Praesidus Watches
Praesidus
Praesidus is a watch brand based in Phoenix, Arizona.[1] The brand was founded by Remi Chabrat and his son Oscar in 2020.[2] The brand's mission is to commemorate military history through timepieces.[3] Named after the Latin word for "protector"[2], Praesidus is known for replicating World War II-era watches[4][5][3] (notably the A-11 field watch). [3]
History and Founding
Praesidus was co-founded in 2019 by French entrepreneur Remi Chabrat,[6] a former airman,[7] together with his son Oscar Chabrat. Remi, a veteran parachutist, envisioned a watch brand that would pay homage to the heroes of World War II, inspired by stories like that of U.S. Army paratrooper Tom Rice[8][4].
The company operates in France and the United States. Its design and narrative concepts often draw on French-American military history.[1]
As of 2026, Praesidus remains privately held and continues to grow its catalogue of historical reissues. />
Products and Innovations
A-11 Field Watch
Praesidus is best known for recreating vintage military watches.[9] Its main product line is a recreation fo the A-11 field watch, a model known as "the watch that won World War II" due to its importance to US soldiers during World War II.[10]
Reconnaissance (Rec) Spec
In 2023, Praesidus released the Rec Spec (short for Recon Spec), a watch inspired by Vietnam War special forces. It is a commemoration of the Seiko 5 watches famously worn by the MACV-SOG commandos in the 1960s.[11]
Dirty Dozen (DD-45)
In 2024, Praesidus launched the DD-45, a re-creation of the "Dirty Dozen"[12], which were 12 wristwatches commissioned by Britain's Ministry of Defence in 1945 for the military.
Commemorations and Limited Editions
Praesidus is also well known for commemorative watches.[13] In 2022, the company released a model named the A-11 Marston Mat Edition, which incorporated real World War II relic material into the watch[14][13]. Later, the brand launched a series of UTAH beach commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 2024.[15]
Other commemorative editions include tributes to Iwo Jima and Bastogne battles. [13]
Collaborations and Community Engagement
To enable its projects to come to life, Praesidus has collaborated with military veterans, historians, and enthusiast groups. For example, the Veteran Edition watches were developed hand-in-hand with the veteran it commemorates. Most notable exmaples include Tom Rice and Vince Speranza who were both consulted on their namesake models[14][4], lending personal stories and approval to the final designs.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 ADMIN, MB (2022-07-28). "Praesidus is a veteran-driven watch brand that aims to recreate the timepieces worn by WWII heroes". Military Discounts, Jobs & Resources for Military Families. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Who We Are | A11 Watches". Praesidus. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sellers, Ripley (2025-11-26). "Praesidus Victory Day Review: Can A Dress Watch Celebrate Military History?". aBlogtoWatch. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nijenbrinks, Gerard (2021-12-17). "Discovering The Praesidus A-11 Tom Rice Edition Watch". Fratello Watches - The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ "Praesidus Pathfinder 44 - Bastogne Edition: Hands-On Review". WatchGecko. 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ ""The Lost Watch of D-Day" | San Diego Veterans Magazine". Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ Tarot, Jean-philippe. "Praesidius : deux montres en hommage au Débarquement du 6 juin 1944 en Normandie". Montres-de-luxe.com (in français). Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ "San Diego Veterans Magazine December 2022". Issuu. 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ Fratello (2022-10-02). "Hands-On: The Praesidus A-11 Type 44". Fratello Watches - The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ MrWatchMaster (2022-04-16). "Praesidus Watches Bring The Spirit Of The Military Into Their... – MrWatchMaster". Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ Weppelink, Jorg (2023-09-29). "Hands-On With The New And Surprisingly Detailed Praesidus Rec Spec MACV-SOG". Fratello Watches - The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
- ↑ Tocci, Meg. "Hands-On: the Praesidus DD-45 "Patina"". Worn & Wound. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Praesidus Pathfinder 44 - Bastogne Edition: Hands-On Review". WatchGecko. 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSit-2022 - ↑ Weppelink, Jorg (2024-06-03). "Hands-On With The Praesidus C-47 A-11 D-Day — A Watch Made Out Of D-Day History". Fratello Watches - The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
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