Recreating a WWII Icon! Praesidus A-11 Type 44 Review

[@chriswalls6667]

As a Veteran I applaud them for honoring the military past.🇺🇸

[@chronos-calculus]

My dad was a WWII veteran, and I know if he were alive he would love this! Thank you for sharing this!

[@joshsher6327]

At $555, it's expensive. With that amount, you can get a vintage original Elgin, Waltham or Bulova. Bulova came out with a modern A-11 (Hack) at $274. Dial is blue though. And yes, you can get a Hamilton for less than that. The superb quality of the Field Mechanical Auto is not even comparable. If you are set on an A-11 homage, there's Baltany. Sure, it's bigger at 38mm, but it only costs $175.

[@larrydalton2205]

First Praesidus watch I've seen. Thanks for something new.

[@brianmsahin]

It's a very nice watch indeed and great to see the veteran support. The seconds hand should have something to display it better. However for me the bad lume is a huge failure. If an $80 Addies Pilot watch can give a sapphire crystal, 200m wr, and strong all night lume, surely this should too. Excellent and honest review.

[@lpsalsaman]

Shane, great review as always. As for the watch, I remember when they came out with their first offering commemorating the "Lost watch of WW II" and Sgt. Tom Rice jump in the Normandy campaign. Anyway, the watch looks good, but definately not on a bracelet, the case and the styling of the watch doesn't lend itself for it. Military watches at least of this time period and earlier were worn on straps mostly. Anyway, another comprehensive review, keep up the great work!

[@austinh7967]

This is so badass! I love the acrylic crystal, and any acrylic crystal really! The distortion and the warmth are unmatched. Sapphire is good, but it's boring.

[@elieharriett9078]

I have 2 a-11’s I wear regularly, a bulova and an Elgin. Looking at getting one of these for when I don’t wanna risk wearing the original.

[@williamhill7312]

Excellent video, you have become one of my top 2 reviewers.

[@RelativeTime]

Thanks, appreciate it.

[@greatdogg]

I've had my eye on one of these for a while, the A-11 style offering from Baltany is very compelling as well.

[@andhenny]

Good, comprehensive review. Thanks! It’s a good looking watch, but seems a little spendy for me. Not really a shameless, spur of the moment purchase - I’d need to really want it for those prices.

[@bignz721]

This *looks* good. I got a Praesidus Tom Rice field that looked considerably cheap & had crooked dial, I needed to return. This looks similar to the Serica WWW, a mini-grail for me, that I may check it out, but I am cautious

[@LamarFaciane]

The bonklip or "bamboo" bracelet is awesome!

[@davidwarburton8890]

Thanks for the review! another to add to the wish list.

[@kalynstalinski8375]

The drilled lugs are period correct, part of the a-11 spec 😊

[@lonzo61]

Pricey? Yes, but I love it. I am seriously considering buying one. Besides, I like small watches, and I love the military/field genre of wrist watches.

[@rickrounds5150]

A great looking field watch for sure. If I didn't already have a Boldr titanium field watch, that one would be on my short list.

[@SilverSergeant]

Nice review, Shane. My first thought, when seeing this, was "This one reminds me, a little, of my Seiko SN809". I don't know why they would use that bracelet. Straps look much better with this one. I don't see a lot of value at this price. Favorite field watch? I like my Seiko SN809 and my SWC ArK.

[@vitmat7779]

Nice presentation Mister :), could not help but notice that. magazine possibly a 9mm in a background ;), nice review

[@RelativeTime]

It is, but shhhhh. Don't let google catch on.

[@LocDawgd]

Does anyone know what watch that is at 3:08 on the left side?

[@Iridium1O]

Looks like a Vario Trench watch, not sure about the straps on it.

[@DetroitDiesel671]

I don't recognize that bracelet... it's not a Bonklip from Joseph Bonnie, and it also doesn't appear to be a Forstner Klip. I really like it though, I like that airy style and infinite adjustability, and I'm actually a huge fan of lightweight watches. Lots of titanium in my collection...

[@Pierluigi_Di_Lorenzo]

The A11 was a service- or pattern watch, not a field watch. Field watches were/are available for civilian purchase. Civilians gained access through surplus sales after the war, but during the war it was strictly military-issue.

[@solidus1995]

I have this model. Its quite perfect. Put it on a leather strap from Finwatchstraps. Chefs kiss.

[@argon1490]

A manual wind field watch thicker than a number of drive watches? At least the Baltany / Keaoirus A11 watches are automatic... And have sapphire crystals. The one key plus for the Praesidus is not using the fauxtina, yellowed lume. But even then, low lume persistence. I want to like Praesidus but they seem to trade more on nostalgia than execution. Plus they keep coming up with higher priced versions of the same things without getting a whole lot better.

[@paulhiggins8774]

Lovely watch, the case and crown looks identical to the Oris big crown but more like the American A-11, even the strap was green, the only difference is that the second hand had lume and it had a rail road track. What I don’t like is the lume quality and no logo. Think there will be Americans queuing up for this one Great review Shane

[@stevefisher5226]

Nice looking watch but way are period homages also so big? why not make it size accurate too.

[@RelativeTime]

That has always been the question.

[@tuzu1758]

I've been looking at the A-11 Service. Shame about the loom. However I am a sucker for old style field watches.

[@clockworkbike]

Field watch maker in a sea of divers! Great take on the market.

[@that1guy731]

Seems a bit too expensive but very cool. But I also can't help but think of Canteen watches as a close substitute. Seeing how cheap a true us military re-issue can be. Somewhat lessor specs but you can find them on eBay for $80 and even some surplus stores have them for less

[@thebrightside7015]

Is there a way to search and find real military watches fromm ww1,ww2, 0r Vietnam... I'm really interested in starting a watch collection. But feel if I want to spend money on a watch I want to spend money on a watch that has to me sentimental value more than just a company name... I look around on the net all the time but here alot about fake replicas being past off as real.. could you do a video on things to look for for authentication?

[@RelativeTime]

Well, that's the thing that's kept me from getting into those kinds of watches as well. You really need a good source that's trustworthy to buy from. Someone who's actually serviced the watches and knows what kind of condition they're in too. Now with military watches in general, there's the additional issue that most of them are probably in rough condition. That they were issued a soldiers who we're going off the war. They weren't going to baby them. So finding one in good condition can be really rare, and if you do is going to be really expensive.

[@thebrightside7015]

@@RelativeTime yeah I figured finding one in rough condition and fixing it would be the better choice. I came across a company that supposedly sells WW2 watches and vintage watches from the past but I'm not sure if that company is legit... One being that they are online two because they are based out in London much further distance then I can go to look at

[@thebrightside7015]

@@RelativeTime not going to lie I was hoping you'd be like: I should do an video rating some online watch stores. Giving your honest opinion on the product and service they offer 😅 if anything the price range I see for the watch I'm looking at is around 200-500 bucks ..

[@RelativeTime]

@@thebrightside7015 Its a good idea, I've thought about it. Just buy from 3 or 4 sources and rate the experince. Perhaps in I will next year.

[@thebrightside7015]

@@RelativeTime dude that be dope you should

[@grahambeer8179]

Redux watches offered a watch with an A-11 faced watch during their most recent kickstarter campaign. I believe that they do a better job paying homage to WW II military watch design than any other company, while being completely cutting edge in terms of materials used (grade 5 Ti, sapphire crystal, etc.). I have one of their earlier Courg watches. It is one of my two favourite watches for daily wear - really superb!

[@johnmonachelli5256]

Throw that bracelet in the power lines it looks great on the brown leather and green canvas

[@andrewjones5069]

Have you looked at watches of remeberance ?

[@RelativeTime]

no I haven't. Is that the brand name?

[@andrewjones5069]

@@RelativeTime Yes. They are hand made and sold on eBay. Check out killing time with norman he's reviewed them.

[@robbbbery]

When you hand wind it, does it reach a "full" point where it won't wind anymore, like a normal manual movement, or does it keep winding indefinitely like an automatic? Great review!

[@BlindProphet413]

Ask Praesidus to do an Ordnance Department watch please!

[@Gunthusiest]

6:35 Vader's lightsaber and Tie

[@RelativeTime]

Come to the dark side... We have cookies 🍪

[@sonisan2682]

My son was a WW2 veteran

[@RelativeTime]

Wow! Where did he serve?

[@andrewfishkin6559]

Great review. Personally, I love the idea of a slightl;y (or not-so-slightly) modernized take on a historical military watch, more an evolution than a homage. Two-years-ago I bought the much more expensive (and correspondingly nicer) Vertex M100, and after seeing this and a few other reviews, just ordered the A-11 Type 44 (38mm with vintage lume). The lume does really suck in terms of lighting up the watch at night, but it looks gorgeous during the day (the Vertex glows like a blowtorch). Overall, for the price, I think they did a pretty good job. The lume can and should be better and I wish the caseback engraving matched at least the style of the original, but on the wrist it looks for the world like an large, but not oversized A-11.

[@Watchandcutgearchannel]

It’s nice .. I dig the whole theme of it

[@chrisb5986]

I guess people don't realize you can still buy an actual Benrus.

[@mickmosby3908]

"...and the only real bad here is the lume....Now lets talk about the good - the seconds hand sucks - and that's good. The crystal glares too - that's really awesome. Cheap bracelet - its finest point. Bueller? Bueller?

[@RelativeTime]

Well the lume is just outright, no excueses, bad. Where as the other things are part of a larger topic. Like the overall design. Which as a whole is good with those expections. I got to organize these things somehow, and thats just how this one worked out.

[@alanmckinnon6791]

Uggh that bracelet. I've bought a few old used watches that came with that style bracelet. True, this one is made with modern materials, but those old ones were abominable. RistFlex was better. Green strap looks nice.

[@maidpretty]

Well, lume-wise a Vostok is a bare minimum target for any type of watch that has got lume. For a vintage military high contrast dial style watch good lume is a must.

[@AlexanderB.]

It's probably the worst thing you can say: something feeling cheap although it isn't. I'm definitely in team sapphire and I'm not interested in polymer crystal watches.

[@treehugger3615]

I love the design, but this is a bit pricey imo. At $300 I would definitely consider.

[@RelativeTime]

I think most of that is from the Soprod movement. They have sapphire / NH35 versions for a lot less.

[@jontpt]

I'm not sure how this watch is anything resembling "authentic." It's just another homage, like all the rest, at a rather steep price. You can buy an actual A-11 for less.

[@RelativeTime]

Well to them authentic is keeping polymer and a straight mechanical. Trying to keep to the original spec level as you can within the modern marketplace. Although it's probably debatable if that actually makes it authentic.

[@Klunker1]

That metal bracelet looks ugly and way out of place.

[@finesse49]

Not being American, I see no value to me in the extra cost of American assembly and donation to a US charity. Pass

[@desireless4092]

And what would you spend cash on?

[@NathanChisholm041]

Nice watch. I love military watches...

[@iceclimber295]

Nice review. I passed on this watch. There is NO A-11 watch out there that had a seconds hand sans balance end. If there was it was parted on as a last ditch effort to get the watch back in service.