Story of an Icon: The Flieger Watch History and Modern Alternatives
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- In this video, I would like to talk about the horological legend which is the flieger watch, a timepiece born from war but which has won over the hearts and minds of collectors everywhere. I would also like to talk about modern alternatives which hark back to the original from the likes of Stowa, Laco and IWC.
For horological photography, please follow me on Instagram at: armand_the_watch_guy
For any questions or business enquiries, please email me at: questionsforatwg@gmail.com
I have a Laco Baumuster-A, in 45mm with the captive leather strap. This is my every day watch and I love it :)
I have too, since January. I love it. The next one is the same size, but in Baumuster B.
Brilliantly done, thank you!
Great watch.. my Grandfather used a Laco A dial.
Great stuff, well researched. I recently bought a Stowa Ikarus and totally agree with you, super watch.
+mike o connor: Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked the video. The Ikarus us certainly a very interesting piece as a spin-off of the Flieger genre.
Fantastic video Armand! Love the bit of history! KS
Very nice explanation and interesting facts. And valuable info on modern "reissues" of these iconic watches. Great video !!!
Wonderful video. You're enthusiasm for watches always shows.
Most excellent review! Very informative. Gotta' love the IWC Big Pilot! Thanks!
Great video have a Seiko sports watch with the similar face as the Luftwaffe watch.
Great video...I love the history behind the flieger watches
excellent video as usual, now do deck and submarine watches :)
Fabulous review. Thanks... Looking at the Stowa Classic 6498 original....
+Kurt S: Thank you very much for the kind words, I'm sure that the Stowa 6498 would be a superb purchase!
Quite simply and consistently the best watch reviewer and commentator on the 'tube'. Articulate, succinct and precise. Though I'm still curious about the shape and size of flieger watch hands - I had always assumed it was to maximise the lume and therefore enhance accurate night-time visibility of the hands. Having said that I'm grateful for the excellent review.
Yes, I agree, but he didn't mention radium lume was applied to the originals.Not does it matter that much, just worth mentioning.
Here’s hoping 42mm isn’t too big. Time will tell. Fantastic looking watch. Exactly how a tool should look. I love it.
Excellent, most informative video Armand. Top notch content and presentation.
Christopher Ward made two versions of these which they called the C8 Pilot MkI and MkII Vintage Edition. Genuine auto Swiss movements too.
I have an original laco b dial except mine has an unusual long green canvas strap that has double grommets and double "catches" for lack of a better word. Definitely made for the watch or one of similar size. Cant find another like it. My Korean watchmaker wanted so much to purchase it from me.
The Laco range can be a bit hard to navigate. The movements have variable grades and they seem to offer a greater variety of movement options with Type B dials. They don't seem to be very consitent with their model ranges. The cases are a lot closer to the original than the Stowa. Laco also offer Unitas 6497 powered models but they are at least twice the price, taking them up to in excess of €3,500.
1 minute in and I subscribed. great content.
Stowa is the way to go!
Very difficult to decide between Laco or Stowa.
Great content, you're like a walking magazine.
+JIMNEL CORPUZ: Thank you very much, that's great to hear!
The best historical and presentation video abozt this wathes off all..bravo..thanks a lot.
Great video, Thanks!
Thanks! I love this video.
Thanks for the article :) very nice. I hadn't yet understood what the difference between type a and type b dials was in terms of function.
Just want to say well done with the video. I myself is a big Stowa guy so really happy to see Stowa being featured here. Keep up with the video. Subscribed to your channel. If you happen to visit Stowa forum at watchuseek, see you around.
Brilliant channel. Recently discovered it!
+MUNRO MUSIC: Thank you very much for the kind words, they are very much appreciated!
superb presentation and technical content very informative proper job
Armand The History Guy
+Charles Khoury: Hmm, that has a rather nice ring to it...
It is always good to remember that before they were fashion statements they were tools. I have a Chronoswiss Timemaster 24 that I love even though the lume has essentially completely failed in 10 years. Great video and thanks for doing the channel!
The quality of your shows is exemplary.
great video, thank you for all the cool info!!!
Great intro and appreciate the historical perspective in your classic British style. Other mid range alternatives like the Fortis Fleiger types. Best, JP
Thanks for yet another pleasantly presented and technically interesting video. Something which always crosses my mind when looking at pilots watches is that the larger onion crown must increase the risk of snagging the crown and possibly side loads on the winder "shaft". I presume that these loads and risks are taken into account during design and production. What is your experience and opinion on this?
This is my next watch aspiration. But might just buy a speedmaster.
Hi Armand, you’re doing a great job with you channel, for wich I have to thank you.
Speaking of pilot watches, I am about to purchase an Archimede. I know it’s not a heritage brand (it’s a spin off by Ickler, as far I understood), but after a few studies it came out their cases are definetly more slender than Laco or Stowa, wich helps on a 42mm watch with such a big onion crow. They mount a Sellita workhorse movement, easy to revision, and they are quite open to customizing, as far I contacted by mail.
You talked about this brand on a clip about bronze cases, but I’d like to have your opinion about Pilot watches in particular.
Thank you again, over and bye.
I own a Citizen Avion. Looks like the B type flieger watch!
Thank you for the information my man! Would you have considered speaking about the seiko SNK809 K2 in this video?
I've been looking for one of those straps you spoke about towards the beginning of the video. I can only find ones made by Laco, does anyone know of any other makers? Also, great video as always!
What are your thoughts on IWC spitfire series? They seem to look like the B-Uhr watches yet IWC did do the Mark series for the RAF. Is there a fair claim to the spitfire name given they use the B-Uhr dial?
I give a shit on spitfire.
I have a 42mm Type B Flieger. Right size for a pilot watch. Comes in sapphire glass, heated blue hands and ENAMEL Dial! The Blue lume is brighter than my hulk and it has screw-down crown! With NH35 work-horse giving me plus 2 sec per day. Price-139USD!
Hamilton make a great one too
Can you please do a review on the Christopher ward c60 tridant gmt 600 ?
Hey! I'm looking to add a fleiger to my collection. I've narrowed it down to these two.
Stowa Classic Pilot Black Dial no date/logo
IWC Mark XVIII Le Petit Prince Blue Dial
Both have ETA movements, but the IWC is three times the price. Stowa can be had with an exhibition case back and manual wind, but the IWC has that beautiful blue dial.
I'm so confused!
Aymanali Jumma I'd go with Stowa. I think the IWC's aesthetics are beautiful, but it's hardly a German pilots watch. Stowa is the better option listed, but I'd also recommend looking at a LACO Frederikschaffen.
Cheers!
Citizen Avion is another great alternative
Would appreciate it if you could do a video on watches used by Allied pilots such as Omega 30T2 and Longines Weems.
Hmmm... IWC having a bet each way?
Although not a real fleiger what do you think of Rolex air king 116900?
trashy in my honest opinion
Any thoughts on the steinhart fleigers?
william banks I thought Rolex only made the Submariner? ;)
Why use so expensive watches that were expected to take bullets, scharpnels, and shocks?
Nowadays US soldiers use way cheaper watches, between 40-70 $ for most of them.
The B-Ur, Navigator's watch was an essential instrument aboard a German bomber. This was the technology of the day, and accuracy was crucial, with improved accuracy comes more expense.
In
Steinhart Nav B 44mm Muster. No logo on the dial, titanium case, sapphire crystal, super luminova, ETA elabore mvt. approx 400 Euro. Why bother the rest? The IWC is obviously the IWC but the others are just re-editions not even sure they are still the original companies there were thats just my 2 cents at least.
Interesting story, but absolute awful stutter
I think it is questionable to honour the Luftwaffe and Nazi Design and to glorify that history with commemorate such as Luftwaffe watches.
+Eduard Meier-Lee: That is a very fair point as I am entirely in agreement that the actions of the Nazi party were utterly beastly to an almost unspeakable extent. That said, the Flieger was a device conceived by watchmakers who were not informed of the future actions of the party as the Nuremberg laws had not yet been finalised when the watches were commissioned.
Armand The Watch Guy Thank you for that clarification and that is a good point.
The worst thing would be to walk around with a Hermann Göring inspired watch!
The Omega nazi moonwatch, made possible by Werner von Braun and his nazi science 😂
You should stop watching so much tv, it's bad for your brain. You can really demonize any modern technology with this silly worldview.
Il Valentino just check out what your beloved Luftwaffe did during WW2. I know nobody in German who says such rubbish. Of course the Luftwaffe and the Wehrmacht was part of the Nazi regime and 100 % supportive..