Reply With QuoteHi, Stowa actually have a B-UHr in 40mm
https://www.stowa.de/en/Flieger+Klas...aumuster+B.htm
Dear All:
I am a newbie to military watches but have been a watch enthusiast for a long while. I've long liked the two chapter-ring B-Uhr, and really like the hour hand being shorter and has its own hour chapter ring with a smaller diameter, and the outer chapter ring to correspond with the minute hand.
I have a very small wrist for a guy: 6" to 6 1/4". So, I would need a B-Uhr that is likely no larger than 41mm, preferably 40mm.
No logo is also preferrred. It's just so unusual to have a watch with no logo that it looks great to my eye.
I've gone through most of the expect brands, and while I would ideally like to stick with the brands with at least some historical relevance, essentially, a high quality, very well made one, well executed is where it really counts at this point.
May I please ask for recommendations, suggestions, of the best no logo, no larger than 41mm, (40mm or less preferred), high quality B-Uhr please?
I would enjoy learning and being educated by the good folks here.
Thank you.
PS: as per monochrome-watches.com:
"...Five manufacturers – four German and one Swiss – supplied the B-Uhren. In Germany, A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, Lacher & Company/Durowe (Laco), and Walter Storz (Stowa) produced the watch. Wempe and Stowa used Swiss movements; Wempe settled on the Thommen cal. 31, and Stowa used the Unitas cal. 2812. Lange used its big cal. 48 and then its cal. 48.1, and Laco used its (Durowe) cal. 5 – the only two companies to use in-house German movements. When Wempe purchased the Chronometerwerk in Hamburg in 1938, it gained a significant increase in production capacity, and to assist the limited production faced by Lange and Laco, Wempe assembled watches for them. To meet demand, Lange also sent ébauches and cases to a variety of other manufacturers for assembly and regulation. In smaller numbers, the Swiss International Watch Company IWC who supplied watches to both Axis and Allied forces, manufactured the B-Uhr (cal. 52T S.C.) for the Luftwaffe. These five companies were the only ones to make the B-Uhr...."
However, for me, essentially this historical perspective is a "nice to have" but not necessary. i.e. if an ideal B-Uhr model for me is found that is NOT made by one of the five mentioned above, it's ok. If it happened to be by one of the five mentioned above, well so much the better.
Hi, Stowa actually have a B-UHr in 40mm
https://www.stowa.de/en/Flieger+Klas...aumuster+B.htm
It depends how much you want to spend. Swatch do one, as do Hamilton and our host - click on the link above to Timefactors watches. Glashütte had one in their collection but I don't they are still made - these are probably the priciest modern versions.
@SimonK and @Mitch Buchannon:
Thank you both for your thoughtful suggestions.
I respect Glashütte's craftsmanship greatly, and enjoy their designs for a long time, yet, googling their B Uhr, the images all show a classic B Uhr with multiple words written on the dial: Glashutte Original, and the below the center axis, Glashutte/SA. it seems too cluttered and unnecessary to my untrained eye.
The purity of a no logo dial seems so apt for this type of watch!
The Stowa is one that sort of hits the spot so well for me.
It's just that I want to be sure that i find the best quality, well made, good components, good movement, etc, example of a no logo, sensibly sized (i.e. for a very small wrist!) B Uhr that is available.
A genuine vintage one has all types of issues: I may well end up with a "project watch" where the issues may never be properly resolved, as the parts are no longer available and finding a watchmaker to make the parts and to service the watch might be a huge issue.
Maybe the Stowa modern facsimile might be the ideal compromise?
Darn it: the Flieger Klassik 40 Baumuster B does NOT come with the vintage lume (i.e. fauxtina). The other models with the "limited" pieces have vintage vanilla/yellowish lume.
I'd like the B Uhr with the vintage lume :(
Originally Posted by Mitch Buchannon
Last edited by Dualmonitors; 3rd December 2017 at 01:38.
That is a fantastic watch like so many posted on here, if I only I could play with one in person.
Another vote for Stowa.
The 40mm "Baumuster A" without logo is (I think) their biggest seller.
Feels very good on the wrist.
Quality is everything you would expect.
Well (for the price) decorated ETA 2824-2 calibre ("Top" grade) -- reliable and accurate.
And, better yet -- there may be a little discount available in their "Advent Calendar Sale"
Love mine
Last edited by Yokel; 3rd December 2017 at 07:39.
I would go with the Stowa:
One of the original makers (I know they have changed hands)
Choice of sizes (36, 40, 41, 43)
Choice of movements (2824 or Unitas based)
Option for COSC on 2824 movements, or at least there was, I can't find it now.
Date / logo option on some versions.
The very echt PRS-42 is 44mm, with a lug-to-lug of 56mm, and - most importantly - is sold out
If this is allowed — the thread from “another place” which assisted my choice. It includes some additional photos, including my unboxing.
http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index...-stowa/&page=2
Rolex Oysterquartz (17000) SS beater; Cartier Santos quartz in steel/gold for dress wear; Audemars Piguet Huitième chronograph in yellow gold; Glashütte Original Senator Excellence SS; Glashütte Original Panoreserve SS; bated breath for arrival of Stowa Flieger.
Need more . . . .
I had a Stowa and would definitely go down that route. Excellent quality watches and they have authentic history when it comes to these watches. Not sure what the wait times are like these days - when I bought mine a few years back it was around 6 months.
It's not a B-Uhr, but might suit you well.
http://www.watcharama.com/smiths-military-prs-29/
I'd second that (having one in the post: with the hand-winding 2804-2 movement - due on Tuesday [yay!]). Of the relatively affordable group, Stowa is surely the best quality (e.g. using heat-blued hands), albeit at a higher price point. You can also choose logo/no-logo and date/no-date.
Archimede do great pilot watches. 39mm, no logo versions. Not b-uhr face though. Nice only 10mm thick, wears really well.
https://www.archimede-watches.com/wa...omatic-39.html
There's still one last piece last week (Nov, 17). You may contact Stowa for information.
I've had an Archimedes and a Stowa; it would be the Stowa for me every time but make sure you get one with blued hands.
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
Thank you all for your highly experienced input. Very helpful!
I think I'd like to opt for a Stowa Flieger Baumuster B, but there is an option between:
- Automatic ETA 2824-2 versus a
- Manual ETA 2804-2, which would be the superior movement?
I do not necessarily need the convenience of automatic, as I may not wear this daily, so winding is often necessary anyway.
Thank you!
To be honest, neither. The Stowa I had before had two things wrong with it; non-blued hands and the wrong manual wind movement (ETA 2801). I would always prefer a manual wind with these and, assuming you can find one, a Unitas movement (I'm not sure if this would make it bigger but I have tried on a member's Stowa FOLE and it fitted my small wrist absolutely fine).
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
They do a few 41mm version currently. 2 are LE with small sub seconds at 6 or 9 and vintage lume, a sub seconds at 6 with regular lume and a 2 hander. The cases for their Unitas watches are bigger and thicker but not huge.
please correct me if I am wrong, but, there were never any B Uhr, or, for that matter, A Uhr, with sub seconds, right?
weren't they all sweep center seconds?
while i fully realize that what i'm buying or going after isn't a genuine B Uhr from the period, yet, it would be sweet to have one that at least is a modern make, but respectful of the basic parameters of the B Uhr of that era.
sure, fauxtina is scoffed at by many, still, i find it rather fun - no less, no more.
the fauxtina would allow one to get straps that might synergistically work with the vintage lume color, and that would be a fun exercise in and of itself.
look forward to thoughts, comments, and further educated by far more experienced military watch folks here. Thank you!
Last edited by Dualmonitors; 4th December 2017 at 03:29.
'Tisell' looks interesting - 40mm case, sapphire crystal, heat blued hands & Miyota movement https://www.tisellwatch.com/tisell-w...-40-mm-type-b/
I've been "boxed" into a choice.
Alas, Stowa no longer produces a no date, 40mm, vintage lume (i don't care if it's limited but the vintage lume only comes in limited), B Uhr dial model.
So, the ONLY option is to go for a current non limited model Baumuster B, 40mm, non vintage lume, B Uhr model. Apparently, there is a 1mm difference in CASE thickness between the automatic versus the manual wind watches. Who knew that?!? It is not stated on their website's product page for the Baumuster B model. Strange.
I also considered the Laco Vintage looking model of the B Uhr. For a guy with a very small wrist (me), the 42mm case size is substantially different from the Stowa's 40mm case size. I've requested the lug to lug measurement as it is not on their site either. The Laco vintage looking model is roughly 2X the price as well. Oddly, as some numbers are PRINTED on the dial and other numbers have lume PAINTED, alternating numbers are brownish! It makes for a very odd look on the faux vintage dial, i.e. alternating numbers are white, and alternating numbers are brownish due to the faux vintage lume. The white is merely the white printed dial numbers. The effect is jarring to my eye, at least.
I believe that's how their originals were done - the lume was only on alternate numerals.
The odd look was due to the fact that vintage type “B” dials only have the even numbers lumed.
That’s because it’s faithful to to the original design I believe.The odd look was due to the fact that vintage type “B” dials only have the even numbers lumed.
That’s the same reason there isn’t much lume on my IWC Pilot as well.
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