There’s always time for some solid German tool watches, and today is about Laco’s two new DIN 8330-certified Hamburg DIN 8330 and Hamburg GMT DIN 8330 pilot watches.

The German Institute for Standardization (DIN – formerly Deutsche Industrie Norm) standards replaced TeStaF (Technical Standard for Pilot’s Watches). DIN 8330 certification is given to watches which meet sixteen tests in three categories – Functionality (to do with readability, operability, accuracy and the power reserve), resilience (water resistance, flight liquid resistance e.g. fuel and lubrication, G-load capacity, vibration, shock and impact resistance), and safety and compatibility (visibility of functions, anti-reflectiveness).

The new Hamburg DIN 8330 is a simple time-only watch and as its name indicates, the Hamburg GMT DIN 8330 has a second time zone function. Both are in a 43.5mm (13.6mm thick) sand-blasted 904L stainless steel cases, the treatment chosen over just a stainless steel case because of the elimination of the possibility of reflections from the case in a cockpit. The sapphire crystals on both models have anti-reflecting coating on both sides. Water resistance is 200m and the case back features a relief image of a plane.

In keeping with the functional focus, the black matte dials for both new watches only have three large numerals alongside the classic pilot watch triangle at 12 o’clock. The hands and indices are white and have Super-LumiNova C1. The logos and date are grey so that they are in the visual background.

All numerals and indices on both models have C1 Super-LumiNova. On the Hamburg GMT model, the numerals of the 24-hour scale and the arrowhead tip of the GMT hand have orange Super-LumiNova.

The Laco Hamburg DIN 8330 has a bi-directional rotating bezel with ceramic inlay and Super-LumiNova C1. Powering it is the automatic Sellita SW200 which has a power reserve of 38 hours.

The Hamburg GMT DIN 8330 also has bi-directional bezel with ceramic inlay and Super-LumiNova C1. Inside is the automatic Sellita SW330-1 with a power reserve of 50 hours.

Both the Hamburg DIN 8330 and the Hamburg GMT DIN 8330 come on black water repellent Nytech straps with a sand-blasted stainless steel buckle. The watches come in an aluminium box with a “DIN 8330” keyring. They will be available from December 2023 with RRPs of EUR 1,790 and EUR 2,390 respectively.

[Photo credit: Laco]

Categories: German watches, GMT/ dual/ worldtimer, Laco, Pilot's watches, Watch Profile, watches