The Lume! It doesn't get much better!Īs a diver, my collection is predominantly dive watches, and these tend to have incredible lume. The 'Frankfurt' is also equipped with a well above average magnetic field protection system, finishing the job off quite nicely. This particular specimen is running consistently at +3 seconds/day, and that's pretty good. The SW330 has always been good, and this one just takes it to the next level. The SW330-2 is, without doubt, a better proposition altogether. Don't get me wrong, this backlash is incredibly small and can only be picked up when the pointer is aligned exactly with one of the markers. I have another watch with an SW330-1, and the adjustment of the GMT hand is noticeably harsher there is also a little backlash in the GMT mechanism that results in a slight movement in the GMT hand if the watch is tapped with your finger. The improvements to the GMT make it much smoother to operate and reduce backlash in the gear train to almost zero. The changes amount to increasing the power reserve from 42 hours to 56 hours as well as improving the GMT mechanism. The Laco 330 is, of course, the Sellita SW330-2, and this upgraded edition of the SW330-1 is just the ticket. Quite frankly, the presentation is an absolute joy to behold! The Movement An additional grey/orange, Laco, two-piece nylon strap is also included along with a Laco spring-bar tool, Laco keyring, warranty card and booklet. On opening the case the watch is presented on a black, Laco, two-piece leather strap. The 'Frankfurt' arrived in a very impressive aluminium case. Let's move on now and take a look at the 'Frankfurt' in a little more detail. To my surprise, I have developed a real passion for this watch and after wearing it on one or two adventures, its practicality has really hit home. Laco have used their experience to maintain everything about the original while propelling it well into the 21st century. It's true that all these extra features detract from the original 'flieger' design however, Laco were one of only a handful of manufacturers that made the original watches, so there's nothing to worry about. A date has also been added, and sits quite nicely at the 6 o'clock position. This is achieved in the usual manner but with an internal rotating bezel, offering a third zone option. Of course, this watch also features a GMT complication, and Laco have combined this exceptionally well. It is a slight variation on this dial that adorns the 'Frankfurt'. Type 'A' featured a triangle in the middle of two dots at the 12 o'clock position, with Arabic numerals or hour markers on the remainder. The dials came in two flavours, type 'A' and type 'B'. These watches played an important role in navigation during WW2, more often than not as a back-up instrument. The Germans called these 'Beobachtungsuhren' which literally means 'observation watches', the term often abbreviated to' B-Uhren. I can't believe just how well this watch transmits information diver's watches are generally very good, but this is on another level entirely. It's also a GMT, and that's not only useful for travelling, but also for navigating. Why then, have I spent my hard-earned money on what appears to be little more than a 'dress trinket'? Well, this 'flieger' is good-to-go down to 200m thanks to the two, screw-down 'onion' crowns positioned at 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock. Bearing this in mind their watch will, almost certainly, be some way down their list of immediate priorities. Indeed, why should they? If a pilot gets submerged in water, it's reasonable to assume that things aren't going particularly well. This trend normally manifests itself in the form of large, clear, no-nonsense dial that can be read in an instant, regardless of position however, the vast majority have little resilience when it comes to any form of liquid shenanigans. Generally speaking, these types of watches follow a trend, much like dive watches do. As I spend quite a bit of my time below sea level, you could be forgiven for thinking 'What does this guy need a pilot's watch for?', and I can see where your coming from.
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