Review: Praesidus A-11 Spec 2.0 Ameriquartz

Read the full review here: https://wahawatches.com/review-praesidus-a-11-spec-2-0-ameriquartz/

In this review, we’re setting our sights on the Praesidus Spec 2.0 Ameriquartz, a modern reinterpretation of one of the most important pilot/military/field watches in history – the A-11.

Let’s cue “Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer” by the Song Spinners, and dive into it, shall we?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0iYpusKXrQ

Some background

The A-11 was introduced in 1943 as a navigation watch for the US Army Air Force (USAAF).

Designed to meet the needs of the Weems system of navigation, it featured a sweep second movement with a hacking function and a dial with clear Arabic numerals and markers for 10-minute intervals.

From the air to the ground and sea, the A-11 served on just about every World War II front. It’s no wonder why it’s called the watch that won World War II.

The A-11 Spec 2 – first impressions

This particular A-11 model from Praesidus reinterprets the style found mostly in Bulova-made A-11s – a bowl-like case with a smooth bezel, 10-minute markers extended to between the digits, sword hands, and a seconds hand with an elongated counterweight.

It’s a clean, practical and even somewhat elegant milwatch aesthetic. A bit Spartan in appearance, sure, but then again, that’s what the A-11 was all about.

The dial and hands

The railroad minute track allows for some contrasting finishing that might not be visible at first glance – as opposed to the fine-grain black matte part, the area outside the track is done in a more coarse finish.

That simple trick makes the 10-minute numerals pop, even despite the distortion created by the high-dome crystal. It’s both a clever and aesthetically pleasing feature.

The sandblasted hands are highly legible. The finishing reminds me of what Longines did in the Spirit – and while of course Longines’ take is a few tiers above in execution, the sandblasted hands of the Praesidus do their job all the same.

The lume here doesn’t have a particularly strong or long-lasting glow, but with relatively thin hands and font of the numerals, that’s to be expected.

The movement

Powering the A-11 Spec 2 is the Ameriquartz cal. 6130, a quartz movement designed and assembled in the USA by Fine Timepiece Solutions (FTS) in Fountain Hills, Arizona. This is a fantastic choice for several reasons:

• It's serviceable, which makes it considerably better than plenty of disposable quartz from Swiss and Japanese ebaucheries.

• FTS put some stellar work into the stepper motor. Unlike most modern generic quartz moveents, the 6130 hits every marker dead-on.

• Really good battery life of 40 months (3 years and 4 months) according to the manual.

The case and crystal

The Praesidus Spec 2 offers two case sizes: a historically accurate 32mm and a more modern 40mm. The one reviewed is the latter.

What’s worth noting is that the specimen reviewed is from an earlier production run of the Spec 2, which features an all-sandblasted main bloc and lugs. The finishing has been updated on newer specimens to feature polished lug tops, just like the automatic version, the A-11 Service Watch. To be honest, whichever version you receive, you can’t go wrong with either.

The crystal is a high-dome K1 mineral with sapphire coating and ARC on the underside. This coating provides significantly better scratch resistance than standard mineral crystal or Seiko Hardlex but doesn’t quite match the toughness of solid sapphire.

The ARC here is exceptional. Seriously. Compared to all of my watches with a black dial, this one has – hands down – the best ARC.

The strap

The Original Canvas strap is a perfect complement to the A-11’s heritage. However, what you should definitely know is that it’s very, very long. Definitely too long on my wrist. If you have a “bear paw” with a circumference over 8 inches, you should probably opt for this strap version.

If you have a smaller wrist like I do (just below 7 inches), you’re probably better off going for the leather strap version.

Due to the bowl-like shape of the case, the A-11 Spec 2 has a compact lug-to-lug measurement of 47mm, while still providing plenty of strap space.

I paired the watch with two leather straps from Finwatchstraps, which are very thick at the lug end, making them best suited to watches with really long lugs. In spite of its seemingly compact lugs, this Praesidus can handle them with ease.

The verdict?

I think the Praesidus A-11 Spec 2 Ameriquartz makes a great daily beater – a sturdy, versatile tool watch built to conquer everyday adventures.

From rugged ripstop jackets to classic leather, it seamlessly complements a wide range of styles. Honestly, I wouldn’t wear it with a dressy blazer, but it wasn’t designed to go with one.

Technically, the A-11 Spec 2 delivers everything a daily beater pilot/field watch should. Considering the FTS Ameriquartz movement inside, it offers great value at 215 USD.