Running Recon - From Seiko to Praesidus
So back in 2023 I had the good fortune to interview Oscar, from Praesidus Watches.
He told me about all things Praesidus and his (at the time future plans). If you are unaware, the salient points are these. Praesidus is an upcoming independent brand, which plans to re-iterate on historical watch types just made with modern manufacturing and keeping them at an accessible price point. All the while, they will aspire to raise money to charity, shed light on some historical references whilst bringing increasing elements of their production back to America.
Now no one who follows me on instagram or the ZT Podcast need reminding I love a vintage (and accurate) re-issue type watch.
One of their products that came out in the back end of last year was the Rec Spec. The Rec Spec was made due to the increase in demand for MACVSOG reference Seiko watches.
Now my involvement with the Rec Spec, I sold Oscar one of my Seiko SOG references which aided in Praesidus in making digital renders of the original in order to scale up the case and “recreate” the original aesthetic of the original MACVSOG issued watches.
I would like to say Praesidus really have hit it out the park, the modern scaling up (only to 38mm by the way) of the case adds wrist presence and enables you to have a bigger dial which continues to be in that radial silver/grey sunburst, with the green italic Arabic printed (now applied) markers. The dial really does capture the essence of the originals. The use of an NH35 also gives the owner the ability to hack and hand wind the movement, a good touch over the original “Seiko Shuffle” 6119/6619 movements.
I am very pleased to have this watch come in, and selfishly pleased to have helped an upcoming independent watch company. Oscar, you did well! I can definitely see these watches “Running Recon” in the modern world!
If you want to hear more from Oscar please check out Episode 68
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-zulu-time-podcast/id1497529473?i=1000597971645
A British watch collector. Host of The Zulu Time Podcast. Blog Contributor for RTWB. @timely_moments @reconteamwatchblog #timely_moments #ZT_Podcast #byusforus
They make great watches.
They make great watches.
Yes they definitely do!
I had a macvsog, sold it to a service member’s wife who wanted to surprise her husband when he was deployed 🫡
Cool patch and watch my grandad was in nam working with and alongside the Australian SAS
I had a macvsog, sold it to a service member’s wife who wanted to surprise her husband when he was deployed 🫡
Nice watch I had this reference as well 😎😎
Cool patch and watch my grandad was in nam working with and alongside the Australian SAS
Bet there was some cool stories from that!
Bet there was some cool stories from that!
To be honest my dad only told me one of his dad’s storys from his time out there that is that he was in charge of making airfield deep in the jungle to support long range missions was probably Laos or Cambodia with him being in the RAF
Anyway the store goes they make this base and let the yanks know it’s a friendly base and not to bomb it but they start bombing it anyway and my grandad radios them twice telling them stop on both occasions! The second time he warns them if they do it a third time he will shoot them now because he is taking casualties so the third time they come over and start bomb he shoots the plane down and send the OZ sas to get the crew I’ve never looked into the story but it sounds like something he would do he didn’t play by the rules but anyway got the job done
He once borrowed/stole a plane part from a Saudi royal shack to fix the queen plane on his time on the royal flights
Bet there was some cool stories from that!
That’s a picture of him on the royal flights he is the short one