Explore
The Watches of Artemis II
In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss the watches worn by the Artemis II astronauts who are continuing mankind’s legacy of lunar exploration. Whether it’s the NASA-issued Omega Speedmasters worn by the...
The Watches of Artemis II
In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss the watches worn by the Artemis II astronauts who are continuing mankind’s legacy of lunar exploration. Whether it’s the NASA-issued Omega Speedmasters worn by the intrepid Apollo 17 astronauts who last visited the Moon, or the more modern Breitling and Omega models utilized by Mission...
Read More
Watch Industry SITREP - March 2026
Omega & Breitling to the Moon, Arnie’s Arnie Up for Auction, a New DHS Secretary with a Quartz Chronograph, CJCS Caine with a New Breitling Unit Watch, a “Dream Girl”...
Watch Industry SITREP - March 2026
Omega & Breitling to the Moon, Arnie’s Arnie Up for Auction, a New DHS Secretary with a Quartz Chronograph, CJCS Caine with a New Breitling Unit Watch, a “Dream Girl” Rolex Robbery, & More Watch Crime
Read More
The Watches of Fighter Pilots & Military Aviators
Pilots in general, whether military or civilian, have one of the strongest watch cultures of any profession, with many opting for mechanical GMTs and chronographs from brands like Rolex, Omega,...
The Watches of Fighter Pilots & Military Aviators
Pilots in general, whether military or civilian, have one of the strongest watch cultures of any profession, with many opting for mechanical GMTs and chronographs from brands like Rolex, Omega, Breitling, and Seiko. For aviation professionals, the Use Your Tools ethos is alive and well, and pilots are responsible for...
Read More
Inside the Counterfeit Watch Trade - Hunting “S...
The goal was to find a so-called “superclone,” the highest tier of counterfeit watches that claim to mirror genuine models down to the weight, finishing, and movement. According to internet...
Inside the Counterfeit Watch Trade - Hunting “Superclones” in Dubai
The goal was to find a so-called “superclone,” the highest tier of counterfeit watches that claim to mirror genuine models down to the weight, finishing, and movement. According to internet lore, the superclones are so good that even an expert watchmaker can’t distinguish them from the real thing.
Read More
Interview with a Watchmaker
For this Dispatch, we sat down with Greg Petronzi of True Patina to learn more about his life and work, as well as to explore some of the most common...
Interview with a Watchmaker
For this Dispatch, we sat down with Greg Petronzi of True Patina to learn more about his life and work, as well as to explore some of the most common questions y’all might have for a watchmaker.
Read More
Iran Under Fire: The Watches of Operation Epic ...
From Washington to Tel Aviv to Tehran, these are the timepieces worn by the leaders directing a historic escalation. On the morning of 28 February 2026, the United States initiated...
Iran Under Fire: The Watches of Operation Epic Fury
From Washington to Tel Aviv to Tehran, these are the timepieces worn by the leaders directing a historic escalation. On the morning of 28 February 2026, the United States initiated Operation Epic Fury, a sustained air campaign targeting Iranian-linked assets and infrastructure, conducted amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran....
Read More
Alex Honnold, Rolex, & the True Meaning of an E...
Last week, professional climber Alex Honnold free solo climbed Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot-tall tower in Taipei, Taiwan. The feat was streamed live to millions around the globe and was quite...
Alex Honnold, Rolex, & the True Meaning of an Explorer
Last week, professional climber Alex Honnold free solo climbed Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot-tall tower in Taipei, Taiwan. The feat was streamed live to millions around the globe and was quite the spectacle. Honnold is best known for his (even more impressive) June 2017 free solo ascent of El Capitan in...
Read More
The Watches I Wore Most in 2025 - Watches of Es...
Despite owning more watches than any rational person should, I often find myself going back to the same watches, albeit for different reasons and use cases. Here are the top...
The Watches I Wore Most in 2025 - Watches of Espionage
Despite owning more watches than any rational person should, I often find myself going back to the same watches, albeit for different reasons and use cases. Here are the top four (maybe five) watches I wore the most in 2025.
Read More
A Venezuelan Oil Company's Tudor Submariners
How Venezuela’s National Oil Industry Quietly Issued Tudor Submariners to Working Divers - Over the weekend, as headlines filled with images of helicopters, explosions, and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro,...
A Venezuelan Oil Company's Tudor Submariners
How Venezuela’s National Oil Industry Quietly Issued Tudor Submariners to Working Divers - Over the weekend, as headlines filled with images of helicopters, explosions, and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela once again reminded the world that power often flows through oil. At Watches of Espionage, we often use watches...
Read More
“There’ll Always Be A Christmas” - Rolex
We came across two remarkable advertisements from 1942 and 1943 in Rolex Magazine that transcend the watch industry. Whether they are altruistic or motivated by self-interest is open to interpretation,...
“There’ll Always Be A Christmas” - Rolex
We came across two remarkable advertisements from 1942 and 1943 in Rolex Magazine that transcend the watch industry. Whether they are altruistic or motivated by self-interest is open to interpretation, but they are inarguably profound given the historical context.
Read More
W.O.E. 2025 Holiday Gift Guide - Top Picks From...
Our Favorite Tools & Accessories From The Community - In what has become one of our favorite holiday traditions, we are back with another list of some of our favorite tools...
W.O.E. 2025 Holiday Gift Guide - Top Picks From Other Brands
Our Favorite Tools & Accessories From The Community - In what has become one of our favorite holiday traditions, we are back with another list of some of our favorite tools and accessories from a diverse array of brands with real ties to the W.O.E. Community.
Read More
Is Breitling Still Sketchy?
“Sketchy dudes wear Breitling” has taken on a life of its own. What started as an inside joke between me and our 250k Instagram followers has been parroted throughout the...
Is Breitling Still Sketchy?
“Sketchy dudes wear Breitling” has taken on a life of its own. What started as an inside joke between me and our 250k Instagram followers has been parroted throughout the internet and mainstream watch publications. If I’m being honest, I am kind of sick of hearing it myself. But is...
Read More
Inside Dubai Watch Week & Dubai Airshow
Dubai is a contradiction. A booming metropolis in a lifeless and arid desert, which didn’t exist in its current form just decades ago. From Michelin-starred restaurants to vast malls and...
Inside Dubai Watch Week & Dubai Airshow
Dubai is a contradiction. A booming metropolis in a lifeless and arid desert, which didn’t exist in its current form just decades ago. From Michelin-starred restaurants to vast malls and 6-star hotels, the overwhelming display of wealth and largesse is intoxicating. Emiratis maintain a conservative Arab culture, but Western practices...
Read More
Watch Industry SITREP - November 2025
This month has been a big one, with Swiss and US officials finally reaching a much-needed tariff agreement that sucks less than the former 39% figure, a totally new Omega...
Watch Industry SITREP - November 2025
This month has been a big one, with Swiss and US officials finally reaching a much-needed tariff agreement that sucks less than the former 39% figure, a totally new Omega Planet Ocean that could end up on 007’s wrist, some intriguing watches in space, Oval Office clock drama that broke...
Read More
What’s Your Grail Watch? W.O.E. Asks the Experts
If cost and scarcity didn’t matter, which watches would former intelligence officers, watch industry pros, firefighters, and Navy SEALs want for their personal collection?
What’s Your Grail Watch? W.O.E. Asks the Experts
If cost and scarcity didn’t matter, which watches would former intelligence officers, watch industry pros, firefighters, and Navy SEALs want for their personal collection?
Read More
W.O.E. Partner Profile: Leather Works Minnesota
One of our earliest partners, Leather Works Minnesota, has been making leather goods by hand in the United States since 1999.
W.O.E. Partner Profile: Leather Works Minnesota
One of our earliest partners, Leather Works Minnesota, has been making leather goods by hand in the United States since 1999.
Read More
Watch Industry SITREP - October 2025
From a high-profile heist targeting literal crown jewels in Paris to Vice President JD Vance returning to his Apple Watch-wearing ways to a French politician accused of hiding his luxury...
Watch Industry SITREP - October 2025
From a high-profile heist targeting literal crown jewels in Paris to Vice President JD Vance returning to his Apple Watch-wearing ways to a French politician accused of hiding his luxury watch, to a major slowdown in Swiss watch exports to the US, it’s been a big few weeks for the...
Read More
Designing a Dive Watch as a US Navy Diver
A US Navy Diver and EDC enthusiast customizes a niche French military dive watch to suit his underwater workplace. Brock Stevens is a US Navy Diver and part of the...
Designing a Dive Watch as a US Navy Diver
A US Navy Diver and EDC enthusiast customizes a niche French military dive watch to suit his underwater workplace. Brock Stevens is a US Navy Diver and part of the photography team at W.O.E. He’s also an EDC nerd who has helped in the development of several of our custom...
Read More