The Praesidus Watch Company loves the A-11. The brand has reincarnated the American wartime favorite several times with varying sizes, colors, cases, and dial materials. Last year, I reviewed four of them. Today, I’ll show you one more, the Praesidus A-11 Spec 2.0.
Like the brand’s first A-11, this one is quartz, but this time, it’s the Ameriquartz 6130, made by FTS in Arizona. Purists may balk at that battery, but this may very well be the first A-11 to have an American-made heart since the original. Of course, if you really want a mechanical movement, Praesidus will be happy to sell you one of their hand-wound Soprod PO24 or automatic Seiko NH34 models.
As with previous issues, they offer the Spec 2.0 in two case sizes, this time, 32mm and 40mm. Those seeking the vintage experience will likely choose the former, but I suspect the latter will find its way onto more wrists as it is better aligned with modern sensibilities. The review sample was 40mm wide, 47mm long, and 12.5mm thick, including the double-domed K1 mineral crystal. Personally, I prefer the retro look of acrylic, but I can’t complain about this one with its high dome and lovely edge distortions. It is both sapphire and AR coated as well.
While the case is not exactly to original A-11 specs (they make one of those too, the remarkable A-11 Type 44), it is the highly appealing design used on most previous Praesidus offerings. The stainless steel is sandblasted except for the tops of the drilled lugs and the crown, both of which are polished. It is a bit of a compromise between the WW2 watch’s chrome-plated case and the matte finish common on later military-issue pieces. If you can put historical accuracy aside, it is quite appealing in its own right.
The Spec 2.0 dial is a straight A-11 layout, although buyers have some choices. In addition to the businesslike white-on-black shown here, they also produce white or black “patina” dials with creamy lume. Whichever one you chose will have a generous application of SuperLuminova. Daggerlike hands are new to the Spec 2.0, making this variant closer to a pilot’s watch than an infantryman’s field watch.
Strap choices are in line with other Praesidus offerings: nylon, canvas, and leather. The rugged brown 20mm leather would be my choice. It has quick-release straps for convenience, even though the lugs are drilled. It’s like the watch is begging for strap changes — an invitation you should indulge, as the sterile, utilitarian dial and smooth, dual-finished case look good with almost anything.
The Spec 2.0 ships in the brand’s usual simple brown cardboard box, a package that is both environmentally friendly and in line with the no-frills delivery of the original service watches. I detest the heavy and wasteful “luxury boxes” that accompany many watches, so I consider Praesidus’s approach to be among the best. I wish more brands would consider this.
The Praesidus Spec 2.0 sells for $215, no matter what case, dial, or strap options you select. This places it in between their Ronda quartz A2 and the NH34 automatic A-11 Tom Rice. As I mentioned above, the brand has a variant to suit almost every taste, and the Spec 2.0 is a fine addition to that stable.
For more information or to order your own, visit praesidus.com. Deliveries will start in mid-April.
