The Laco Bicompax Chronograph Edition 98 is a limited automatic chronograph: Laco says only 98 pieces were made, it has a 43 mm steel case, a Laco 510 movement and Super-LumiNova on the dial. Laco’s product page now labels it discontinued and no longer available, so the practical question is less whether the watch looks good on paper than whether it still makes sense to chase one. On the manufacturer’s figures it is a coherent, well-specified limited piece with a clear aviation theme. Whether it is worth buying depends on three things: whether its footprint suits your wrist, whether you can find a unit at a price you accept, and whether you are comfortable relying on brand-stated specifications, since no independent testing of it is available.
What Laco is offering
Edition 98 is an aviation-inspired bicompax chronograph, meaning it uses two subdials rather than three. Laco describes it as the fourth special edition in its MISSION 2025 series and associates its design with aviation pioneers of the 1930s and 1940s. That historical framing comes from Laco’s own edition page and is brand positioning rather than independently verified provenance.
The product listing gives the product number as 862166 and states that the watch is made in Germany. The box, according to Laco, includes a limited collector pin and a certificate of authenticity. The 98-piece figure is stated on Laco’s edition page without a year, so treat it as the total run Laco reports rather than a dated production count.
Case and fit
For most buyers, fit will decide the watch before the movement does. The table below lists Laco’s published measurements and what each one means in practice.
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- Set Includes: Watch, box, instruction manual (English language not guaranteed)
- Water resistant for everyday use: 5 bar
- Country of Origin: Germany
- Superluminova treatment
| Specification | Laco figure | What it means for wear |
|---|---|---|
| Case diameter | 43.0 mm | Overall footprint on the dial side; the main visual size cue. |
| Case height | 14.0 mm | Thickness above the wrist, which affects how the watch sits under a shirt cuff. |
| Lug-to-lug | 51.5 mm | Distance the case spans across the wrist. This is the dimension most likely to overhang smaller wrists, so try it on if you can. |
| Lug width | 22.0 mm | Determines the strap width you need (see the strap section). |
| Weight | 105 g including strap | Laco’s stated figure for the complete watch as supplied. |
| Water resistance | Up to 10 ATM | Laco’s rating; it does not describe swimming or diving use beyond that rating. |
The case is polished and satin-finished stainless steel. The crystal is double-domed sapphire with an inner anti-reflective coating, the caseback is sapphire, and the crown carries a raised “98”. The sapphire caseback is what allows the movement to be seen, which is the main design reason to choose this model over a solid-back equivalent.
Movement and power reserve
The Laco 510 is an automatic movement based on the Swiss Sellita SW510BHb. Laco describes decorative finishing and thermally blued screws that are visible through the sapphire caseback, and it claims up to 62 hours of power reserve. Those are Laco’s figures. No independent movement test, timing result or power-reserve measurement is available for this watch, so 62 hours should be read as the manufacturer’s claim.
Rank #2
- Automatic movement
- Case diameter: 42 mm
- Pilot automatic watch, stainless steel
- Sapphire crystal protects watch from scratches
- Water-resistant to 50 M (165 feet)
Dial, hands and luminous display
The dial is black. Laco lists thermally blued stainless-steel hands and Super-LumiNova C3 on the numerals, the indices, the hands and the chronograph totalizers at 3 and 9 o’clock. Laco says the round totalizer displays are fully coated and emit a greenish glow, and it presents night readability as a central feature of the design. That is the brand’s description. Laco has not published a measured glow duration or brightness figure for this edition, so judge the lume in person or from your own photos rather than from the marketing language.
Strap and accessories
The watch ships with a black leather strap with rivets. Because the lug width is 22.0 mm, a 22 mm strap is the natural replacement size. A matching lug width does not guarantee a match in every other respect, though. Before buying an aftermarket strap, check:
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- Unique Design: Inspired by a paint can, featuring a 24 H Sub-Dial & 60-Minute Sub-Dial in bold contrasting colors. Designed for creatives, trendsetters, and anyone who wears their personality on their wrist. Works with casual, smart-casual, or streetwear
- VK64 Sweeping Second Movement: Japanese quartz VK64 movement, featuring precise timekeeping and a sweeping second function that enables smooth, continuous movement of the hands
- 100 M Water Resistant & Lume: Splash and rain-ready with bright BGW9 luminous markers for low light. Perfect for outdoor shoots, evening events, active lifestyles or daily errands. Great for night owls and urban explorers
- Ceramic Tachymeter Bezel: Scratch-resistant and durable. Use the tachymeter scale to measure speed and distance during track days, road trips, or workouts. A must-have for motorsports fans, driver, runners, and speed lovers
- Size: 40 mm case diameter, 48 mm lug to lug, 20 mm lug width, 13 mm thickness, Weighing 128 g, this watch features a solid 316L stainless steel band for resists daily wear
- Strap-end shape, since curved and straight ends sit differently between the lugs.
- Spring-bar length and the fit of the spring bars in the lugs.
- Strap length for your wrist, particularly if the case’s 51.5 mm lug-to-lug already feels long.
Price and availability
Laco’s product page shows €2,950.00 with VAT included and shipping charged extra. The same page labels the watch “discontinued” and “No longer available.” That listing is the manufacturer’s displayed price and status, not a verified street price, a secondary-market valuation, or proof that no retailer still holds stock. The 98-piece run is not evidence of resale value on its own; it only tells you how many units Laco reports making.
If you want to check whether a unit is still obtainable, work through these steps:
Rank #4
- CLASSIC STYLE: Inspired by the simplicity of vintage clocks, our Grant Fossil watch for men has a classic appeal; Roman numerals against a black dial make this analog watch an irresistibly stylish dress watch for daily wear with chronograph movement
- WATCH BAND: Brown, genuine leather band with a secure adjustable buckle closure for a customized fit of this black and silver watch; interchangeable with all 22mm Fossil watch straps
- WATER RESISTANT FOSSIL WATCH FOR MEN: These Fossil watches for men are water resistant for up to 50m (165ft); wearable for short periods of recreational swimming and showering, but not diving or snorkeling; 5 ATM
- ACCENTED WRISTWATCH FOR MEN: Round silver stainless steel case, with a black sunray dial, and gold accents
- CASE & MOVEMENT: These chronograph watches for men have a 44mm case, 22mm band width, hardened mineral crystal lens that resists scratches, accurate Quartz movement, chronograph analog display, date window, three subdials, and stopwatch functionality
- Search for the product number 862166 and the phrase “Edition 98” on Laco’s site and on the retailers you already trust. Searching by name alone can return other Laco models.
- Confirm the listing describes the 98-piece edition with a sapphire caseback and the 22 mm lug width, not a different reference.
- Ask the seller whether the watch is new, what condition it is in, and whether the collector pin and certificate of authenticity are included.
- Compare the total price, VAT and shipping included, against Laco’s €2,950.00 listed price.
- Record the date you checked. Listings and stock change, and a result from one day may not hold the next.
What is and is not established
- Established by Laco’s published material: the 98-piece limit, the product number, the case dimensions, water resistance, weight, movement family and power-reserve claim, the luminous specification, the box contents, and the listed price and discontinued status.
- Not established: independent hands-on testing, owner reports, chronograph operation, timing accuracy, durability, real-world lume performance, current retail stock, and secondary-market prices.
- Comparisons: no named alternative chronograph has been assessed against this watch on size, movement, legibility, water resistance, price or edition status, so this review does not rank it against competitors.
Who should consider it, and who should pass
- Consider it if you want a limited, aviation-themed bicompax chronograph, value a sapphire caseback that shows the movement, and have tried a 43 mm case with a 51.5 mm lug-to-lug on your wrist.
- Pass if you need independent accuracy or durability evidence before buying, if the 51.5 mm lug-to-lug overhangs your wrist, or if you are only willing to buy from a source that is actively selling the watch today.
The Bottom Line
On Laco’s published figures, the Edition 98 is a well-specified limited chronograph with a clear design identity. It is worth buying only if you can confirm it fits your wrist, find a unit at a price you consider reasonable against the €2,950.00 listed price, and accept that its performance claims rest on the manufacturer’s word. Without a current source of supply, it is a watch to admire rather than a practical purchase.
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