It may be difficult to imagine, but June 6, 2024 marks a full 80 years since “D-Day” — the beginning of the Allied invasion of France during World War II, and one of the most pivotal single days in that massive conflict. It’s a massive milestone in military history, as well, and as such, it’s no surprise that a military-inspired brand like Praesidus has gone out of its way to honor the heroism of those who served during the D-Day operations. Rather than a simple new colorway or a commemorative caseback, though, Praesidus aims higher by attempting to encapsulate a piece of D-Day itself into the watch design. Enter the new limited-edition Praesidus C-47 A-11 D-Day, which blends rugged, army-issue design simplicity and old-school military charm with a dial made from one of the C-47 Skytrain transport airplanes used to drop American and British paratroopers into Normandy during the D-Day invasion.
Almost brutally utilitarian and function-forward, the Praesidus C-47 A-11 D-Day’s 38mm wide sandblasted stainless steel case may diverge substantially from original WWII-era American military-issued A-11 watch cases, but it captures the straightforward, purpose-built spirit of those designs. The softly rounded mid-case, narrow rounded smooth bezel, and slim, tapering drilled lugs all give off a plausibly practical, government-issue feel on the wrist, as does the old-school low-dome acrylic crystal. This is a significantly larger, more substantial silhouette than the original war-era A-11s, but small enough to still feel “vintage,” and the no-frills matte finishing adds to this aged feel right off the bat. Praesidus continues this military styling through the C-47 A-11 D-Day’s solid caseback, which features an old-school linear text engraving detailing the watch’s limited edition commemorative provenance. While it may look like a ‘40s-era case design, the C-47 A-11 D-Day is a modern performer, offering a screw-down crown and a field-ready 100 meters of water resistance.
Although the Praesidus C-47 A-11 D-Day’s dial looks as simple and elemental as its case at first glance, there’s far more here than initially meets the eye. This dial is the centerpiece of the watch, with a weathered aluminum surface taken directly from the “hamburger door” (so named because of its position in front of the propellers as a warning against opening during operation) of one of the C-47 aircraft used during D-Day. Given the unique nature and patina of this material, each dial in the C-47 A-11 D-Day series is more or less one-of-a-kind, with some examples sporting traces of original olive drab paint, some repainted with new matte olive, and others exhibiting substantially more wear and tear. Our sample arrived with a paint-free, lightly patinated brushed aluminum dial, showing signs of aging around the 10 o’clock dial edge and a few small patina spots, but largely gleaming in much the same way as it must have on that day in June 1944. Praesidus’ decision to keep this surface bare and naturally aged keeps the visual focus squarely on the material itself during wear, as does the simple, slightly rough sterile dial layout. Outside of the khaki-lumed, angular Arabic hours numerals, the dial design is extremely pared-back, with a light, airy outer minutes track and a set of basic matte black-lined Roman sword hands. It’s extremely legible and usable in spite of the reflective aluminum dial base, and keeps the overall feel era-appropriate and suitably military on the wrist.
Praesidus powers the C-47 A-11 D-Day with the familiar Miyota 9039 automatic movement. As a more refined, no-date variant of the ubiquitous 9015, the Miyota 9039 offers a reliable, easy-to-service platform with solid performance including a 42-hour power reserve and a 28,800 bph beat rate. To complete the design, Praesidus offers the watch with either its (excellent) distressed brown leather strap or a unique nylon NATO strap variant. Our review sample came fitted with this NATO strap, which features a black and white “invasion stripe” pattern used by Allied aircraft for identification during D-Day operations. Although the NATO strap itself might be a touch anachronistic for a WWII-themed watch, the pattern is a brilliant, thoughtful nod to the legacy of the aircraft used for this model. Like most NATO straps, it adds a bit of visual bulk to the watch on the wrist, but it’s a characterful, causal pairing that ties in well with the overall look.
2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy during World War II, and as the world commemorates this milestone, Praesidus goes beyond most watch brands by literally bringing a slice of D-Day history to the durable, characterful limited edition C-47 A-11 D-Day. Only 500 examples of each of the three dial colorways will be made, for a total production run of 1,500 units. The Praesidus C-47 A-11 D-Day will be available for purchase through the brand’s e-commerce platform on June 6, 2024. MSRP for this watch stands at $550 USD as of press time. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
