There are five original manufacturers: A. Chronometer testing for supreme accuracy, a robust and utilitarian 55mm case, and a long riveted strap designed to fit over a flight jacket were strict requirements of the design. A generous onion-shaped crown was necessary for making adjustments while wearing thick gloves.
All of the original watches looked nearly identical because they had a strict spec to follow, though they were manufactured by different companies. Laco still makes a true to the original design , including the large 55mm case with a hand winding movement. Modern flieger watches still largely stick to that classic template, but take their own liberties in design to stand out from the pack.
One of the longstanding models in this family of watches is the Nav B-Uhr 44 Handaufzug, a 44mm, Unitas powered hand-cranker with a small-seconds sub-dial at While it still looks the part of an authentic Flieger watch, the size is much more wearable by modern standards. Instead of hours at each index, it counts up in 5 minute intervals. The Laco Paderborn features a dark sandblasted case with a domed and anti-reflective sapphire crystal, Super-LumiNova C3 paint throughout, and a riveted brown calf leather strap.
It features the original spec black dial, which is highly legible thanks to the contrasting white markings throughout. This chronograph measures in at a very wearable 41mm. This 42mm watch is housed in a unique bronze alloy case that measures in at a surprisingly thin 9. A bright red GMT hand allows you to track another time zone and the date at is unobtrusive and lends the dial a bit of symmetry. GMT watches can sometimes appear overly busy, but the classic Flieger design utilized here keeps things clean and legible.
Additional features like an oversized and textured crown, blued steel hands, and luminous paint for easy legibility in the dark round out this finely crafted GMT watch from Archimede. As an additional protection, the case of the watch is filled with inert Argon gas to keep the oils in the movement from reacting with the atmosphere.
