If you are even remotely interested in military watch homages, Praesidus must be on your radar. The brand has been producing charming, period-correct, and reasonably priced editions of classic military timepieces with remarkable frequency. Today, I have their latest, the Praesidus Dirty Dozen 1945 (DD-45).
“Dirty Dozen” is the name watch nerds conferred upon the Wrist Watch Waterproof field watches commissioned by The British Ministry of Defense during World War 2. Twelve manufacturers produced them, and they all share the same key characteristics: a black dial, lumed Arabic numbers, a small seconds indicator, and a railroad track index.
The DD-45 captures all of those features in a proper retro package. It’s 38mm wide, 45mm long, and 11.8mm thick, including the tall, double-domed, and AR-coated sapphire crystal. While this may be a millimeter or two larger than some of the originals (case size was one of the more fluid aspects of those contracts), it is in line with what we now consider mid-sized, as the WWWs were in their day.
It’s an attractive case, presenting an appealing mix of polished and brushed surfaces, tapered lugs, and an undercut that makes it appear even slimmer. The DD-45 information page shows a photo showing all of the twelve WWWs. Each is slightly different. To my eye, the Praesidus closely resembles the Cyma, which is not a bad thing in the least.
As Praesidus was producing a modern watch for modern use, it wisely upgraded certain aspects to meet contemporary standards. The aforementioned sapphire crystal is one such feature. You can also add to that list 100m water resistance and a layer of Super-LumiNova so thick the numbers stand proud of the dial.
All twelve of the wartime watches were Swiss and required durable, accurate movements, so it follows that an ETA 2824 clone should do the honors in the DD-45. A Swiss-made Landeron L24 automatic (25 jewels, 28.8k bph, 40-hour power reserve) hums away behind a solid and simply engraved caseback that proudly announces its American assembly.
Dirty Dozen watches all came with smooth black dials, and it is here that the brand makes its most significant visual departure, offering three variants. Some folks like their vintage-style watches to look like they did when they were first issued to soldiers bound for the front; others want them to look like they have already experienced the war and every year since. Wherever you stand on this issue, Praesidus has you covered. You can get a Factory Fresh model with a black dial and bright white lume, or a Patina dial with vintage lume and yellowed hands, both on a sand-textured “popcorn” surface.
My review sample was option three; the Tropical dial with creamy lume and a brushed surface that looks as if it were bleached brown by years of sunlight. The other two variants are certainly charming, but the Tropical would be my choice. I dig brown dials, and this one is a lovely color that appears deep and earthy in most lighting conditions, only to pop perfectly lustrous when the light catches it just so and displays the northwest-to-southeast grain on the main dial and the sunray effect on the small seconds.
On my 6.75″ wrist, the 38mm DD-45 was perfectly proportioned. Its low profile makes it easy to wear under a buttoned cuff, while the large crown reminds you that this watch is ready to report for duty.
Strap options include leather, Perlon, and Praesisus’s excellent Bonklip bracelet. I have sampled the Bonklip before and enjoyed its open links, easy adjustment, and relative novelty. The review sample arrived on the brand’s standard brown leather strap, which has quick-release bars and a signed buckle, but frankly unremarkable leather. It does the trick and is faithful to the overall vintage design, but it is the least special part of the watch.
The Praesidus Dirty Dozen 1945 DD-45 launches on March 14, 2024, for $875 on later or Perlon or $925 on the Bonklip. The DD-45 is a smart, styling piece that does justice to its wartime inspiration while delivering modern utility. The initial run will be 100 pieces, so if you are interested, I’d suggest signing up for early access. For more information and early alerts, head over to praesidus.com.
