In commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, Praesidus will launch two limited-edition watches crafted with artifacts from the Normandy landings. The new A-11 LMUV features dials cut from the hood steel of a recovered Willys MB Jeep, the U.S. Army’s standard light utility vehicle during World War II. The A-11 Utah Beach 82nd incorporates sand from Utah Beach alongside a hand-painted D-Day scene on the dial. Both models feature 38mm stainless steel cases, Miyota 9039 automatic movements, domed sapphire crystals, and 100 meters of water resistance. The A-11 LMUV is priced at $595, while the A-11 Utah Beach 82nd starts at $695. The first batch debuts June 6, the anniversary of D-Day.
Founded in 2019 in New York by father-and-son team Remi and Oscar Chabrat, Praesidus has garnered a cult following for barrel-chested tool watches. They’re watches built for ranch work, mountaineering, and technical diving—timepieces for the strenuous life, to borrow a phrase from Teddy Roosevelt. Along with Benrus, Weiss Watch Company, and Hamilton, Praesidus is on my Mount Rushmore of field watches. The dial designs are clean, legible, and masculine, while the dark brown leather straps lend a touch of dressiness.
Named after the Latin word for protector, Praesidus also recreates historic military watches. Military historians and watch enthusiasts alike praise its faithful replica of the WWII-era A-11, “The Watch That Won the War.” Like its new Normandy releases, many Praesidus timepieces amalgamate materials recovered from historic battlefields. Last year, the company released the C-47 A-11 D-Day, featuring dials cut from the aluminum skin of a C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft used during the Normandy invasion. Praesidus also donates 5% of sales proceeds to veterans’ organizations and museums.
The A-11 Utah Beach 82nd, with its sand-filled dial, looks a touch too busy for my taste, but the A-11 LMUV would easily become my new favorite travel watch. The weathered steel from the Willys Jeep has a magnificent patina—the type of soulful weathering the Japanese call wabi-sabi. No two dials are exactly alike.
My grandfather served in the Marine Corps during World War II, and I commend Praesidus for preserving the legacy of the Greatest Generation. The men who stormed the beaches of Normandy—many barely out of adolescence—were instrumental in securing Allied victory over Nazi Germany. Advancing through machine-gun fire, pillboxes, and minefields, they displayed a level of valor I can only compare to the 300 Spartans who defended Thermopylae. More than eight decades later, that bravery still inspires awe and makes me proud to be an American.
