I was just typing up the exact same comment until I read yours, Chris. I don't speak German, so it really interests me how A. Lange & Söhne should be pronounced by Germans. Great minds think alike.
Thank you for the awesome content. A flieger is next on my collection list. When I served in the Special Forces, we used watches for a number of things that were similar to what the flieger watches were used to do. For example, timing a coordinated assault between two elements that were significantly separated is very important. One part of the assault might be intended to divert the enemy's attention while the main assault commenced from another location. Or, for simpler tasks, such as testing the time fuse for use on an explosive breaching charge. One has to take a standard length of the time fuse, and time the burn rate in order to come up with an average. Then, one cuts a length of time fuse to the desired time based on the test data. So, yeah, accuracy is important.
Thoroughly enjoyed the review. I own a Laco Type B Flieger, purchased 17 years ago in 2003; the luminous compound on the dial has aged to a buff shade from the original white. Unusual but nice characteristic.
I love my Stowa Flieger! I lived in Stuttgart for seven years (2007-2014), and my Stowa (from nearby Engelsbrand) is one of my favorite mementos from that time. As well, I'm really enjoying the channel. Thanks Jenni!
Nice introduction to flieger watches. i'm a big fan of aviation watches, especially German B-uhren: I started with a 46mm type A flieger from (Chinese manufacturer) Parnis for £99, and was immediately hooked on the style. I quickly graduated to a couple of manually-wound Laco 45mm watches (type A Westerland & type B Dortmund) with that authentic-looking grey, bead-blasted finish; next came a 42mm type A in bronze from Archimede, which looks sheer class. I love the simplicity of those sterile dials: no clutter, no distractions, pure functionality and supreme legibility. Coming forward in time, my next pilot watch was a Sinn 104 - it's my favourite everyday watch! Most recently I've bought a 45mm Oris Big Crown Pro-pilot with day & date complications, which aren't strictly "pure" but make it very practical. Finally, thanks for mentioning Watchfinder & Co - their beautifully described macro-heavy videos are pure horological porn! :-)
The photography here is fantastic, as always. Simple, precise, and beautiful - very fitting for a watch channel. Great to see the Watchfinder channel sharing their experience with you guys.
Excellent review and good historical perspective on flight watches. The design of these watches is timeless. I own one type B and a few modern interpretations of military pilot watches and I really appreciate how easy it is to read the time. Simple and functional.
I have the Stowa Flieger 36 hand wound. Beautiful watch. I was lucky to personally meet Jorg Schauer, the owner of Stowa, here in Singapore at a roadshow. He's a lovely genuine guy with a lot of passion for watches.. Cheers 👍🏻
Great exposition as always, Jenni. The variety of aviator and Flieger watches is truly amazing. Some big manufacturers have got in on the act: I recently bought an Orient in 42mm with a B-Uhr dial for about $200 from an AD in Moscow. Beautifully made, in-house F6 movement which needs resetting about twice a week, and that dial is so easy to read for my ageing eyes. Some people here have commented on the origins of the Flieger designs, and the uses to which they were put , with the attendant associations. I heard somewhere that Ted Bundy rocked an Omega. Go figure, as they say in the USA. For that matter, I also have a Vostok Amphibia and I can't even bloody swim, but it's a fun watch. Anyway, thanks again, Jenni. Stay well, everyone!
I have an WW2 RAF JLC 470 watch with 6B/159 and the vertical arrow on the case back and a white dial bought years ago by my Dad from an Army Surplus Store. One of the ‘Dirty Dozen’, I recently had it restored with original parts and put it on a red strap. It looks fantastic.
I have the Laco with the inside hour markings. The Sinn you featured looks like it may have to be my next watch. Thank you, Jenni for a great presentation!
I own the CW c8 power reserve chronometer. Love their unique take on the flieger watch paired with an in house manual wind power reserve with 5 days when fully wound. Laser cut date complication ices that cake. Would love to hear your take on it! Keep the great videos coming.
I love my Stowas I have a Small second hand flieger and a silver dial marine. Both are excellent. Stowa’s customer service is also excellent since they only sell direct to customers. I recommend them often!
Thanks for the review. Ive seen these watches on the company websites, but your footage and images make them look far more attractive and better constructed than theirs does. I’d be more likely to buy one now than before.
Thanks for this video..i've been eyeing these style of watches. My great-grandparents fled Germany after the first world war and came to America with my grandfather as a young boy. I just purchased 2 vintage Ruhla watches for my wife and I that were made in the DDR (marked on the dial as "Made in GDR"). Now im looking for German pilots watches..still trying to decide if I want vintage or new watches like you've shown here. Just as a reminder of where my family comes from, why my family fled and what my grandfather fought against in WW2. I love Germany..cant wait to take my family there someday!
I own several :) Two Stowas limited Black Forest and Blue variant and one Laco 45 Dorthmund on a special closed loop strap from Laco again :) Love them all.
I have a Stowa Ikarus that I've had for a few months. It's basically the exact same as the classic 40 but with a modern, blasted grey dial. It is stunning and it's hard to pass it up when reaching into my watch case. I think I'll do a Laco B-type dial next - maybe in their cool blue dial variant.
Thank you for the awesome video, Jenni. Love the history tutorial and, well, the whole thing. Been eyeballing the Sinn 856 non UTC for a while, but sadly would have to sell another watch to get it. Thanks again.
Great video, thanks for sharing. Archimede makes a really cool GMT Flieger with a bronze case and a red GMT hand. It's great for anyone that wants a Flieger but finds the traditional designs a bit boring. Archimede is also a German company and uses the ETA 2893 GMT movement. Excellent watch.
Thanks for the historic perspective on German Flieger watches, Jenni! I must admit it's my current favorite style of watch these days due to its pure tool nature and easily read characteristics. Nice examples but I'd personally choose a Sinn 356 chrono over the 103 due to its classical sizing...I may be biased though since I own a 356 UTC. Keep up the stellar work!
Great video! I love Fliegers and have two Sinn 103s, an StSa and a TiAr Die Zeit Sonderedition. I love the simplicity and clarity of the Stowa and Laco, but I know I'd miss my countdown bezel and chrono functions. (I also have a Stowa, but a Partitio Handaufzug, not a Flieger).
German compound nouns can always be broken down into their constituent parts. Be-o-bach-ten = to observe. Be-o-bach-tung = observation. Uhren = watches. The added "s" between the two words is a "Bindung-s", literally a "binding s" to join the two words more gracefully.
I very much enjoyed your review of flieger watches. Well done. I own a type B, would like to add a type A to my collection and am always drawn to pilot watches because they are functional instruments. Easy to read at a glance and in the dark like a dial on a dashboard of a car.
I ended up going with 2 different pilot style watches. The first is a Sinn 104 wit h the matte finished case and the second is an Islander ISL-17 (B type) from Long Island Watch. They're both really great.
Thank you for spelling out the long German words. Very helpful for non-german speakers!! Of what you showed, I love that Sinn the most. That said, why no Damasko? Most of their watches would count as a fleiger, and they have all sorts of cool tech involved in making the watch tougher.
I'm looking to get the Stowa Vintage Bronze Classic 40mm with the mechanical movement soon. I've been lusting after a bronze watch and a Flieger and when I saw it I had to have it. Will be ordering soon.
I love that I found this channel! Very informative! I have an Archimede Pilot 45. Having large wrists (24cm in diameter), I love the large case size and simplicity & legibility of the dial. It's a perfect fit, I never want to part with it!
@@matteagle42Very eufemistic (ignorant) expression for a man who was actively helping and participating on killing of millions inncocent people in almost whole Europe.
Schön die Sinn 103 zu sehen, das war meine erste höherpreisige Uhr, hab es nie bereut und trage sie noch heute wirklich gerne. Sowohl am Leder als auch am Stahlband. Tolle zeitlose Uhr.
Its true you learn something new every day....I have a few watches(mainly omega brand)and I have too say it's the first time I've heard of a flieger watch!!!! I dont know if that means I'm dumb but great to learn something new :) ....for the record I would to hear your opinion on grand seiko watches they really are starting to make a few waves
I think it's really funny as we can call a watch like the stowa and a breitling both pilots watches. 😂 I prefer the type a dial because it's so clean and it is still a tool watch and you don't have to baby it. Great vid!👏👏👏
I loved my Stowa, but I sold it because the blued hands looked black in most light. Due to this, I often miss-read the time because the second hand is so prominent. I replaced it with the more modern Damasko DA36 which, after 6 years, I still love.
I have 2 Sinn 356 (1 black dial and the other copper dial) and 1 Ollech & Wajs MP-2824. They're all very easy to read (even without my spectacles) and comfortably sized for my 170mm wrist.
I'm a fan of flieger watches in general, and my favorite German brands all make good fliegers and flieger chronos, e.g., Archimede, Dekla, Hanhart, Laco, Sinn, Stowa, and Tutima...
Very good review. I am big fan of pilot watches and this three watch selection was great, perhaps close to perfect.excellent review. I really enjoyed this video, best in many reviews.
Enjoyed the video. It would be interesting to see your review of the manual-wind Hanhart Flieger chronographs, especially the cal. 41, cal. 42 and Admiral models..
I have the Stowa flieger. It's very well made and keeps the best time of all the watches in my collection. I wear it at my nursing job, because the second hand is so legible. It's makes it easy to measure pulse.
I own a Laco Flieger in blau. The budget one. The dial on that thing is amazing. Every time the sun hits that sunburst blue dial I stop the look at my watch for a minute
Thank you for the video. German watches are incredible and deserve far more attention. They are often let down by poor distribution outside Germany and very hard to see or try them...I am thinking Sinn, Stowa, flieger,... Hope things improve in the future but definitely an opportunity there to be exploited... A trip to Germany is a must post covid...
I love my Damasko watches, which to me are a modern interpretation of "Flieger watches". Robust, accurate and their ice-hardened steel ensures, that the watch will look like new even after years of constant use in harsh environments.
Love that we finally have a German telling the history of Flieger Watches! Although I love the look of them, I just don’t see it in my near future wearing an ‘original’ flieger at these price points. GREAT video as always! Thanks Jenni...
I came very close to pulling the trigger on the exact Stowa in your video, but ultimately decided to get a LE Seatime. I might eventually get the Stowa Flieger.
As you talked about Sinn, a more modern flieger would be the Sinn 856. Got one (with UTC complication) for nearly 10 years now, still real happy with it...
