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I have just purchased this amazing watch!

Genuine World War II pilot watch in Aluminium
Laco B-Uhr Type 2 Pilot Watch 55mm 1940s MILITARY

Very Very rare watch. These monster (55mm diameter) were designed to go over a flying suit. Not many survived the war or the years. Very special watch. Movement overhauled and in excellent condition. Manual wind piece.

Piece made of aluminium and was meant to be worn over a flying suit. Super rare piece as the survival rate of pilots in WWII was terrible. This is one of the rarest military pieces ever to be produced.

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I need more watches....

I actually love the style of this watch...the GO Senator Navigator is one of my favorites from GO, and it looks almost exactly the same as this one.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe it was designed after this watch? Interesting.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

the original B-Uhrs were all very similar (because of military specs) and produced by Glashutte (GO), Wempe, Stowa, IWC, A Lang & Sohne and Laco

I love pilots watches and an original WWII pilots watch is pretty damn cool. I don't know if I'd wear a 55mm watch but it's a nice piece of history.

By the way, anyone know a good pilot watch for under $500? I need a new work watch and it's such an understated yet classic style that I think it would make a perfect work watch for me. I also work with my hands in a not so watch friendly environment, that's why the $500 limit but I'd like an auto in that style if possible.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

Steinhart? - http://www.steinhartwatches.de/index.ph ... &Sel_ID=18

Yeah, that's kinda what I figured but I was wondering if there was some off the wall brand that I hadn't heard of. Thanks though.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

I like it. But I am a sucker for anything vintage WWII. Even though its rough looking, even that strap looks cool.

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

I had that specific Steinhart myself - great watch with the same kind of WWII look as the original, but with a slightly more practical size. Even so, the size was still just a little too impractical for all but the most casual wear, especially with a good cm thickness of leather on the underside of your wrist.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

You'll probably like this then. I picked up this Gerard Perregaux last week owned by a WW2 veteran that passed away last Dec at 90 years old. The watch dates to the forties and it needs a service (crystal off for pic) but comes with the original Universal 281 movement and has the former owners initials on the back. I got his copy of class of 43-B flight school book which has his pic inside (3rd pic), his flight compass, and a class picture from later on in his career in the USAF. Pretty cool when you can put a watch with a face.

That is very cool Paul - completely agree about being able to tie a watch to its history.

I looked long and hard for fliegers for a while. Stowa's offerings are really good and hold very true to the classic fleiger styling. It's a little on the high side for your price but there are used ones that pop up on the market pretty often.
http://www.stowa.de/lshop,showrub,13030 ... er,,,,.htm

Laco offers a cheaper alternative but the materials used are of inferior quality. They still have a very typical fleiger look. As Roff said, they are also one of the original manufacturers of fliegers during WWII.
http://www.watchmann.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Laco61642

Congrats on the piece Archie42. It's a nifty piece.

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

Very nice Archie and Paul also. There's nothing like a watch (or in this case watches) with that kind of history, very very cool!

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

Thanks. Does anyone have any opinions on the mayota movement?

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

Not sure which Miyota is in there, but there is a very good comparison of the 'workhorse' Miyota 8215 which it probably is with the ETA 2824-2 here - http://www.17jewel.com/two.html