Before watches became my passion and profession, aviation was my obsession. 

Growing up in Morocco, I didn’t just find aviation interesting. It was the obsession. I spent countless hours reading about military aircraft, navigation systems, famous squadrons, and pilot training. While other kids were watching cartoons, I was busy learning things that had absolutely no practical use for a teenager: Watches and Planes. My plan was simple: Military school, aviation school, cockpit.

Life eventually had other ideas, and today I spend my days surrounded by watches, as a watch journalist, and Architectural plans, as a future architect, instead of airplanes. Yet every once in a while, a watch appears that reminds me why these worlds aren’t actually that different. All built around precision. All are built around engineering. All attract people who become obsessed with details that most others never notice.

Laco and the Origins of the Pilot’s Watch

The Laco Kempten did exactly that. The first thing that struck me wasn’t the history, the movement, or even the dial. It was the feeling of modernity with a few retro touches sprinkled on top. The Kempten feels like somebody genuinely took a pilot’s watch from the 1940s and figured out a way to make it wearable in 2026.

That distinction is important because very few brands can claim the legitimacy Laco brings to this category.

Whenever pilot watches are discussed, names like IWC usually dominate the conversation. The Big Pilot has become the benchmark against which almost everything else is measured. It’s also impossible to ignore pieces like the Stowa Flieger Classic, the various Zenith Pilot models, or even more recent entries from brands like Longines.

Yet the funny thing is that Laco doesn’t need to borrow credibility from any of them.

The company was founded in 1925 in Pforzheim and became one of only five manufacturers entrusted with producing the original Beobachtungsuhren, better known as B-Uhren – meaning “Observation Watch” in German. Alongside IWC, Stowa, Wempe, and A. Lange & Söhne, Laco supplied navigation watches for military aviation. They were instruments designed to help crews navigate through the sky.

The Kempten is part of Laco’s Original collection. The watch follows the classic Type B layout, arguably one of the most recognizable pilot watch dials ever created. Large minute numerals occupy the outer track while the hours sit inside a smaller inner circle. It’s a layout that confuses newcomers and delights enthusiasts because it immediately tells you this wasn’t designed for aesthetics. It was designed for navigation.

Looking at the dial feels like looking at a cockpit instrument. The oversized sword hands, the luminous triangle at twelve o’clock, the stark contrast between black and white, everything exists for a reason. And then there’s the complete absence of distractions: No date window. No decorative textures. No unnecessary text. Just information.

The more time I spent with the watch, the more I appreciated how refreshing that felt.

Modern watchmaking often suffers from the need to constantly add things. More complications. More colors. More details. The Kempten achieves the opposite effect. It strips everything away until only the essentials remain.

What’s particularly impressive is how Laco managed to preserve the character of the original B-Uhren while completely transforming the wearability. The historical pieces measured around 55mm. Fantastic if you’re navigating an aircraft over Europe. Less fantastic if you’re trying to wear one in everyday life.

The Handwound 39mm Laco Pilot Watch ORIGINAL KEMPTEN

The Kempten comes in at 39mm, and I genuinely think this might be the sweet spot for a traditional pilot watch. At 39mm, the watch retains all the authority of the original design without becoming cumbersome. The proportions feel incredibly well judged. The relatively compact dimensions combined with the long, flowing lugs create a watch that wears larger than its measurements suggest while remaining comfortable on virtually any wrist.

This is where I think the Kempten has a real advantage over many of its competitors. The modern IWC Big Pilot is iconic, but it remains a large watch. Many traditional watches of this category continue chasing oversized dimensions in the name of authenticity. 

Another detail I found myself appreciating, since the watch comes in different variation options, was the movement choice. The one I chose houses the Sellita SW210, a hand-wound Swiss caliber delivering approximately 42 hours of power reserve. Which I believe is the only absolutely right choice for this watch.

An automatic movement would have been easier. The manual caliber is traditional and just cool. Because every day starts with a few turns of the crown that become a ritual, which emulates the original B-Uhren that pilots interacted with every day before heading out on a mission. 

The Erbstück finishing deserves a mention as well. Laco’s artificial aging process can be controversial depending on who you ask. Some enthusiasts love it while others prefer their watches pristine. Personally, I think it works exceptionally well here because it contributes to the illusion that makes the Kempten so compelling in the first place.

The subtle wear marks, aged lume, and weathered appearance give the impression that the watch already has stories to tell. Normally, I’d be skeptical of factory patina, but on a historically faithful pilot watch, it feels natural.

Final Thoughts:

What ultimately impressed me most about the Kempten is that it never feels like a “museum piece”. Many heritage-driven watches are fun to admire but difficult to connect with. They’re so focused on reproducing the past that they forget to exist in the present.

The Kempten captures the spirit of the original B-Uhren while remaining an excellent modern watch. It’s practical, comfortable, mechanically satisfying, and visually distinctive without trying too hard.

Most importantly, it reminded me of something I’d almost forgotten. The fascination that pushed me toward aviation all those years ago never really disappeared. It simply found another outlet.

The same curiosity that made me spend hours learning about aircraft is the curiosity that eventually drew me toward watches. Looking at the Kempten, those two passions suddenly feel connected. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed this watch so much.

Make sure to check out the Laco Website to purchase the piece and get a closer look at it on my Instagram page.