Laco x Circula ProLab Review – 170 Years Of Pforzheim Watchmaking in one Set
- December 11, 2025
170 years of Pforzheim watchmaking
Every now and then a collaboration lands that feels less like a marketing play and more like a heartfelt conversation between two watchmakers who actually know and respect each other. ProLab is exactly that a two watch set from Laco and Circula that distills 170 years of Pforzheim watchmaking into a modern pilot and a field watch that speak the same design language without ever feeling like clones.
Laco turned 100 in 2025, Circula turns 70, and instead of each brand simply doing its own anniversary limited edition, they decided to experiment together in their shared hometown the Goldstadt of German horology – which I believe truly is a unique way of celebrating, love to see it! The result is ProLab a paired duo based on the Laco PRO and Circula ProTrail platforms that only really shows its full character when you see both watches side by side on the table or, ideally, on a two watch roll ready for the next weekend trip.
ProLab will launch today, on December 11 2025, and is limited to 170 sets globally, with deliveries starting at the end of January 2026 and a price of 2390€ for the complete set through both Laco and Circula. For a serious enthusiast who lives in that sweet spot where microbrand energy meets independent watchmaking heritage, it is a pretty compelling proposition ( this feels like one of those collabs people will regret skipping).
A Case of purposeful Proportions
Both ProLab watches land at 40 millimeters in diameter, but they express that size with slightly different intent one leaning into field watch pragmatism, the other into Type B pilot clarity. The Laco uses the familiar PRO case architecture in stainless steel, scratch resistant up to an impressive 1 200 Vickers, with around 11.1 millimeters of height without the crystal and about 11.3 millimeters including it, which keeps it very wearable even for smaller wrists.
Circula brings its ProTrail case to the party with a dark sandblasted stainless steel finish that instantly reads more tactical and contemporary, and a slightly slimmer profile of 9.8 millimeters without the crystal and 12.3 millimeters with it. Both watches share pragmatic tool watch specs screw down crown, solid caseback with individual limitation number, sapphire crystal with inner anti reflective coating, and water resistance of 20 ATM for the Laco and 15 ATM for the Circula so they are clearly built to be worn, not babied.
What ties the set together is not just the numbers on the sheet but the way the proportions and surfaces have been aligned the cases echo each other in stance and footprint, yet you still get two distinct personalities on the wrist. The Laco case reads a bit more classic field watch with its straightforward robustness, while the Circula case feels like a refined evolution of modern tool watch design, especially in that dark blasted guise (if you own a ProTrail already you will immediately recognize the lineage).
Dial and bezel – The Flieger and The Field
The cleverness of ProLab sits front and center in the dials where Laco and Circula essentially swap roles. The Laco uses a sand colored dial with circular graining on the inner area and a matte finish outside, channeling the outdoor ready aesthetic of the Circula ProTrail line clear legibility, warm tonality, and that calm, functional character that makes you want to throw it on for a long hike.
The Circula, on the other hand, adopts a black Type B inspired pilot dial built off Laco’s PRO design language with minutes prominent on the outer track and the hours tucked in closer to the center, plus a clean railroad minute track that both watches share. It is reduced, precise, almost Spartan in its focus on legibility, which suits a pilot watch powered by a proper Swiss automatic movement very nicely (bit of a high flyer, this one).
Lume is handled with taste rather than theatrics. On the Laco field piece, numerals and indices use Swiss Super LumiNova Old Radium for that slightly vintage warmth, while the Circula pilot goes with Swiss Super LumiNova BGW9 on outer elements for a cool toned glow that feels appropriately modern. Both models use thermally blued hands with Super LumiNova BGW9, tying the duo visually together day and night while also adding a dash of old school charm that never gets old in real light.
Swiss automatic movement under the hood
Perhaps the biggest shared denominator sits inside the cases both ProLab watches are powered by the Sellita SW200 1 Elabor automatic caliber. It is a known quantity in the enthusiast world 26 jewels, central seconds, three hand layout, and a reputation for robust performance and easy servicing that fits the tool watch ethos of both Laco and Circula perfectly.
The choice of an Elabor grade is a nice nod to seriousness without veering into unnecessary spec flex it suggests attention to regulation and consistency, but still keeps the price in the realm of realistic for a two watch set. For most collectors, the combination of dependable Swiss mechanics with the Made in Pforzheim build and finishing will hit exactly the right note, especially considering that these are watches you are meant to wear often, not just admire through a display back.
Power reserve is the familiar SW200 territory, sufficient for everyday rotation, though here the real emphasis is on the synergy of movement choice with the wider ProLab story. Both brands already rely heavily on Sellita, and ProLab simply doubles down on that alignment, turning the calibers into another quiet connecting thread between pilot and field.
Versatility at its best – strap and wearing experience
On the wrist, ProLab is clearly designed as a pair that can cover very different roles in a collection from office to outdoor weekend without feeling redundant. The Laco field watch comes on a sand colored sailcloth strap with genuine leather lining, quick release spring bars, and a 20 millimeter lug width, so it feels right at home on everything from a technical jacket to a vintage leather bomber.
The Circula pilot is paired with a black sailcloth strap, also with leather lining and quick release bars, and a dark buckle that plays perfectly with the sandblasted case finish for a cohesive, slightly stealthy aesthetic. Both setups are very strap friendly, and it is easy to picture this duo rotating through NATO, rubber, and leather options depending on the season (this is the sort of set that can quickly become the core of a two watch travel kit).
Packaging reinforces the idea of a proper project rather than just two watches bundled together. The set arrives in an aluminum case that doubles as a presentation box, accompanied by a gold colored coin that carries the same limitation number as both watches a tactile reminder that this is one coherent concept, not a coincidence.
Design DNA Pforzheim
One of the standout touches is how explicitly ProLab celebrates its place of origin without lapsing into nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. Both watches carry the inscription Made in Pforzheim on the dial and caseback, and two discreet gold dots on the caseback mark the historic home of the brands within the city, turning geography into a small but meaningful design signature.
These details echo the bigger story two independent watchmakers from the same town choosing collaboration over competition and putting that ethos directly on the product. It is an approach that feels refreshingly honest in an industry where partnerships can often feel forced here the regular dialogue between Laco’s Uwe Rücker and Circula’s Cornelius Huber quite literally materialized into steel, lume, and sapphire.
Even the name ProLab is a quiet manifesto. Pro references the foundational collections Laco PRO and Circula ProTrail while Lab hints at the experimental, open ended nature of the project, and there is an intentional echo of collab in there as well a reminder that this is meant as a laboratory of shared ideas rather than a single commemorative one off.
Why ProLab is special
ProLab is not just another limited edition it is a very intentional confluence of history, design, and brand philosophy that feels authentically Pforzheim at heart. For collectors who already appreciate what Laco and Circula do individually, seeing both DNAs interwoven across two dedicated models will be particularly satisfying (and perhaps a little dangerous for the wallet).
Some of my key highlights surrounding the ProLab watch set:
- The entire concept is built around 100 years of Laco and 70 years of Circula, manifested in 170 numbered sets, meaningful inscriptions, and shared design cues that underscore Pforzheim as a living watchmaking hub rather than just a line in a brochure.
- Instead of a single compromise watch, you get a dedicated field piece and a dedicated pilot, each true to its parent brand while clearly tuned to belong together through proportions, finishing, and details like the railway minute track and blued hands
- Scratch resistant cases up to around 1 200 Vickers on the Laco, robust water resistance at 20 ATM and 15 ATM, sapphire with inner AR, thermally blued hands with Super LumiNova, and proven Sellita SW200 1 Elabor movements all come together in a package built for real use!!!
- The 170 piece limitation is directly tied to the combined anniversaries, which makes the number feel purposeful instead of arbitrary, and the inclusion of a matching coin as part of the aluminum presentation case gives the set a sense of cohesion you will not get by cobbling together two unrelated watches
- At 2390€ for both watches, you are getting two fully fledged German made mechanical tool watches with Swiss movements, thoughtful design, and genuine independent watchmaker ethos from brands that already have proven track records with enthusiasts. Compared to buying two similar spec pieces separately from many microbrands, the value proposition here is very hard to ignore (if you think of it per watch, the minute hand starts looking very friendly)
Closing Thoughts
ProLab feels like the natural outcome of two Pforzheim watchmakers who have been orbiting each other for years and finally decided to share the same bench for a while. The resulting duo manages to be both concept driven and delightfully wearable a warm sand dial field watch rooted in Circula’s tool watch ethos, and a crisp black Type B pilot with unmistakable Laco DNA, both tied together by honest specs and meaningful details.
For collectors who enjoy microbrands and independent watchmakers, ProLab sits right at the intersection of story, specification, and scarcity without feeling contrived, especially at 2390€ for the set. If the idea of opening an aluminum case and seeing both a Pforzheim born flieger and field watch looking back at you makes your heart rate tick up a little, this is probably a project you will want to catch before all 170 sets are spoken for.
Specifications:
Brand – Laco x Circula
Model – ProLab Watch Set Laco Field Watch and Circula Pilot Watch
Case Material – Laco stainless steel, scratch resistant to approx 1 200 Vickers; Circula stainless steel, dark sandblasted
Case Dimensions – Laco 40 mm diameter, 11.1 mm height without crystal, 11.3 mm with crystal; Circula 40 mm diameter, 9.8 mm height without crystal, 12.3 mm with crystal
Water Resistance – Laco 200 m (20 ATM); Circula 150 m (15 ATM)
Strap – Laco sand colored sailcloth strap with leather lining, 20 mm, quick release; Circula black sailcloth strap with leather lining, 20 mm, quick release, dark buckle
Crystal – Sapphire crystal with inner anti reflective coating on both watches
Movement – Sellita SW200 1 Elabor automatic, 26 jewels, three hand layout on both watches
Lume – Yes Laco Super LumiNova Old Radium on numerals and indexes BGW9 on hands; Circula Super LumiNova BGW9 on outer dial and hands
Power Reserve – Approx. 40h
Limited Edition – Yes, 170 numbered sets worldwide
Price – €2,390 per set
Official store link here.
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About Laco x Circula ProLab: Key Questions Answered
Is ProLab sold only as a set
Yes the Laco field watch and the Circula pilot watch are available exclusively together as the ProLab set, limited to 170 pieces worldwide.
Will ProLab be available from both brands
The set will be offered through both Laco and Circula, with sales starting on December 11 2025 and deliveries scheduled from the end of January 2026.
Are the ProLab watches made in Germany
Both watches are assembled in Pforzheim and carry the Made in Pforzheim designation on dial and caseback, reflecting the brands shared origin and manufacturing base.
