Laco watch manufacture

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The Laco Uhrenmanufaktur GmbH is a German watchmaker and was in 1925 by Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel under the name Lacher & Co. in Pforzheim founded.

history

The Laco watch manufacture
Laco Faro B-pattern observation watch

The company name Laco was derived from the family name Lacher and the abbreviation Co. When the watch manufacturer was founded in the mid-1920s, many watch manufacturers in Pforzheim used almost exclusively Swiss watch mechanisms for their cases . These were either delivered complete or in individual parts that workers put together in the factories themselves to complete the clockworks. That meant considerable tariff savings.

The company started successfully, but after a few years the founders went their separate ways. Hummel (born July 26, 1889) stayed with the original company, the watch factory Laco, while Frieda Lacher started manufacturing precision parts for wristwatches . In 1936 Erich Lacher, Frieda Lacher's son, joined her branch of the company and finally took over its management. For this reason, the company was renamed the Erich Lacher watch factory. This again produced complete watches.

In 1933, Hummel founded the company Durowe (Deutsche Uhren Roh Werke), also in Pforzheim. This developed into a world-class brand and, in conjunction with the sister company Lacher & Co., Pforzheim's most famous watch factory. Like other Pforzheim watch manufacturers, Hummel had set itself the goal of becoming independent from the Swiss manufacturers and creating its own watch line. Since the demand for wristwatches in Germany only increased slowly and many factories in Pforzheim still needed raw clockworks from Switzerland, Hummel's plans were difficult to implement.

Nevertheless, the company grew continuously until the outbreak of the Second World War . The number of movements produced per month rose from 20,000 to 30,000. Laco also produced clockworks and clocks during the war. Pilot's watches were particularly popular. The models were equipped with a 22-line anchor bridge movement from Durowe and adjusted with high accuracy using a chronometer.

Durowe should not only supply Laco with watch movements, but also other watch manufacturers. The product portfolio soon included a wide range of high-quality mechanisms for wristwatches. Two round movements - 8¾ ( caliber 318) and 10½ (caliber 410) - as well as three non-round movements - 5¼ (caliber 50), 7¾ × 11 (cal 275) and 10½ - were produced, distinguished by an additional "F" for formwork . All models were pallet anchor mechanisms with clutch lift. This was an exception at the time. Cylinder anchor and pin pallet fork mechanisms were still preferred, with full pallet fork mechanisms tending to have ratchet jacks that were not considered to be of mature quality and design .

Working in the Laco watch manufacture

During an air raid by the Allies, almost all factories were destroyed and more than 80% of the city of Pforzheim was reduced to rubble. But the reconstruction proceeded rapidly. Laco and the affiliated sister companies were put back into operation in 1949. With the help of the Marshall Plan , Hummel built a five-story building for Laco- Durowe , which was later expanded. In the mid-1950s, 1,400 people worked there. The production of clockwork movements rose to 80,000 per month.

The manual winding as well as the automatic models manufactured since 1952 helped Laco to a strong upswing until 1959. Durowe supplied watchmakers with more and more reliable and high quality movements.

Production in Pforzheim

The Laco-Sport model had the Duromat - 11½ lignes (caliber 552) - the first automatic movement produced by Durowe from 1952 onwards . This movement, with 18,000 semi-oscillations and a two-direction rotor, was based on calibers 422. In 1957 the Laco Chronometer with manual winding 630 (13 lines) was developed. Laco wanted to repeat the success of the original pilot's watches. How many Laco chronometers were produced is unknown.

Laco worldwide

At that time Laco- Durowe had been part of the US Time Corporation , better known as " Timex ", for several years . As a result of a decline in sales, Hummel had sold the company to the American watch manufacturer on February 1, 1959. Timex was particularly interested in Laco-Durowes advances in the possibilities of electric and electronic clocks. In 1961 the "Laco-electric" came onto the market - the first reliably functioning electric clock in Germany. The attempt by Helmut Epperlein from Ersingen to bring the first electric watch onto the market in 1958 was largely unsuccessful due to design errors.

The company did not remain in American ownership for long. On September 1, 1965, the Swiss company Ebauches SA took over Durowe. Lacher & Co. and Laco kept their company names. The Swiss intended that Durowe would only produce mechanical movements for ladies' and men's watches. The German company gave him easy access to the markets of what was then the EEC - today's European Economic Community . Durowe remained a dominant producer - a total of 550,000 movements were made in 1974. However, the Japanese quartz revolution meant that even the once powerful Laco- Durowe group was soon forgotten.

Development since the 1980s

In the 1980s, the name Laco was to be revived. The Erich Lacher watch factory had continued to exist as a small sister company of Laco for the last few decades. On September 8, 1988, the managing partner Horst Günther acquired the name and logo rights from Laco, which enabled the company to manufacture a modern range of high-quality Laco watches. Most of these watches are still mechanical today, but run with Swiss or Japanese movements. The fortunes of the company are in the hands of Andreas Günther, the sixth generation of management.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the watch manufacturer, Lacher has reissued 75 of its legendary 40s pilot's watches. 80% of the parts used have been replicated from the original model. All other components, especially the pinions and the wheel plate for the indirectly driven central seconds hand, were manufactured in limited numbers. The 75 limited edition watches were priced at DM 7,500.

Since the anniversary edition was a great success, the company decided to launch a new series of the Laco pilot's watch in early 2003. These five new models were exclusively available with ornate mechanical clockworks - with Geneva stripes and blued screws.

New start with new owners

Laco sailed for some time through troubled waters and finally had to file for bankruptcy on June 30, 2009. Intensive negotiations with various companies took place. The KIENZLE AG has proven to be unfavorable Partner: short term Laco was finding GmbH under the umbrella of Kienzle Lacher watch manufacturer, but Kienzle went very soon in liquidation. As early as spring 2010, Laco resumed business with eight employees and has returned to its original roots: The focus should again be on the craft instead of on the industry. The pilot's watches were further refined under new management. Since 2010, Laco has successfully launched two dozen new models.

Historical connection to B-watches

Pilots with Laco pilot's watches

During the Second World War , observation watches - especially known as B-watches and also as navigator watches, pilots or aviators - were produced. Five manufacturers made the observation watches for the German Air Force:

The watches contained high quality pocket watch movements:

  • Original pilot watch, open
    Lange & Söhne : Cal. 48/1
  • Laco: Durowe cal. D 5
  • Stowa : Unitas cal. 2812
  • Wempe : Thommen cal. 31
  • IWC : Cal. 52 SC (SC = seconde central)

The specifications of these watches were defined by the Reich Ministry of Aviation (RLM). Because of these RLM specifications, all B-clocks had the following features:

  • Case diameter of 55 mm
  • Engraving with FL 23883 on the back of the case and on the left side of the case (FL = flight, 23 = navigation, 883 = specification of the German Research Institute for Aviation )
  • Equipped with large crowns to be able to work with gloves
  • Stopping movement (the second hand stops when the crown is pulled out / essential for an exact time setting)
  • Breguet - balance spring
  • Regulated and tested as a chronometer
  • Leather straps (to attach to the sleeve of a flight jacket)

Web links

literature

  • Michael Brückner: Looking for a track. Visiting innovative factories and studios. 1st edition. Pro Business, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-86805-804-8 .
  • Fritz von Osterhausen: Callweys watch lexicon. Callwey, Munich 1999, ISBN 3-7667-1353-1 .
  • Wolfgang Pieper: History of the Pforzheim watch industry. Publishing house Dr. Klaus Piepenstock, Baden-Baden 1992, ISBN 3-921633-3-0 .
  • Konrad Knirim: Military watches. The clocks of the German armed forces 1870 to 1990. Verlag Peter Pomp, Bottrop 1998, ISBN 3-89355-180-8 .
  • Konrad Knirim: Military watches. 150 years of time measurement in the German military. Verlag Peter Pomp, Bottrop 2002, ISBN 3-89355-232-4 .
  • Helmut Kahlert, Richard Mühe, Gisbert L. Brunner: wrist watches. 100 years of development history. 4th edition. Callwey, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-7667-0975-5 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Glittering diamonds make hearts beat faster: 1500 brands compete at Baselworld - Economy - Pforzheimer Zeitung . ( pz-news.de [accessed November 20, 2017]).
  2. ↑ Walter Lange: When the time came home: memories . Econ, September 30, 2004 ( google.de [accessed November 20, 2017]).
  3. ↑ LACO Faro B-sample observation watch in a detailed test. In: chrononautix.com. August 16, 2016, accessed November 16, 2017 .
  4. ↑ Baselworld: Pilot's Watch instead of Smartwatch - Economy - Pforzheimer Zeitung . ( pz-news.de [accessed November 20, 2017]).
  5. ↑ Michael Brückner: On SpUHRENsuche: visiting innovative factories and studios . Pro Business, 2010, ISBN 978-3-86805-804-8 ( google.de [accessed November 16, 2017]).
  6. ↑ Laco: The discovery of old strengths . In: www.t-online.de . ( t-online.de [accessed on November 20, 2017]).
  7. ↑ Thomas M. Meine, Matthew Stannard: Collecting (Vintage) Watches: Wristwatches, antique and vintage pocket watches . BoD - Books on Demand, 2017, ISBN 978-3-7448-9492-0 ( google.de [accessed November 17, 2017]).
  8. ↑ clock for the gold city anniversary . In: Baden's latest news . October 13, 2016 ( bnn.de [accessed November 20, 2017]).
  9. ↑ Laco: The discovery of old strengths . In: www.t-online.de . ( t-online.de [accessed on November 20, 2017]).
  10. ↑ Michael Brückner: On SpUHRENsuche: visiting innovative factories and studios . Pro Business, 2010, ISBN 978-3-86805-804-8 ( google.de [accessed November 17, 2017]).
  11. ^ Peter Braun: German wrist watches . HEEL Verlag, 2014, ISBN 978-3-86852-997-5 ( google.de [accessed November 20, 2017]).
  12. ↑ clock for the gold city anniversary . In: Baden's latest news . October 13, 2016 ( bnn.de [accessed November 20, 2017]).
  13. ↑ Michael Brückner: Watches - Small Brands for Big Lovers . Pro Business, 2017, ISBN 978-3-86460-931-2 ( google.de [accessed November 17, 2017]).
  14. ↑ What are observation watches? In: Watchtime.net . March 7, 2017 ( watchtime.net [accessed November 17, 2017]).
  15. ↑ Brückner Michael: 50 material assets that make you sleep well . FinanzBook Verlag, 2012, ISBN 978-3-86248-288-7 ( google.de [accessed on November 16, 2017]).
  16. ↑ Michael Brückner: On SpUHRENsuche: visiting innovative factories and studios . Pro Business, 2010, ISBN 978-3-86805-804-8 ( google.de [accessed November 16, 2017]).