Hands-On With The New Meca-Quartz Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph
Praesidus is one of those brands I have quickly come to love. It focuses on introducing vintage-inspired military watches with unique stories. The brand has a knack for finding remarkable military stories and using them as inspiration for its timepieces. The latest addition to the growing lineup is the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph. This watch’s historical inspiration was a Leonidas chronograph that was originally issued to Italian military helicopter pilots in the 1960s and ’70s. Praesidus presents a modern interpretation of that classic military chronograph with updated specs and a meca-quartz caliber. It’s time to take it for a test flight.
A first glance at the new Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph will bring a string of classic chronograph references to mind. The watches, however, are based on the Leonidas CP-1 chronographs created for the Italian Air Force in the mid-1960s and issued from then into the 1970s. The original watches have become heavily sought-after by fans of military watches and classic chronographs. Praesidus aims to revive the look of the Leonidas CP-1 but make it a lot more affordable.
The details of the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph
We were lucky enough to get two of the Type H-75 chronographs in. They are the same except for the different straps. But it gave us a great chance to see the differences in presence. But before discussing the straps, let’s first discuss some specs. The Type H-75 features a 38mm stainless steel case with an 11.5mm thickness, a 45.5mm lug-to-lug, and a 100m depth rating. It also features a unidirectional stainless steel bezel with a black aluminum 60-minute timing insert.
On the right side of the case, you will find two pump-style pushers and a large crown. The oversized crown and pushers were originally to aid military pilots in operating the watch while wearing gloves. Thanks to their substantial size, they were easy to grip, so the watch was easy to use. Sure, in today’s watch landscape, they are not oversized at all. But let’s put things into the right context of the ’60s and ’70s rather than what is normal today.
The angular lugs feature a nice mix of polished and brushed parts to contrast an otherwise fully brushed case. I like that the designers added that extra visual touch to spice things up a bit.
The characteristic dial takes after the Leonidas CP-1
Paired with the case is a black textured dial, which we have seen before from Praesidus. While the original dials of the Leonidas CP-1 chronographs didn’t have that same pronounced texture, it adds some depth. Also, the two slightly recessed sub-dials feature an azurage finish for a bit of contrasting detail.
The 24-hour counter at 3 o’clock links to the central hour hand and, essentially, functions as an AM/PM indicator. The sub-dial at 9 o’clock is a 60-minute chronograph counter. In addition, the dial features large Arabic numerals for the hours, and the minute track is located on the dial’s periphery.
This watch’s handset is modeled after the original Leonidas one, with double-tapered pencil hands for the hours and minutes and an arrow-tipped central chronograph seconds hand. Where it gets rather remarkable is the lume color. While the slightly raised Arabic numerals on the dial feature light green lume, the hands are filled with vintage-inspired yellow lume. Both glow green in the dark, so reading the time is easy.
We are used to sometimes seeing two different lume colors on the original Leonidas chronographs. However, the contrast in this new Praesidus version is rather stark. It reminds me of the Glashütte Original SeaQ 1969, which I wrote about five years ago. Lastly, while the original Leonidas CP-1 chronographs had white hands, Praesidus opted for hands in brushed steel. There is probably a reason for that, but it is another detail that makes the Type H-75 slightly different.
The Seiko Instruments VK64 meca-quartz chronograph caliber
Hidden behind the steel screw-in case back, Praesidus uses the VK64 meca-quartz chronograph movement to power the watch. Most of you know that meca-quartz calibers use a quartz base movement for basic timekeeping functions and a mechanical module to control the chronograph. As a result, you see a sweeping chronograph seconds hand once the chronograph is activated.
The movement’s stated accuracy is less than ±20 seconds per month. Additionally, the battery life with normal use is about three years. This movement powers many affordable chronographs, and the Type H-75 certainly fits that brief. With a price of US$245, the new Praesidus is very affordable indeed, and I can only applaud it.
Wearing the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph
Once I got the Praesidues Type H-75 Chronograph on my wrist, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The 38mm case is perfect for wrists of various sizes and fits my 18.5cm wrist nicely. As mentioned, we had two watches with different 18mm straps. The first was a light gray canvas strap, and the second was a brown leather strap. To start with the latter, the brown leather strap feels nice and sturdy while being flexible for its thickness. The look fits the watch well and gives off proper vintage pilot vibes.
As the strap is rather long, you’ll need to use the second keeper to control the end of the strap. Also, because the strap is thick, you will need a bit of force to remove the pin from the hole when you want to take the watch off. It’s not the most practical solution, especially when you want to take your watch off quickly. That said, the quality is unmistakably great.
The brown leather strap over the gray canvas strap
Looks-wise, the leather-lined gray canvas strap is my favorite, but it requires a bit of break-in time. Additionally, it is very long. Combine these two things with the wide keepers, and the strap’s end sticks out somewhat weirdly. That’s why I would pick the brown leather strap over this gray canvas one or the black canvas strap that completes the three options. Once on the wrist, though, the watch feels well made for such an affordable timepiece. You can see that Praesidus takes great pride in creating nice and detailed watches.
Additionally, the chronograph is easy to use thanks to the nicely sized pushers that start, stop, and reset the chronograph with firm clicks. Another thing to get used to is that there is no small seconds sub-dial. Because of that, the watch does not show any sign of life at a glance. The central hour and minute hand move, of course, but there is no instantly discernable running indicator as there is in most watches.
Final thoughts on the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph
For US$245, the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph is incredibly hard to beat. The watch takes after a legendary military chronograph, and fans of the original Leonidas CP-1 who do not want to spend €10K on the vintage original now have a chance to buy a fun and affordable replacement. And if you are a fan of the famous Type 20 chronographs and looking for an affordable option, this new Type H-75 might also interest you.
While this is not my favorite Praesidus model (that title still goes to the Dirty Dozen-inspired DD-45), it is another well-executed take on a classic military watch. I had great fun wearing both options for a couple of days in between some heavy hitters. During that time, it was nice to conclude that while this ultra-affordable H-75 Chronograph might not have the high-end calibers or the incredible finish of the other watches on my wrist, it did match them in terms of fun and looks. Add the story of the watch, and it is hard not to praise Praesidus for another great release.
For more information, visit the brand’s official website. In the comments section, let us know what you think of this new Praesidus H-75 Chronograph.
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