DD-45 COLLECTION

The DD-45 is our field watch based on the "Dirty Dozen", the watches the British War Office ordered in World War II. It is for collectors who want that layout with modern water resistance. The line comes in two forms: an American-built quartz at $299, and a Swiss Landeron L24 automatic with a patina dial and sapphire crystal at $875.

The Dirty Dozen layout, updated

The British War Office asked a group of makers for clear, dependable field watches. The result, later known as the Dirty Dozen, set the pattern for many field watches since: simple, very legible, built to keep working. Read the full story on our Dirty Dozen watches page.

DD-45 specifications

• DD-45 quartz ("OG", "Midnight", "Field Olive", "Khaki Field", "Desert Field"): American-built Ameriquartz movement, 40mm case, push/pull crown, 10 ATM, flat crystal. Assembled in the United States. $299.
• DD-45 automatic ("Patina", "Tropical"): 38mm case, Swiss-made Landeron L24, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 25 jewels, screw-down crown, 10 ATM, double-domed sapphire. The Patina dial took two years of development, combining chemical aging and UV exposure. From $875.
• Automatic straps: sand distressed leather, brown leather, green Perlon or Bonklip bracelet.

The originals were made in Switzerland, which is why the automatic DD-45 uses a Swiss movement. For the American counterpart, see our A-11 watches. More strap options are in our watch straps collection.

FAQ

What is a Dirty Dozen watch?

The Dirty Dozen is the name collectors gave to the field watches the British War Office ordered from twelve makers during World War II. The Praesidus DD-45 is a homage to that design, with modern water resistance.

Is the DD-45 quartz or automatic?

Both. The DD-45 quartz uses an American-built quartz movement and costs $299. The DD-45 Patina and Tropical use the Swiss-made Landeron L24 automatic, with a screw-down crown and sapphire crystal, from $875.

Is the DD-45 water resistant?

Yes. Every DD-45 is rated to 10 ATM. The quartz versions use a push/pull crown and a flat crystal. The automatic versions add a screw-down crown and a double-domed sapphire crystal.