Jamie Weiss
2025 is the year marking the major anniversary of some of the most beloved brands in the watch industry. Zenith, for example, celebrates its 160th anniversary and 250th anniversary, celebrating its continued production in 270, but forgets the big Swiss brand in the A moment. Another brand that observes this year’s important anniversary is LACO, with 2025 celebrating its 100th anniversary.
As I wrote before, it is a difficult battle to make watches outside of Switzerland. Therefore, the fact that a relatively small, independent German watchmaker (and one not based in Grasshutte) was able to survive the entire century is an impressive feat. And Laco celebrates in an epic style and distributes 100 exclusive clocks over 100 days to celebrate this 100th anniversary.
Between July 19th and October 26th, 2025, LACO will hand out 100 watches in a campaign aptly called “100-100 Days – 100 Watches.” The watch in question is called the Laco Frida. This is a new model that cannot be purchased and can only be obtained through this giveaway. Lacos usually name models after urban or geographical features, so Frida is a departure from form.
The watch’s name is a reference to Frida Racher, a formative figure in Laco history, actually Frida Racher, co-founder of the brand and one of the founders of only a handful of historic women’s watch brands. As Laco puts it, “In 1925, when women were rarely seen in the role of business leadership, it was not normal to set up a company. It was a bold move.
The Laco Frieda Special Edition is a classic “Type A” Freeger style watch. Of course, Laco is well known for its pilot watches. It has an almost outback sandy appearance, complemented by a sandblasted stainless steel case and grey leather straps with red stitching. Each of the 100 watches is individually numbered on the caseback, and the left side of the watch also features a commemorative sculpture of “1925-2025”.
So how do you get one of these watches? As the campaign name suggests, every day from July 19th to October 26th, one of these Fridas is given in collaboration with LACO’s own online shop, social media promotions, newsletter activities, media partners, bloggers, YouTubers and events of their choice. Don’t worry: There is a regularly updated online calendar on the LACO website, which tracks where your next Frida is given.
I think this is a great little initiative. In my opinion, Laco is a rather underrated brand. Based in the southwest of Germany in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, they reflect the reliability and rather affordable pricing of authentic historic tool watches, and the use of Swiss and Japanese movements in German-made watches. Laco has not always had the easiest history or the easiest history. It barely survived both World War II and the quartz crisis, and its ownership changed hands many times before its current independent incarnation – but it is a brand worthy of more recognition. Hopefully, getting a free watch on people’s wrists will stimulate curiosity and popularity.
