# First Laco Arrives!!!! Aachen Type B



## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

First my thanks to Uwe for his assistance.

Excuse the poor quality of the photo's, they were taken with my Blackberry. Due to comments about the face colours in privious posts, I got what my eyes say are an accurate representation of the colours being yellow/green mix.

Just for the record, I followed Uwe's advise and ordered directly from Laco in Germany. Cost of the watch with Miyota movement was 166.33 Euro, with 39.95 Euro shipping fee. Once delivered to me in Ontario, the duties were $40.00 Cdn.

Anyways, here's the bad pic's.


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Woops! forgot one.....


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## Uwe W. (Jan 7, 2009)

Congratulations! That was really fast, but more importantly, what do you think about your new acquisition? I'm thinking you must like it, otherwise you wouldn't have called your thread "_First _Laco arrives".

My older generation JU52 says hello:


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## Myron (Dec 27, 2009)

Nice watch. I have always liked the Miyota cases. 

Myron


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Thanks Uwe.I was sitting in my hotel room in Ohio Sunday night, made my decision, and placed the order for the watch directly with Laco. As you can see by my post, it arrived Wednesday afternoon. Do I like the watch? Heck Yeah! Love the strap, and the smell of fresh leather. Only one potential issue, the strap is a little short for my liking. Mind you the strap needs to conform to my wrist a little better as it wears in. I think it would be disappointing to have to put a replacement strap on the watch.I have other items I would like to add to my growing collection as the budget allows. Then I'll pay a stop back by the Laco shop and add something else.


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## Gabriel A. Zorrilla (Nov 30, 2010)

I got a Navy last week, and does not say Made in Germany either. It kinda p***** me off, it's always nice to show up a watch with that label.


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Sorry you feel that way. it doesn't bother me too much obout whether it says made in Germany or not. most people I know won't even know the Laco name. Those that are interested and will ask. Guess then I have a story to tell.


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## topher512 (Jul 16, 2011)

As an owner of two beloved Lacos (Laco Pilot Chrono and Navy Miyota Luminous), I bid you welcome! (I understand your disappointment with the strap. You're right, it will relax in time and fit better. As for me, I'm a strap guy as well as a watch guy and dig hunting down great alternate straps.)


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## Gabriel A. Zorrilla (Nov 30, 2010)

Ronin, dont be shy in experimenting with straps and deployments. I think straps for watches are as music for movies, without a good one all the atmosphere is ruined! Also, it's the easiest part to customize.

I just bought a chestnut Roma band and a rough finished push button deployment for my Navy. The combo costed me about 50 bucks (the watch costed me about 300, so the ratio is good) I dont know this model, but the differences between the Miyota movement and the ETA are not just the movement but also the crystal (its mineral in the Miyo, sapphire in the ETA) and i bet a better strap. The one in the Navy Miyo costs about 15 usd retail (i found it doing my shopping search) I imagine LACO gets hundreds for 4 or 5 bucks each.

I never ever imagined that the strap and deployment world is SO HUGE specially for Europeans and people from USA or Canada which less restrictive customs and usually free shipping. There are excellent online shops that will offer you almost unlimited amounts of combos. And also in the WUS forums there is people who will make you a custom if you are pretentious! I think a nice strap/deployment or buckle combo can make your 100 usd watch look like a 500 one and it's the only part that us, customers, can have tailored to our needs (regular customers, not those who can afford 100% custom made watches).


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Topher, thanks for the welcome. I was happy with the strap in many ways, especially "echo leder" on back of the strap. any replacement strap won't have the Germanic writing. That is more of a comment, than an " oh no, I'm so devastated" remark. I'll give the leather some time to relax, and judge how I feel at that time.

Gabriel, I agree with your comments. When I purchased my Seiko 5, I bought it with a crappy strap as I was intending to replace it straight away, ditto with my black mako. the 5 has a new black leather strap and functions as my go to beater. The mako was suppose to have a shark skin strap put on it. But like you said, there are many different strap options out there. The result of that has been my inability to order anything as I haven't made up my mind yet, lol.

My other thought, and I would guess this might be do to nostalgic reasons is a 20mm strap seems way too thin for this watch. I've seen other comments on this forum thinking the same. If I do get to the point of making a change, I will be going to a 22, and preform a little cosmetic surgery to make a proper fit.


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## Oldheritage (Jan 3, 2009)

The original strap will soften if worn. I have the exact same watch and mine is quite soft and pliable now, one of my best straps in fact


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Maybe this question has been asked, not sure. After wearing the watch for the better part of the day till say 9 pm or so, should the watch run out of power by 4 in the morning?


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## Gabriel A. Zorrilla (Nov 30, 2010)

47 Ronin said:


> Maybe this question has been asked, not sure. After wearing the watch for the better part of the day till say 9 pm or so, should the watch run out of power by 4 in the morning?


The Miyota movement has a design power reserve of 42 hours. I find it to be in my case about 36/8. But no way 6 hours as yours. Give it a couple of extra days to break in and be sure you move your hands!


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## Uwe W. (Jan 7, 2009)

47 Ronin said:


> Maybe this question has been asked, not sure. After wearing the watch for the better part of the day till say 9 pm or so, should the watch run out of power by 4 in the morning?


Automatics take time to reach their full reserve power. And there are variables involved, such as how active you are while you're wearing it. I've never had issues with the Miyota's power reserve, but then again, I wear my watches 24 hours a day. So to answer your question, it is possible for it have run down by 04:00 if it was only worn for a relatively short period of time.

If the day you just described will be your normal wearing pattern for the watch, I'd suggest that you wind it around 20 times when you first take it off, maybe for two evenings in a row. That should give you enough power to last until you put it on again the next day. With this routine you should build up enough of a power reserve that it will run on its own through the night consistently.

Let us know how you make out.


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## Uwe W. (Jan 7, 2009)

Gabriel A. Zorrilla said:


> I find it to be in my case about 36/8.


I'm just curious. What does this mean: 36/8? You have a 36 hour reserve? But what does the 8 mean?


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Uwe,

i would say that I treat all my watches the same. I have 3 auto's the Laco, a Seiko 5, and a black mako. I wore the Laco Friday. Out the door by 7 am to the office, off to a mould test in Burlington at 9:30, return to the office by 2, left for home about 5. I took the watch off at 9:30 last night. My other half hates getting scratched by a watch in the middle of the night, so to appease her, I don't wear a watch to bed. After I got a coffee in me this am, I checked on my watches, as if I don't wear the watch, I give them a couple slow shakes to give them a wind in the morning and before bed. Everone was happily running except the Laco which had shut down at 5:20 in the morning.

i will give your method a shot and report back what happens.

Gabreil, I'm an Engineer. My hands are in motion all day long for one reason or another. if it wasn't for the other autos setting the bar, I would just assume that's how it goes. I figured 20 hours or less wasn't right, but I thought I would ask as I have been wrong before.

Thanks for the suggestion guys!


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Uwe, seems a little winding goes a long way. rookies problem solved, lesson learned.

Thanks yet again.


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## Gabriel A. Zorrilla (Nov 30, 2010)

Uwe W. said:


> I'm just curious. What does this mean: 36/8? You have a 36 hour reserve? But what does the 8 mean?


Uwe, sorry to confuse you buddy! I meant 36 - 38 hours. :-d


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## Uwe W. (Jan 7, 2009)

47 Ronin said:


> Uwe, seems a little winding goes a long way. rookies problem solved, lesson learned.


Good news! I'm sure after you've worn it repeatedly for a few days in a row you won't have to worry about its power reserve any longer. I recently bought a watch that uses an Epson YT58 movement; just be thankful you don't have one of those in your watch. It uses a mechanical rotor to charge the battery for its quartz movement. The problem is that you have to wear it for many days before it's developed enough of a power reserve to stop it from ticking in 2 second increments, which is an indicator of a low battery condition. The manual recommends that you shake the watch 300 times before putting it on if the battery is dead! It's a very annoying movement to own if you're like me and you rotate through 50 watches on a regular basis.


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## Uwe W. (Jan 7, 2009)

Gabriel A. Zorrilla said:


> Uwe, sorry to confuse you buddy! I meant 36 - 38 hours. :-d


Ah! That makes much more sense to me.


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## 47 Ronin (Feb 6, 2012)

Ouch! You must really like your watches as that one sounds like a pain in the backside. i doubt I'll hit 50 watches ever, thats a handful keeping the rotation up I would guess. Not to mention that if I keep the number respectable, I'll tend to stay out of trouble, if you catch my meaning. Got caught looking at some Russian watches earlier, and caught the look.


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