Laco Genf.2.D 40mm Watch Review

This time we are going to come back to aviation theme and check Laco Genf.2.D. The last digit hints that we get the second version of this elegant watch from the famous German brand. As usual, I recommend you to read a bit about Laco as their history is very interesting and it will also come handy in order to understand why they are the true producers of pilots’ watches. Nevertheless, today’s release should be treated as accessible “entry ticket” to this genre, so I decided to take a closer look. It is always interesting to see what is hidden behind attractive price.

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Get this watch here on official Laco website.

Dial

There is one word which should tell you everything about dial – Flieger. Jokes aside, Laco kept the classic design and there are not that many changes here. Nevertheless, it is easy to notice those things, so let’s take a closer look together. First of all handset is classic here, just as on any pilot watch you will find. Such large parts are easy to find, so there are no issues with legibility.

You might notice the letter “D” in the model name. Well, this hints at the date window on the dial (at 6″ position). Such feature is unusual for pilot watches, but if you want the “clean” dial – just get the model without the mentioned letter. 🙂 In my opinion you won’t lose anything as the window is really small, and font there differs from the one on the dial. There are not that many logos here, Genf.2.D features only manufacturer’s logo and classic “made in Germany” in the lower section.

All indices are covered with Superluminova, which shines in the dark conditions. Do not expect something as bright as diver watches, but it is still enough to check the time. Color is green, what is classic for pilot watches. Of course, there is no luminous layer on the date window. 🙂 Whole dial is covered with sapphire glass, what is quite unusual in this price range.

To conclude, it is worth to mention that today’s dial version is named as B-Uhr Baumuster A. There is also another version available if you would like to get a slightly different layout. Well, you can see that there is difficult to add something extra, but classic styling look great and I didn’t have any problem with checking time. Now let’s talk about another classic thing.

Case

The most useless thing in flieger reviews – trying to find at least something interesting in the case design. It is just a plain steel part, here it also features brushed finish which looks right in place. If you encountered such watch before, nothing will surprise you in Laco Genf.2.D, but this is a good thing. Nevertheless, there is one small catch – thickness. Unlike some pilot watches even from Laco, this one is really thin and measures only 9mm. Such dimensions make it easy to wear your timepiece, and you won’t even feel it on your hand.

Pilot watches usually feature large crown, but this one is a bit exclusion from the rule. Thanks to the thickness which we mentioned above, crown is not that big and sits smooth with case edges. Such thing makes it difficult to take out the part, so I am glad that there is a quartz movement inside. In other words you won’t have to take it out too often.

Not only thickness is impressive, but also weight. Today’s watch clocks 58g (with a strap!) and you will barely feel it on your hand. Water protection is set at 100m, what should be enough for swimming. Note that rear cover is full steel without any clear insert.

Movement and Strap

Laco Genf.2.D is a quartz watch movement, and that’s what made it possible to get such thin casing. In my opinion this is not an unexpected feature and it is useful in everyday life. Inside you will find Swiss Ronda 503 with 1 jewel. Features set is standard – time and date display. It uses battery SR920SW, so it is a good workhorse which won’t bring you any unpleasant surprises.

As for the strap, I wasn’t so sure about the quality. Somehow my experience with stock leather straps is not that good, and I wondered what I will get here. Genf.2.D comes with riveted brown leather strap with light stitching. I have to say that such accessory works nicely with classic flieger dial. Moreover, this strap turned out to be really good, flexible and didn’t “die” after several months of active use. By the way, lug width is 18mm. Here we can talk a bit more about the actual experience.

Laco Genf.2 In Use

In my opinion first and foremost thing for this watch – its thickness. Somehow it still manages to amaze me with its height and weight which just don’t connect with the dial size. All these qualities make it easier to wear watch daily and you just don’t notice it on your wrist. Even the full-day wear is fine and it just sits nicely. Moreover, thickness make it easier to wear watch under long sleeves.

Dial is not big, but it is actually a good thing in the world of large watches today. It is still legible, and sapphire glass survived my trips around the world. That’s what I like about fliegers – this is a perfect toolwatch which won’t let you down if you need it to actually track time. Of course, it is also a style statement, but somehow it manages to “stay low” and works nicely with any outfit you will choose to wear.

I am not a huge fan of leather straps, but this one turned out to be really good and on the photos and video you can see what it looks like after active use. Of course, you can also try one of the original NATO straps, which should work great with Genf.2.D.

Price and Availability

Today’s watch should be already available for purchase at 260 EUR. In my opinion this is a reasonable price for the features you will get here out of the box. Laco Genf.2.D offers great quality with comfortable shape and legible dial. Today’s watch can be a great first time purchase if you would like to get the best quality possible for this price tag. Moreover, it is quite surprising that Laco managed to put sapphire glass and great strap, while other big brands still supply watches with mineral glasses. Should I even mention the packaging which will be hardly matched by other brands in this price range? 😀

Note that I mentioned the first time purchase, but it is really great choice even for those who already have some pilot watches in their collection, just like me. Yes, it is cool to wear more expensive models, but sometimes it is easier to wear something “simpler” just for peace of mind. Genf.2.D doesn’t look inferior to its “bigger” brothers, and that’s what will make it even more interesting to wear. I definitely recommend to check it if you are searching for a timeless design which will come handy in everyday use.