend, Hakeem Al Qadiri, just down the road. Loglat. It's a TRTS special. Come by the booth if you want to taste it. But it'll probably all be gone by the time you get here because this episode will go out. Not before these people around me drink the whiskey. I'm not talking about you, Sarah. I know you won't drink it full. No, no. She's like aperol spritz.

[Sarah Ruman]

I'm not drinking alone, as mentioned.

[Rob]

Well, you're in good company here. Although I've not touched a drop.

[Sarah Ruman]

But then I have to go outside.

[Rob]

Okay, what have we got next to that incredible unusual piece?

[Sarah Ruman]

So there's two more watches I wanted to show you. All right, this one, it's good that we don't have any camera in here.

[Rob]

Why? Is this embargoed?

[Sarah Ruman]

Yes.

[Rob]

Okay. Okay.

[Sarah Ruman]

As you mentioned, we have our 100th anniversary this year, and we plan a very special project for this year. So the watch you have now in your hands, it's not for sale. You can only get it with a giveaway. So we plan to give away 100 pieces.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Sarah Ruman]

So one watch for every year.

[Rob]

That's a good price.

[Sarah Ruman]

Yes. So as mentioned, people should really have a focus on laco and follow us on social media, sign up to the newsletter, and so on, because there's a lot, lot to come.

[Rob]

I'm gonna describe it, but not describe it. I'm not gonna give too much away. Okay, so I'm guessing this is a 42 millimeter case. It's in what looks like blasted steel.

[Sarah Ruman]

If you know laco, you know the surface.

[Rob]

Yeah. Okay, so it's very utilitarian. We've got a beautiful diamond crown. I won't tell you what color the dial is because that's obviously something quite.

[Alon]

Special to this watch.

[Rob]

And it is special. Not something you'll be expecting to see. Hands extremely legible, as you'd expect. Classic. Is this an A dial?

[Sarah Ruman]

Yes.

[Rob]

Is that. Is that too much to give away? Maybe, Maybe, maybe. Maybe I got it wrong. Probably not. Okay, so you got any b.

[Sarah Ruman]

Maybe it's another type of watch. Yeah, maybe diver or some.

[Rob]

Could be a diver. Yeah. But. Yeah, okay, we all, we all knew what it was going to be like. But it's beautiful. It's unlike anything that's in the collection right now. One of the most notable things is the case flank engraving. The sometimes commented upon case flank engraving from the history of Lacco has been substituted instead for a celebratory lacko 1925-2025 engraving. What was the thinking behind that? Is that a special thing for this model or will all lacos have that engraving going forward?

[Sarah Ruman]

No, it's only for this model. But we want to have the connection to the historical ones. So as you mentioned, the pilot ones all have this engraving on the side. So it's not a ser number. Many people think it's a serial number, but they all have the same ones. The old ones have this and also the new pilot ones have this. So we wanted to have a connection to the old ones.

[Rob]

So it's a product identifier. Basically the same way that NATO straps were otherwise known as G10 straps, because NATO had the product code. So when you were a new soldier, you would go to the quartermaster and you would supply your list of necessary kit, and that was how the straps were identified. And similarly, the German counterpart in the military, it's the Reichs Luftfahrz Ministerium.

[Sarah Ruman]

Right?

[Rob]

Close. Close enough.

[Sarah Ruman]

Perfect.

[Rob]

And that's. That's where that number comes from. So it's a very historical thing that Lacko has perpetuated into this day. But this one, in absence of that, is certainly very special. Keep your eyes peeled on Lacko then, you know, keep watching the channels.

[Sarah Ruman]

Limited and not for sale.

[Rob]

Limited and not for sale. What will people have to do to begin given one of these watches?

[Sarah Ruman]

We will let you know.

[Rob]

Again, so ominous.

[Sarah Ruman]

I'm not allowed yet to tell too much about this.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Sarah Ruman]

And another secret maybe please don't explain too much about this one, but I will tell you the story behind. We have some count up models since five years. So our edition models. So we started with the edition 95. It was a Navy watch five years ago. So 95 years of Laco. Then we had a sports model, the edition 96, an original pilot one. 97, always limited up to the number of years. 98 was a chronograph, 99 was one of the pilot watches from our basic collection. And this year we have the edition 100.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Sarah Ruman]

So we'll be also limited up to 100 pieces.

[Rob]

That's one hell of a way to stretch an anniversary out for an extra five years.

[Sarah Ruman]

This one will come in. Yeah, November or December, I guess. So you have to wait a little bit for this.

[Rob]

But yeah, I want to describe it, but there's no way to describe it without giving away that. Exactly.

[Sarah Ruman]

Too much.

[Rob]

It's not what you'd expect from Laco, let's put it that way. And if you're a fan of the brand's history and a fan of what they've done before, I have to say, execution wise, this is a superb watch. It does what it's supposed to be doing very, very well. It's unlike very many things on the market today. And yeah, I'll say no more beautiful though. Very, very unexpected.

[Sarah Ruman]

And yeah, the edition 99 last year was sold out within two hours.

[Rob]

Okay. So if you are keen on getting your hands on one of these extremely limited pieces to celebrate the cent of Lacko, then stay in touch with Sarah.

[Sarah Ruman]

Yeah. All the other people at Lacko.

[Rob]

Yeah, you don't have to personally bother her on our own channels. Don't, don't run her over. Definitely don't run her over. Don't overwhelm her with. With DMS or whatever. You'll find out how to get it.

[Sarah Ruman]

Always. Welcome to DM us.

[Rob]

Oh, okay. All right. Well, you heard it here first. She's open to you sliding into her DMs. Never had that on the Real Time show before, but. Yeah, well, now you've said it.

[Alon]

It's not.

[Rob]

I'm not editing it out.

[Sarah Ruman]

Yeah, please, you've gone.

[Alon]

You've gone red in lack of 1925. What's your private profile?

[Rob]

And that's the end of the show. Okay. No, seriously though, we are going to end it here. Thank you very much for your time. Sarah, thanks for bringing this wonderful box of tricks. And keep your eyes peeled on what Lacko is doing this year is going to be one to remember.

[Sarah Ruman]

Perfect. Thank you. Bye bye.

[Alon]

Another meeting. Unfortunately, Alon, you weren't able to sit in because of course this is a brand that needs a lot of discussion, really. Lacko, I love Sarah. I mean, I'm.

[Rob]

Am I in love with Sarah?

[Alon]

Maybe a little bit.

[Rob]

What?

[Alon]

I mean, I like her very much as a. As a colleague and I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Lacko as a result. So I've written about them many times. I own several Lackos and I very much enjoy wearing them because I think it's an excellent product for an excellent price. But you weren't in this meeting. But what is your take on the brand? We can just do a. A top level overview of this one.

[Sarah Ruman]

So.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I love pilot watches and I love Flieger ur watches. I even like the design of Bay ur watches. Now I have sometimes issues with watches that were made for one particular army instead of the other. The perfect example of being Swiss is iwc. They both made watches for Ref and for the Luftwaffe. If you're a German brand and you were forced to make man watches in the 1940s or the end of the 30s, well, you didn't have a choice to supply any other army or air force than your own. Of course I do not know enough about laco. What I know it's a fan favorite. They make rather true to original replicas of their own catalog. So old school pilot watches and I think they do that at a fair price. That's the only thing I know. So I'm very eager to listen to the interview you actually recorded during time to watches with them.

[Alon]

Yeah, we didn't touch on any of the, well, we can say controversial aspects of the collection. Not all of the watches that Lacko produce still bear the. Do I ever get this right? Reichsluft's ministerium number, the reference number that was assigned to pilots watches that were issued to the luftwaffe in the 30s and 40s and obviously throughout a very dark time in Germany's history. I think. Is it a sensitive topic? Of course it is. Some people will point to the fact that they are just historically accurate timepieces. Others will say that there are elements of history that we shouldn't perpetuate. And I think both, both positions are valid and discussable and everyone is entitled to have their own subjective take on that. And I think what we can say about Lacko, who celebrates its 100th anniversary this year by the way, like a 1925. So there's. There's a lot of exciting stuff coming out. There's actually a nice dress piece on the way to mark that occasion. And they do make a great quality product for a very reasonable price that we can say that is, I would say irrefutable. And I think that their existence and their persistence in the market is really underpinned by that. So it's a. It's a brand that I feel can do a lot more still. There is progress to be made in not Just product design, but also communication, brand presentation. And I look forward to see what they do with the next. Well, I won't be around for the next hundred years, I'm sure, but at least the next couple of decades, it'll be interesting to see how Lakko adjusts and evolves in a climate and society that is itself evolving quite significantly. I mean, I was thinking the other day how bizarre it is that there are barely any people left now who actually lived through the war. Very, very few people left who fought in the war. And within the next decade, I think it's pretty likely that there won't be anyone left on planet Earth that experienced that firsthand. And I think we do see in society this fading memory. You know, it's a pretty tumultuous time for geopolitics at the moment, and one has to ask the question, is the fading human lived experience playing a part in that? We both grew up, there's only six years between us, right? But we both grew up, like with parents who were the children of people who were active combatants in this conflict. And it was very much put over us. You know, this happened within living memory. I was born in 1985, 40 years after the end of the war and another 40 years has passed since. That's a crazy thing to imagine that when I first entered the world, there was exactly the same amount of time between the end of World War II and today. And it scares me a little bit. And we should always talk about these things and we should always keep them top of mind and endeavor to not make the same mistakes that were made in the past. Don't know how I've ended up going down this rabbit hole now on a watch podcast, but, you know, when you get reminded of that era, it's hard for your mind to not run off in different directions. I'm going to shut up now before I go on an hour long monologue about things I clearly don't understand intimately enough to be talking at length about. So let's get Lacko on the show at some point and have a real open discussion about that and how they see themselves developing in the future and what they think about the potential controversies that could be raised by what is undeniably, I think, an excellent product with an interesting history.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Well said and I'm very keen to have that dialogue, so I hope they'll come on.