The United States of America has a history stuffed full of heroes. From George Washington to Audie Murphy and General George S. Patton to Pat Tillman, this country wouldn’t be what it is today without the sacrifice and service of countless men and women across two and a half centuries. But for every story of bravery and sacrifice, there are a dozen lost tales of true heroism and steadfast determination from veterans seemingly forgotten by the masses. Praesidus Watches endeavors to change that for as many as possible through epic storytelling watches.
Driven by the desire to tell stories of military courage and grit and aided by their superior watchmaking, Praesidus has solidified itself as one of the premier unique “storywatch” producers in the world. Why do we call them storywatches? Because every single one of these timepieces holds a story you won’t be able to wait to tell when someone notices it. There are dozens of options and tales of heroic exploits to choose from, but these are our favorites and will serve as a buying guide for you. Choose the story that speaks to you, and wear the watch that represents the tale you can’t wait to regale others with.
The Rec Spec
There are very few units from the Vietnam War that were more badass than the MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam—Studies and Observations Group). These guys went behind enemy lines to find intel for the soldiers who were to follow. Basically, anywhere the U.S. was in the country, these guys were there first.
The Rec Spec (Reconnaissance Spec) came about when the unit needed to source gear from outside the supply lines, opting to pick up a Seiko dress watch. It became surprisingly effective as a field watch, and the rest is history. These Seikos are no longer made, so this is the only way (unless you were lucky enough to get one handed down from your badass grandfather) to sport this particular historical piece.
The Jungle Field
Speaking of Vietnam, this was a jungle war that required some of the best military gear. In 1967, the United States Military issued the GG-W-11 for the first time to all of its pilots. It was created specifically for active combat in Vietnam, being accurate, legible, and durable. The original designs went out of service from the military in the late 1980s and were produced by Hamilton and Marathon. This recreation is going to be one of the best pilot watches you own. And you will have a cool history lesson to give anyone who compliments it.
A-11 Type 44
June 6, 1944, became a day that no American would ever forget. The combined land, air, and sea arms of the entire Allied Forces came together for the largest amphibious invasion in the history of military operations. Operation OVERLORD delivered five naval divisions to the Beaches of Normandy and, later became known as D-Day.
With an operation of that magnitude, coordination is vital. That is where the A-11 came into play. Before the invasion, command instructed everyone to stop their watch at 2100 hours by pulling out the crowns. Once that happened, he gave the order and all watches were synched together at 2100. This allowed the invasion to be timed perfectly. 80 years later, Praesidus’ recreation of the most iconic military watch that enabled the most iconic military moment will be one of your most prized possessions.
The A-2 Bud & Diz
Thanks to Top Gun, we are today fans of fighter pilots, the epitome of coolness and calm under pressure. The real thing is a little more engaging than Tom Cruise. Bud Anderson and Diz Laird were some of the real-life heroes who ruled the sky during World War II. Anderson is one of the most decorated fighter pilots of all time, designated as an ace (taking out five enemy aircraft) three times over. Laird is the only ace in history to shoot down both Japanese and German fighters. He also flew in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
With that history, Praesidus spoke to them about the best pilot watch and leaned heavily on the A-17 Mil Spec pilot watch. It debuted in 1951 and became their favorite. The A-2 Bud & Diz editions are the pinnacle of pilot excellence, just like the pilots who inspired them.
Tom Rice
Just like the importance of the heroes of the sky during the Allied Forces’ victory was the tenacity of the ground forces. And none of those ground forces were more tenacious and set on Allied victory than the paratroopers. These were the elite of the time and Tom Rice was one of their bravest. Joining after the events of Pearl Harbor and fighting on D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, and Hitler’s Eagles Nest, he was involved in virtually every major event of WWII.
It was when leading 18 men to the Beaches of Normandy that he had a brush with death and lost his beloved A-11. The watch he bought before shipping out to England played a big enough role for him that he collaborated with Praesidus decades later to create this one-of-a-kind homage. You can now wear the same watch a true American hero wore to defeat the Axis Powers.
Vince Speranza
Speaking of paratroopers, Vince Speranza may have gotten a late start to the war as he had his first engagement in 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge. But what he lost in time, he made up for in grit and importance as he manned a gun for the 101st Airborne to stop the Germans in their last stand. He then went on to take down Hitler’s vacation home and, most often, located at Eagle’s Nest and even liberated a concentration camp. A total of 144 days in battle on some of the most important moments at the end of the war cemented him in the WWII victory.
Speranza then moved on to create this watch commemorating his time. Another A-11 variation, the back of the casing is adorned with his name and nickname, “The Machine Gunner of Bastogne,” along with either a flat or 3D bullet to honor his role in the defeat of Hitler and the Nazis.
D-Day 80th Anniversary
When it comes to important dates, D-Day is the one most people think of with WWII. And Praesidus pulled out all the stops with their 80th anniversary celebration. There are two editions: the C-47 Skytrain and the Utah Beach. The Skytrain is built from a C-47 that actually flew the D-Day mission, while the Utah Beach holds sand from the actual beach our brave men stormed at the end of the war.
Watches are a dime a dozen. There are hundreds of special and limited editions with stories to tell and messages to send. However, Praesidus has dedicated itself to telling the story of the Greatest Generation. Here are the most important options they offer and the stories they tell.
