The Use Your Tools ethos shared among those in our community might seem antithetical to the coverage of expensive luxury timepieces, but like most things, there’s more to the story. No matter how you got into watches or where your horological allegiances currently lie, it’s worth considering the impact Patek Philippe has had on the military, intelligence, and NatSec.

The core job of a CIA Case Officer is to recruit human assets by building relationships with targets and convincing them to provide Foreign Intelligence on their government or organization to further US National Security interests. The trade is not for the faint of heart. In return, assets are compensated with cash, favors, and other stores of value, sometimes including luxury watches from brands like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe. 

The single watch case is durable, compact and functional, and honors our community with subtle accents, most notably flap catches constructed from recycled Battle Dress Uniforms (BDUs). It features subtle nods to our community, honoring those who have gone before us and upholding our ethos.

From one of the world’s most wanted men being captured after an Instagram account that has since been proven fake posted a Patek Philippe, to the proceeds of international espionage being used to buy luxury timepieces, to watch robbery at 35,000 feet, to machete-wielding Rolex thieves, we have a lot to get through. We'd better get started… 

In August 2025, a sensational Telegraph article written by Steve Bird and Sophie Fenton titled “Rolex founder was suspected Nazi Spy” generated some interest in the virtual hallways of Watches of Espionage. We tend to be agnostic regarding watch brands and focus more on the importance of how watches are used in intelligence and special operations. Still, the possibility of a link between Nazi espionage and the Rolex founder was certainly well within our purview.  

On the morning of Saturday, 3 January 2026, the United States Military conducted an interagency mission to capture and arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While the long term implications are still unknown and “analysis” has fallen along partisan lines, Operation Absolute Resolve appears to be a masterclass on modern warfare and frankly an operation that only the United States Military and Intelligence Community could carry out.

Closing down 2025, we have a lot to unpack, from the VP’s impromptu attempt at Navy SEAL training to a new MI6 chief and her Rolex to vulnerable Apple Watches showing up where they shouldn’t to timepieces appearing in court documents related to some of recent history’s most notorious individuals. 

With 2025 drawing to a close, let’s take a moment to recap some of the top Dispatch articles and YouTube videos from this past year. At W.O.E., our main focus is content, and to put it mildly, we are extremely proud of what we accomplished this year.  From sharing a near definitive guide to Navy SEAL watches, continuing our discussion of Apple watch counterintelligence risks, and our exploration of unit watches, we have documented some great stories for the community. 

In this special holiday Dispatch, we’ll have some fun and unseriously recommend a few timepieces providing legitimate utility to the big man from the North Pole. If any of you disagree with our picks or have suggestions of your own, let the holiday spirit flow through you right into the comments section.

The Rolex gift that landed on President Trump’s desk and what it signals in broader trade diplomacy and US-Swiss bilateral relations. This weekend, photos surfaced of President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, with a new accessory on the 145-year-old Resolute Desk, a gold-plated desk clock with a green “malachite” dial and fluted bezel. 

When perception becomes reality, a watch can be used to manipulate belief, manufacture outrage, and reshape political narratives. At Watches of Espionage, we often analyze a domestic or foreign leader's watch to gain insight into that individual or current events. In the modern and politically charged media landscape, a watch can be a small piece of the puzzle as we strive to understand the world as it is. 

Amazon removes firearms and covers Rolex from Bond posters? In a move that sparked outrage from both Bond nerds and culture warriors alike, Amazon Prime Video quietly edited promotional artwork for classic James Bond films, digitally removing or cropping out the spy’s iconic Walther PPK pistol.

From Sketchy Breitlings to Rolex, Vacheron, & Bremont, The FBI Has A Serious Relationship With Watches - With over a century of history, thirteen thousand special agents, and a broader workforce of some thirty-seven thousand, the FBI has a strong sense of heritage, which is evident in the watches worn by special agents and other key figures within the Bureau.

Carefully Selected Timepieces From Tudor, G-Shock, Seiko, Panerai, Citizen, & RESCO Add Depth To Jack Carr’s Characters - The Terminal List: Dark Wolf takes Jack Carr’s universe deeper into the shadows, with Taylor Kitsch returning as Ben Edwards in a prequel that explores his transition to shadowy CIA operative after a troubling exit from the SEAL Teams. 

What watches have historically kept this emerging bloc that’s challenging the Western order on time? President Trump recently met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a land mass that was purchased from the Russian Empire in 1867 for a measly 7.2 million dollars. 

From 007 To Atomic Blonde To Mission: Impossible, Spy Gadget Watches Are A Key Aspect Of Hollywood’s Portrayal Of Intelligence Officers  Hollywood's depiction of spy gadgets embedded in a Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster is entertaining, but largely a fantasy of the screenwriter's imagination. In reality, there were very few times in my career as a CIA Case Officer that I used “spy gear” and instead largely relied on low-tech tradecraft to build relationships, recruit spies, and steal secrets. While the realities of intelligence work typically include more intel-writing and (unfortunately) fewer laser-firing Omega Seamasters, Hollywood has taken the idea of “spy gadget watches” and run with it. 007’s filmography is likely the catalyst, but the use of watches that do a lot more than tell the time has taken on a life of its own, becoming a key aspect of the overlap between popular culture and espionage.    Despite how far Hollywood has taken the concept, spy gadget watches were (and likely are) a real thing. An informed discussion on the role of timepieces in espionage must also include an analysis of spy gadget watches in television and movies.  As is so often the case, certain films do a better job than others, and in this Dispatch, we’ll share some of our favorite spy gadget watches in film, from the almost plausible to completely ridiculous and everywhere in between. Real-Life Spy Gadget Watches  (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) Typically associated with the Cold War, there are several historical examples of intelligence officers leveraging timepieces as tools for concealment, surveillance, and listening devices, all of which likely played a role in influencing Hollywood.  The German-made Hanhart Protona is one such example, which contained a microphone to surreptitiously record conversations on behalf of both East and West Germany during the Cold War. The case contained a microphone, with a cord running from its nine o’clock side up the wearer's arm to a tape recorder. The watch itself did not keep time, with the movement having been removed to make space for the microphone. There are numerous other real-life examples of watches integrating “gadget” functionality (READ HERE), but most are admittedly not as far-fetched (or fun) as Hollywood’s efforts. Let’s get to the movies.  Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)  A screen capture from Mission: Impossible 2 showing the modified G-Shock DW6900-1V. With a staggering eight films now in the franchise, we have to go back to the second installment of Mission: Impossible in 2000 for some spy gadget watch action. Following a more subtle G-Shock cameo by the DW290-1V in the first Mission: Impossible, IMF agent Ethan Hunt, portrayed by Tom Cruise, utilized yet another G-Shock in the second film. This time, the watch was more than just a watch.  It’s not as outlandish as a laser on Bond’s Seamaster, but in a tense scene where Hunt attempts to avoid detection by a hostile sentry, he activates a transponder built into his G-Shock to inform Luther, played by Ving Rhames, that he has safely infiltrated an installation and disconnected from an unlikely yet dramatic helicopter hoist.  What is interesting about this particular gadget function is that it feels plausible, and we have no doubt that CIA Technical Officers would be capable of creating something similar. It may have seemed like advanced technology in 2000, but today, real-time geolocation is a basic feature of any smartwatch. For members of the W.O.E. community, the DW6900-1V is an important tool, having been issued to and worn extensively by Naval Special Warfare during the Global War on Terror. Atomic Blonde (2017) Charlize wears a Carl F. Bucherer Manero AutoDate in Atomic Blonde. This photo does not contain a gadget watch, but here we are. In Atomic Blonde, top MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton, expertly portrayed by Charlize Theron, goes undercover in Cold War-era Berlin to solve the murder of a fellow agent and search for a list of double agents. The list happens to be contained on a microfilm concealed inside a special Carl F. Bucherer watch that also features prominently in the plot. This is another instance of a fictional spy gadget watch almost mimicking reality, as there were several examples of watches being used to conceal hidden messages utilized during the Cold War, including by the Soviet Union's KGB. The Carl F. Bucherer Manero CentralChrono plays a key role in the plot of Atomic Blonde. The role of Carl F. Bucherer in the film (Charlize also wears a ladies' model from the brand) is likely the work of paid product placement. Watches intended as concealment devices were typically nondescript and unassuming, which is in stark contrast to the Swiss luxury watches showcased in Atomic Blonde, but we still appreciate the semi-accurate integration of a gadget watch in this unrealistic yet thoroughly enjoyable Cold War espionage action thriller.  Bond, James Bond A magnetic Rolex Submariner that also integrated a buzzsaw bezel from 1973’s Live and Let Die.  No discussion of spy gadget watches is complete without 007. We have touched on Bond’s indelible connection to the Omega Seamaster in a dedicated episode of W.O.E. TV (WATCH HERE), where we also explored many of the specific instances of Seamasters being used as gadgets by Bond.  Beyond Omega, Bond wears a unique Breitling Top Time in 1965’s Thunderball that serves double duty as a Geiger counter, with Roger Moore’s Bond leaning into a Seiko capable of printing ticker-tape messages in The Spy Who Loved Me and another Seiko in For Your Eyes Only serving as an old-school text messaging device. For more on the non-Omega watches worn by Bond over the years, click HERE.  007 wearing a Breitling Top Time outfitted with a Geiger counter in 1965’s Thunderball. More than any other fictional character, Bond is directly responsible for the rise of the spy gadget watch as a concept, with countless other onscreen intelligence officers having been inspired by Bond’s laser-firing Seamasters and buzzsaw bezel Rolex Submariners.  Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)  Kingsman: The Secret Service is the unserious story of a secretive British spy organization starring the sharply dressed Taron Egerton and Colin Firth. Another clear example of product placement, Bremont, a British watchmaking brand founded in 2002, adorns almost every wrist in the movie. The agents wear special versions of the ALT1-World Time, with one being used by Colin Firth’s character to fire amnesia and taser darts in a pair of ridiculous fight scenes.  While the spy gadget Bremonts are works of fiction, the brand does have real ties to the W.O.E. community, having produced over 500 custom unit watches, including for several UK intelligence services. Despite the product placement in this instance, the connection between Bremont and the world of espionage makes sense and is a perfect “if you know, you know” reference.   Archer (2009 to 2023)  People often ask W.O.E.: What is the most accurate portrayal of espionage in Hollywood? Films like Argo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Spy Game come close, but Archer is the one that takes the cake. There are rumors that this series is a semi-documentary of the life of W.O.E., something that we will neither confirm nor deny. The cartoon series showcases secret agent Sterling Malory Archer’s adventures working for the International Secret Intelligence Service. Of course, Archer wears an interesting watch, which haters will say is fake: the Omicron Spymaster. A gift from his mother, Archer’s Omicron offers not only basic timekeeping functions but also crucial tools for any intelligence officer, including knockout gas, a garrote, and the occasional laser. Given that Archer’s watch has also enjoyed several onscreen closeups, we can’t help but wonder if someone involved in the show is a dedicated watch nerd. In any case, the number of intelligence professionals who enjoy an episode or two of Archer after a long day is surprising, and we believe there is a market for a real-life version of the Omicron Spymaster.  Get Smart (2008) In 2008’s Get Smart, starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway, Maxwell Smart wears a nondescript watch issued by CONTROL, the fictional intelligence agency, equipped with yet another Geiger counter. Based on the 1960s television series of the same name, Get Smart is an on-the-nose parody of James Bond, with Smart’s use of a radiation-detecting watch as well as other more ridiculous gadgets, including the infamous shoe phone, playing into the film’s humorous approach.  As is so often the case in Bond films, the Geiger counter watch also serves as a plot device in Get Smart, being used by Smart to detect traces of radiation on Agent 23, played by The Rock, providing proof that Dwayne Johnson’s character is, in fact, a double agent. Luckily, espionage on the big screen doesn’t have to be realistic.  Final Thoughts A real-life digital “watch” produced by the KGB, capable of sending signals. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) Hollywood’s portrayal of spy gadget watches may trade plausibility for entertainment value, but they tap into something real: the enduring idea that a watch can do so much more than just tell time. The reality is that many historical examples of watches with cameras, microphones, or secret compartments are less than sexy, and many of the most successful intelligence operations will never see the light of day. Still, from Bond’s laser-firing Omega to Archer’s garrote-equipped Omicron, these fictional timepieces are fun and capture the imagination, shining a light on the often unheralded work of intelligence professionals.   The spy gadget watches of film are part fantasy, part homage to genuine tradecraft, and a reminder that even in an age of high-speed satellites and cyber operations dominating surveillance work, the wrist remains prime real estate for an intelligence officer’s most trusted tools, whether they’re real or just real fun to watch. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: The Real Spy Gadget Watches of the CIA, KGB, MIT, and German Intelligence

A Modern Folding Knife Honoring The Origins Of The Intelligence Community - The Birdwatcher is a low-profile folding knife collaboratively designed with PDW, featuring a premium MagnaCut blade with a titanium frame lock. Most importantly, it contains dive watch-inspired details and a laser-etched topo map of Camp X, a WWII paramilitary installation used for training the British SOE and United States OSS.

As Amazon takes the wheel and a new actor steps into the tuxedo, we explore what’s next for James Bond, his timepiece, and why this fictional spy still matters for W.O.E.

How Fitness Apps & Smartwatches Are Quietly Undermining National Security - Bottom line up front: If you are in a sensitive NatSec position, do NOT/NOT use a smartwatch. Even if you are an average Joe, at least understand the risks.

Four Watches, Four Stories - Something Old, Something New, Something Unworn, & Something Special - I’m not a watch collector.

Maybe Smartwatches Aren't That Bad? While body surfing off Byron Bay, Australia, 49-year-old Rick Shearman was unexpectedly swept over a kilometer out to sea by a powerful rip current. Despite his apparent swimming prowess, the relentless waves and currents rendered his efforts to return futile. Treading water and becoming more fatigued with each passing moment, Shearman understood he was in a life-and-death situation.

Supporting The CIA Special Operations Community With A Patriotic Take On The Five Eyes Nylon Watch Strap The TOF USA Five Eye is available NOW HERE  With roots dating back to the earliest days of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the CIA’s Special Activities Center (SAC) is responsible for covert and paramilitary operations. The SAC’s motto is Tertia Optio, Latin for "Third Option," a reference to the organization’s position as the president’s final course of action when military force is inappropriate and diplomacy is inadequate. Since 2013, Third Option Foundation has supported officers and families associated with SAC, providing medical services, help for the families of fallen members, mental health assistance, and transition support for separating members. At W.O.E., we were honored to be able to donate over $20,000 to Third Option Foundation in 2024 after the initial run of the TOF USA Five Eyes Strap. Many have asked if and when the straps would return, and we’re excited to announce we’re going to make this an annual release starting this summer. For every strap sold, we’ll donate $20 directly to TOF, we’ll be sure to post when all is said and done. To be clear, this fundraiser is organized by W.O.E. to benefit TOF and has no direct connection to the organization or any other non-profit. Special Activities Center & Third Option Foundation There is no such thing as a real-life Jason Bourne. The closest resources in CIA’s toolbox are the men and women of the SAC and specifically Paramilitary Operations Officers (PMOOs). PMOOs are trained as case officers and conduct traditional foreign intelligence (FI) collection, but what makes them unique is their focus on covert action.   PMOOs have been on the ground before, during, and after most of the major conflicts of the past 70 years, having been particularly effective in carrying out train-advise-assist operations with local partner forces during the Global War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe. Currently, they represent the tip of the spear in the multifaceted power competition in Europe and Asia. This line of work comes with no shortage of risk, and many within SAC have been killed in action or wounded to the point of requiring lifelong care, which is exactly where Third Option Foundation comes in. Watch Culture Among CIA Paramilitary Officers SAC recruits primarily college graduates from Special Operations Forces (SOF), including Army Rangers/Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and Marines, with a requirement of eight years of active duty service and multiple combat tours. While the majority of PMOOs rely on Digital Tool Watches (D.T.W.) in conflict zones, there is a strong watch culture inside the SAC, directly influenced by each operator's military background. Many PMOOs rely on the usual tool watch suspects from brands like Rolex, Breitling, Panerai, Sangin Instruments, and Bremont. There are several SAC unit watches as well, but unfortunately we cannot go into detail at this time. Luxury timepieces also play an outsized role in the murky world of intelligence while serving as effective operational gifts for assets and developmentals (individuals being assessed for clandestine recruitment). Timepieces are also often received by CIA Officers as gifts from “liaisons,” a colloquial term to capture third-country intelligence services that work jointly with CIA. To learn more about watch culture among CIA Paramilitary Officers, click HERE. The TOF USA Five Eye Strap Ideal for Fourth of July and Veterans Day, the USA Stripe Five Eye honors our military and intelligence services while directly supporting the Third Option Foundation’s programs to help the CIA Special Operations community. Just as at home sipping PBR in your local dive bar as it is sailing the Cape on your dad’s catamaran, the USA Five Eye is the undisputed strap of summer. Executed in a subtle red, white, and navy color scheme, the USA Five Eye highlights W.O.E.’s American heritage without appearing ostentatious or attracting undue attention. Beyond the limited color scheme, the strap is identical to our standard Five Eye, with our own proprietary matte weave construction, a custom 316L stainless steel “WOE” buckle, and beveled keepers. We also reinforced the tip of the strap with stitching for longevity, providing a refined look. To suit a wide array of different tool watches, the USA Five Eye is available in 20 and 22mm sizes and with either stainless steel or PVD hardware. Click HERE to learn more about the USA Five Eye. *The TOF USA Five Eye is available now in limited numbers  HERE  This Dispatch has been reviewed by the CIA’s Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Inside The Watch Culture Of CIA Paramilitary Officers

Bremont Ambassador trains Chinese Pilots?, Rolex-Wearing National Security Advisor Ousted, A Legendary CIA Director's Pocket Watch Up For Auction, Rolex & US Watchmakers Respond To Tariffs, & Trump Watches Are Finally In The Wild By Benjamin Lowry For most of the industry, the talk of the past few weeks centered around the novelties unveiled at Watches and Wonders and one watch in particular, the Rolex Land-Dweller. At W.O.E., we generally don’t care about new releases (until we do), and while we admit the Land-Dweller represents significant horological innovation, it’s not our thing. Inspired by a couple of new releases, we addressed our feelings for modern Tudor in a separate article (read HERE), and our intention for this month’s SITREP are to chart a course as far from the already-stale release cycle as possible. You’re welcome. If you’re new here, the SITREP (Situation Report) is our monthly recap of all things watches, espionage, military, and National Security. To put it mildly, these past few weeks have been eventful, including some Bremont brand ambassador controversy, plenty of tariff talk, the ousting of National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, a Cold War DCIA’s complicated Breguet up for auction, the first public appearances of a Trump watch, and a confession from a naughty, Breitling-wearing CIA Case Officer. To quote Samuel L. (MFing) Jackson in Jurassic Park, “Hold onto your butts.” It’s going to be a spicy SITREP. A Legendary Cold War DCIA’s Complicated Breguet Hammers For €208,000 (Photo Credit: Monaco Legend Auctions) Allen Dulles was a former member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) who later served as the first civilian DCIA and oversaw the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état, the Project MKUltra mind control program, the U-2 spy plane program, and the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. Like many from the early days of CIA, Dulles was also apparently a watch nerd who ordered an extremely complicated Breguet pocketwatch in 1962. (Photo Credit: Monaco Legend Auctions) Designed and produced as an exhibition piece, the watch “...features a one-minute tourbillon, split-seconds chronograph, and minute repeater, with the gilded movement made in collaboration with the Victorin Piguet workshop in Geneva, as confirmed by Breguet’s President of the Archive.” The watch hammered for €208,000 (or about $237,300) last week and represents a rare and intriguing intersection between the world of high horology and espionage, perhaps only rivaled by the Patek Philippe presented to the Dalai Lama by two OSS officers during WWII. Either way, this is further proof that the phenomenon of watches of espionage is nothing new. If you were the lucky bidder to take home this historic piece, hit us up. We would love to talk to you! Rolex-Wearing Former Special Forces National Security Advisor Mike Waltz To Leave White House Mike Watlz (left) wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II alongside Sebastian Gorka, the Deputy Assistant to the President, Senior Director for Counterterrorism. It’s been a tough couple of months for Mike Waltz, Trump’s National Security Advisor, who inadvertently added The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg to a signal chat exposing the White House’s Houthi war plans in an incident that would become known as “Signalgate”. In addition to his political activities, Waltz is also a decorated US Army Special Forces officer who has earned a whopping four bronze stars (two for valor) during his military service. Unfortunately, Signalgate was a pretty big deal, and no amount of high-speed SpecOps training can save Waltz this time, with several sources recently revealing White House plans for Waltz’s impending exit from the influential National Security Advisor role.  Waltz’s Rolex even made it into one of Signalgate’s more celebrated images. Waltz is also a dedicated Rolex man who has been photographed wearing more than one GMT-Master II, which is always great to see. While many Rolex sports models have associations with the military and special operations, the GMT-Master is aligned with Army Special Forces, in particular, having been worn by legends, including Billy Waugh. Bremont Ambassador Controversy A Bremont marketing image used to advertise an event featuring former RAF pilot Sam Cowan. (Photo Credit: Bremont) A few weeks back, Bremont released a video with former Royal Air Force pilot Sam Cowan recounting his experience ejecting from a fighter jet over the North Sea, ultimately earning the coveted MBI watch that is only available to Martin Baker ejectees. A brand close to our community, the video and subsequent announcement for a 24 April event at Bremont’s Mayfair boutique advertising a “conversation” with Cowan (and “television’s Ben Shephard”) are right in line with what Bremont is all about. But all was not as it seemed. The Bremont MB1 is only available to pilots like Cowan who have ejected using a Martin Baker ejection seat. (Photo Credit: Bremont) Our DMs lit up with messages and links to allegations calling into question Cowan’s suitability for such an honor, particularly from pilots with an affinity for Bremont. According to at least one report/blog, Cowan is allegedly one of several Western military pilots to have trained fighter pilots from the PLAAF, the Chinese Air Force, in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat techniques that could, without a lot of imagination, conceivably be used against Western powers including the US and Cowan’s own Great Britain. We would like to think Bremont was unaware of Cowan’s employment history, but either way, the lack of due diligence or concern for endorsing an individual associated with what many have labeled “treasonous” actions amounts to a bad look for a brand owing much of its prominence to its associations with the military. A Medium article from December 2024 identified Cowan and other pilots engaged in training PLAAF pilots. (Photo Credit: Medium) Bremont has since pulled the video and removed related Instagram and Facebook posts, but this apparent lapse in judgement is yet another challenging moment for a brand that is already in rough shape following a significant 2023 investment by American billionaire Bill Ackman, the ensuing exit of the founders, Nick and Giles English, and new watch designs that are, to say the very least, not landing with fans. All of that said, we’re Bremont fans, and no one would be more excited to see the brand return to its former glory. Important note, we have not independently verified the reporting on Cowan’s involvement in training Chinese pilots, but you can read the original research HERE. Rolex Responds To Tariffs With Price Hikes WOE’s recently acquired “Bruce Wayne” GMT-Master II was almost even more expensive. Sources tell us that the hottest topic of conversation at Watches and Wonders in Geneva wasn’t the new releases, but rather the rapidly evolving US tariff situation and the staggering 31% figure imposed on Swiss exports, including watches, in April’s opening days. Since then, a less aggressive but still significant 10% number has been put in place, but the Swiss are still responding, with Rolex recently promising a 3% price increase in the United States as of 01 May, paired with a 1% reduction in margin for authorized dealers, according to WatchPro. If the world’s most valuable and influential watch brand is immediately instituting a price hike in response to US tariffs, it’s reasonable to expect other prominent Swiss watchmakers to follow in the Crown’s footsteps. Being a watch nerd is about to get (even) more expensive. This also points to a potential part-time solution, where the tariffs' cost will be passed on in part to the consumer, but also absorbed by the brand and retail points of sale. One Of The Few American Watchmakers Discusses The Impact Of Tariffs Where Swiss viewpoints surrounding the tariff situation have been everywhere, we found it interesting to hear from an American watchmaker, Weiss Watch Company, based in Nashville, TN. In the video on the The Watchmaker's Workshop YouTube Channel, Weiss founder Cameron Weiss argues that in the United States, watchmakers are forced to rely on imported Swiss movements and other essential components to do business. The dramatic change in pricing necessitated by the tariffs means that producing watches in the United States, which is already a challenge, will only become more difficult, which will then make the task of starting American watch brands more daunting. The tariff situation presents serious hurdles for US-based watch brands. For more on American watch brands doing varying degrees of watchmaking, from assembly and QC to constructing complete calibers, right here in the United States, click HERE. “It’s Trump Time” - Trump Watches In The Wild President Trump wearing his Fight Fight Fight model in a recent Instagram post on the brand’s Instagram page. After months of seeing nothing more than renderings on the website, the Trump watches, which were first covered in our September SITREP, have been photographed in the wild. Most prominently, the Fight Fight Fight model, a loose Submariner homage, was featured in a video on the Trump Watch Instagram page on the wrist of the President, who said, referring to the “red beauty”, “Wear it proudly on your wrist and everyone will know what it’s for, who it’s for, who it represents. It’s really going to be something special”, before declaring, “It’s Trump time”.   Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dan Scavino wearing what appears to be the Victory Ultimate Jewel in a recent post on his Instagram profile. From what we can tell, Trump watches, which start around $500, have been slow to reach consumers, but Dan Scavino, Trump’s Deputy White House Chief of Staff, appears to have skipped the line, having recently been photographed wearing a gold-tone Victory Ultimate Jewel with a gem-set bezel. At $1,200, you get genuine gold (plating), “semi-precious” gems in the bezel, real diamond indices, and a Seiko NH35 caliber. Unfortunately, this particular reference appears to be sold out. Even if it were in stock, you are limited to purchasing only three at a time. Bummer. Breitling Wearing Former Senior CIA Officer Pleads Guilty To Acting As A Foreign Agent Dale Bendler (right) wearing a Breitling Superocean Heritage, pictured alongside Felix Rodriguez. Dale Bendler, a former Case Officer who spent 30 years working at CIA, recently pleaded guilty to acting as a foreign agent and mishandling classified materials, according to Department of Justice documents. Bendler, who was working as a contractor with the Agency, “...worked with a U.S. lobbying firm and engaged in unauthorized and hidden lobbying and public relations activities on behalf of foreign national clients.” In addition, Bendler abused his access to CIA personnel and resources, including numerous classified systems, while also lying to CIA and FBI about his activities acting as a foreign agent. A Breitling Superocean Heritage similar to the one worn by Bendler. As a part of his plea deal, Bendler faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison as well as the forfeiture of $85,000, far less than the “hundreds of thousands” he is accused of receiving in his role as a foreign agent. It’s unclear whether the watch is related to Bendler’s nefarious acts, but the former Case Officer was photographed wearing a Breitling Superocean Heritage alongside CIA paramilitary officer Felix Rodriguez, who allegedly “liberated” Che Guevara’s Rolex after his death. Remember, we don’t make the rules. W.O.E. In The Press Now and then, our exploration of watches, the military, and intelligence intersects with popular media, and W.O.E. recently provided comments for an article on GQ’s website discussing the role played by G-Shock watches in Warfare, a recently-released film from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland showcasing the heroic actions undertaken by a Navy SEAL platoon during the Iraq War. We’ve commented on W.O.E. in Hollywood before, but suffice it to say that having an on-the-head watch selection in a film, like the G-Shock models worn in Warfare, adds depth and realism to characters portraying members of our community. For more on G-Shock’s relationship with the US Military, click HERE. Final Thoughts It’s hard to believe, but this is already our ninth edition of the SITREP series, a brief overview of watch and espionage events we believe you’ll find informative and interesting. If you enjoy these articles or have ideas for events for us to include in future SITREP editions, please do not hesitate to let us know in the comments. Speaking to April specifically, there was a lot to unpack, including some big Bremont ambassador drama, Trump watches in the wild (finally), an incredible vintage Breguet owned by Allen Dulles, a treasonous former Case Officer, and so much more. Check back next month for more. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Watch Industry SITREP - March 2025

When it comes to Watches of Espionage, dive watches reign supreme. The history of watches like the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is well-known and backed by celebrated connections to amphibious SpecOps, including the French Commando Hubert and the US Navy SEALs. But over a decade before these watches were introduced, a pioneering dive watch was developed for and utilized by some of America’s earliest frogmen, many of whom served with the OSS or Office of Strategic Services’ lesser-known MU or Maritime Unit. The predecessor of virtually all modern maritime SOF units today, the MU’s history is extraordinary and overlooked. To shine a light on these operators and operations, some of which helped to win the Second World War, we asked our friend Jacob Van Buren, a passionate scuba diver and nautical historian, to share not only a brief history of the OSS MU but also the story behind one of history’s least-understood dive watches, the so-called “Canteen” produced by Elgin, Bulova, and Hamilton. The pioneering “Canteen” wristwatch with its screw-down crown cover. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens/Ed Hicks, Warpath Military Collectables) How The Birth Of US Maritime SpecOps Inspired A Pioneering Dive Watch By Jacob Van Buren The PBY Catalinas amphibious aircraft flew in low, touching down gently in a quiet cove at Chance Island. The long flight from Ceylon to the Arakan Coast of Burma—roughly 1,300 miles from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Maritime Unit’s base of operations across the harbor at Trincomalee—proved more amenable to the amphibious aircraft’s occupants than the troublesome British submarines that had a nasty habit of breaking down. US Navy Reserve Lieutenant Kenneth Pier, the Maritime Unit’s acting commanding officer in the theater and accompanying this mission, ordered two of his men and “Chee Chee”, the Chinese radio operator, to begin unloading the rubber boats. We can’t be sure, but there’s a strong chance these early maritime operators were equipped with a novel “Canteen” wristwatch that served as the United States’ earliest military dive watch. A declassified photo from an OSS MU manual appears to show the BUSHIPS Canteen watch in action. (Photo Credit: CIA) The Catalina’s crew—detached from British Special Duty Squadron 628—looked out from positions along its wings, submachine guns scanning the shore for threats. While transferring one of the automatic weapons, 2LT Fine accidentally caught its trigger. A burst of automatic fire roared. Every beating heart in the cove stopped. Was it five shots or six? Crewmembers anxiously examined the Catalina; none of the bullets had made contact with the airframe. In an instant, the Office of Strategic Services Maritime Unit’s mission—covert reconnaissance of the Burmese coast as part of the British 15th Corps’ Second Arakan Campaign—was jeopardized. A PBY Catalina pictured during the Second World War. In stories that are all but untold today, the China-Burma-India Theater marked just one area of operations for one of the foremost progenitors of modern special operations. Before CIA, there was the OSS. With American intelligence deficiencies plainly and painfully obvious at the start of the Second World War, William J. Donovan—a New York lawyer who won the Medal of Honor leading infantry in France during the First World War—was tasked with organizing a plan for a modern American intelligence service. Inspired by the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) and Special Operations Executive (SOE), the eventual Office of Strategic Services—a rather innocuous name for an organization that was anything but—was born. Nominally a civilian organization, the OSS was organized under the Joint Chiefs of Staff and composed of both civilian and military personnel from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The LARU or Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit was a pioneering underwater breathing apparatus. Much like the nautical capabilities of CIA’s modern Maritime Branch, the OSS saw the need to be able to conduct amphibious operations and created the Maritime Unit to handle these missions in June 1943. The Maritime Unit, referred to internally as the MU, proved more than ready to meet its charter. Its members were recruited from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard personnel. All were volunteers. Its eventual five operational units were deployed to the European, Mediterranean, China-Burma-India, and Pacific theaters. Considered one of the forerunners of the modern SEAL Teams, the MU also developed and fielded specialized equipment that would revolutionize naval special warfare. Dr. Christian Lambertsen, a Captain in the United States Army Medical Corps attached to the OSS, developed a series of rebreathers he named the Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit (LARU). The LARU proved revolutionary—providing a diver the ability to swim to a maximum depth of 50 feet for up to 90 minutes, creating the foundation for the modern combat diver. In 1952, Lambertsen settled on a new name for his invention—Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, or SCUBA. Pages from an early OSS manual showing an operational swimmer’s equipment. (Photo Credit: CIA) Lambertsen trained MU personnel in Burma on the use of the LARU with swim fins, an innovation that the MU introduced to the US Navy’s Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs), as well as on the British submersible Sleeping Beauty. This precursor to the modern SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicle) was pioneered by the Royal Navy and MU combat swimmers. Though it was never deployed in combat operations, this “submersible canoe” highlighted the potential military applications of the technology. Sleeping Beauty was an underwater vehicle built by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and later used by the OSS MU. MU Swimmers were deployed using innovative new techniques, like kayaks, inflatable rubber rafts, PBY Catalinas, and submarines, to conduct vital survey missions ahead of landings. The disastrous landings during the 1943 invasion of Tarawa, during which almost 1,000 Marines were killed and another 2,000 were injured in part due to a lack of tidal data from hydrographic reconnaissance, showed the need for accurate intelligence leading up to these crucial battles, directly leading to the creation of the Navy’s Underwater Demolition Teams. MU members assigned to UDT-10—comprising the majority of the team’s swimmers—took part in a secret submarine mission in 1944 to survey potential beachheads before the 1944 invasion of Peleliu in the Palau archipelago. An OSS Operational Swimmer training with the Lambsertsen breathing apparatus. Five men of UDT-10—two of whom were MU personnel—set out on the night of 18 August 1944 from USS BURRFISH, paddling their rubber raft towards the beach on Gagil Tomil in the Palau archipelago. It should have been a routine mission. Weather conditions that night proved rough. One of the swimmers lost his fins while deploying the raft. Once they began the slow, deliberate journey to the beachhead, they discovered an additional problem: an offshore barrier reef. The last thing the frogmen needed was for the boat to be carried to shore by the breakers. Making a quick decision, the raft was anchored with one man left aboard. Fifteen minutes later, two swimmers returned: one exhausted from the formidable breakers. The other man then swam back to the beach in search of the other two frogmen. The three were never seen again. Japanese communications later revealed that they had been captured and were supposedly transported to Palau, though the primary theory is that they were executed by their captors. Their remains have not been located. Largely unheralded today, the exploits and heroism of the OSS Maritime Unit altered the course of US SpecOps forever, backed by a combination of bravery, cunning, and novel equipment. The US Military’s First Underwater Wristwatch An Elgin BUSHIPS Canteen watch. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens/Ed Hicks, Warpath Military Collectables) Timekeeping is crucial to successful underwater operational scenarios. As the US Military experimented with maritime special operations, a need arose for sturdy, waterproof wristwatches. Enter the Bureau of Ships. Responsible for the procurement, design, construction, repair, and management of ships and shipyards, the Bureau of Ships (BUSHIPS) functioned as a catch-all organization that led the control of naval supplies. It exists as the Naval Sea Systems Command, or NAVSEA, today. Faced with the growing need for a wristwatch capable of handling the intense conditions faced by the Naval Combat Demolition Units, Underwater Demolition Teams, and the OSS Maritime Unit, the groups that would eventually morph into the modern SEAL Teams, they issued the FSX-797 specification—the Navy’s first specification for a submersible wristwatch. An early OSS document detailing the required equipment for OSS MU boat crewmen. The result was a marvel of wartime ingenuity. The dial and case are essentially that of an A-11, the U.S. military’s high-grade pilot’s watch during the war. Featuring large, luminous numerals and hands, the watch was designed for legibility. From there, watchmakers soldered on the crystal to help prevent water intrusion and modified the case’s right side to accommodate a second, larger crown that locks over the setting crown. This additional crown was attached via a tiny length of chain, resulting in the watch’s enduring nickname: the “Canteen.” Produced primarily by Elgin, with other examples known from Hamilton and Bulova, the total production figures of the BUSHIPS Canteen are unknown. With accurate movements and a simple khaki canvas strap, these tiny 32mm watches went off to war, blending into the uniform (or lack thereof) of a swimmer. Divers from a Naval Combat Demolition Unit. Several Canteen watches are visible. The large Panerai watches fielded by the Axis powers may have had more enduring appeal in the hearts and minds of watch enthusiasts; this did not stop the BUSHIPS Canteen from seeing service through the end of the Second World War and into the Korean War before being rendered obsolete by its successors. Its now-meager 50 ft of water resistance proved adequate for the Navy’s needs, allowing combat swimmers to embark on some of the earliest maritime Special Operations missions. Following the Korean War’s stalemate in 1953, the Canteen’s nearly decade-long service history ended with the introduction of the timepieces that have defined the dive watch—the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Water-resistant to more than three times the Canteen’s upper limit, they blazed a path forward for the next generation of special operations personnel. The Canteen has remained an affordable alternative to these military-issued Rolex, Tudor, Blancpain, and Benrus dive watches issued to divers and special operators, with provenance to match any of them. In its small way, it proved crucial to the success of the war effort as the intrepid frogmen wearing them scouted beaches, planted explosives, and cleared harbors that helped turn the tide of the war. Early Underwater Demolition Team members wearing the BUSHIPS Canteen watch. The Office of Strategic Services was promptly dissolved following the end of the Second World War. Its legacy in intelligence and special operations, however, lives on. Alumni of the OSS—from Julia Child to members of the Studies and Observations Group to Directors of CIA—went on to shape the outcome of the twentieth century. From an early underwater breathing apparatus in the Lambertsen rebreather to pioneering underwater diver-delivery vehicles to a humble wristwatch adapted to amphibious use, the OSS Maritime Unit’s pioneering innovations set the stage for the maritime operations of modern special forces as well as the contemporary diving industry. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: The Dive Watch - How The Military Helped To Shape History’s Greatest Tool Watch About The Author: Jacob Van Buren is a diver, writer, and photographer currently based in North Carolina. He combines his passions for history and diving on his Instagram page, @sea_vue, which documents vintage scuba diving and watches.  

A Former CIA Case Officer Dissects How To Penetrate Rolex SA We are now one week out from Watches and Wonders, the annual trade show in Geneva, Switzerland, where many of the premier luxury watch brands debut their latest designs. W&W is a masterclass in marketing, with weeks of blogs and legacy media speculating on the new releases, a dramatic and highly choreographed reveal, followed by groaning and analysis for the weeks to follow. While brands from Patek Philippe and H. Moser & Cie. to IWC Schaffhausen and TAG Heuer are present, at the center of all the attention is one brand: Rolex. Last week, we discussed the role of private intelligence and this week we want to take it a step further and look at how commercial espionage actually works. Like many of our articles, this is about watches and the watch industry, but it's really about much more than that. Leaning into my training and experience as an intelligence officer, this is how I would penetrate Rolex SA, the most secretive and powerful watch company in the world. “Leaked” photos of Rolex new releases planned for 2025. Who Would Want To Know? The line between Business Intelligence and Corporate Espionage is blurred and often open to interpretation. “Market research,” including hiring third-party “researchers” is generally accepted. But there is a line and to be clear, corporate espionage is not something we support and would never do ourselves, but it does happen. The Swiss watch industry is a prime target, given the money invested in Research and Development over the past century. These are “trade secrets,” and if they are stolen it could result in significant monetary damage to Rolex, or any other company. Business Intelligence: The process of collecting, analyzing, and presenting business data to support informed decision-making, commonly used in all industries. Corporate Espionage: The theft of a company's confidential information for financial gain. Corporate espionage recently made the news when Bernard Squarcini, a former French intel chief, was convicted of using public funds to spy on individuals for LVMH, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate. (Photo Credit: The Guardian) Controlling over 30% of the Swiss watch market with an estimated 11 billion dollars in annual revenue, Rolex has the biggest target on its back.  Rival brands are the potential beneficiaries of the intellectual property collected from corporate espionage, but also criminal networks and states. The counterfeit watch industry is also a multibillion-dollar industry, with the vast majority of the counterfeit watches originating in China where it appears as though the government at least tacitly supports these criminal endeavors. It’s not a stretch that a nation-state would support espionage against Rolex with the goal of benefiting their industry, this IP theft regularly happens in other sectors. Is Rolex A Hard Target? Rolex headquarters in Geneva is known as an impenetrable fortress for watch media. (Photo Credit: Rolex) In the intelligence community, a “hard target” is a country or organization that is particularly difficult to collect intelligence on due to strong counterintelligence measures, limited access, or high operational security. The intelligence services of Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea are generally considered hard targets but also non-state actors like Hezbollah. The Swiss watch industry is notoriously secretive, with some making the comparison to CIA and other intelligence agencies. There is some truth to it, it is a closed system, and for good reasons. As the leader in the industry, Rolex has spent billions developing proprietary technology, brand value, and integrating their supply chain.   In one of the few accounts of visiting all four of the Rolex manufacturing facilities, Hodinkee described some of the security features, including iris scanners for controlled access, large vaults, and the prohibition of cell phones, all features associated with secure government facilities. While I would not go as far as to say it rivals a nation-state in counterintelligence capabilities, from a corporate standpoint it is probably as “hard” as it gets. Open Source (OSINT) OSINT: The process of collecting and analyzing publicly available information from various sources to generate insights. (Photo Credit: Department of Defense) OSINT is arguably one of the most effective tools in modern intelligence collection and for any collection initiative, it is the first step. Why allocate clandestine resources when something is publicly available? To a certain extent, watch media already does this. Morgan Stanley and Luxeconsult produce an annual report on the Swiss watch industry with detailed assessments of revenue based on publicly available data. Internet watch sleuths will take it a step further and triage trademarks and patents for hints of what's to come.   In 2023 Rolex trademarked the “Land-Dweller” and according to our friend and expert watch spotter Nick Gould AKA @niccoloy Rolex filed a patent in 2022 for a red and black ceramic bezel, both of which could indicate future releases. “Rolex patent filed in 2022, and just published at the end of last month. The Crown finally found a way to do a red and black ceramic bezel. It seems this combination of colours is difficult to achieve.” - Nick Gould AKA @niccoloy on Instagram While examining trademark data can provide insight and fuel speculation, most still take the “we’ll see” approach as they are far from definitive. But it does provide one thread or hypothesis that other forms of collection can potentially corroborate. Alternative Data Sets Open-source collection can go much deeper than trolling government databases. Research firm Bellingcat has made a name for itself by analyzing alternative datasets with an impressive track record at investigating intelligence services, human rights abuses, and the criminal underworld. Hunting the Hunters: How We Identified Navalny's FSB Stalkers (Photo Credit: Bellingcat) Rolex is famed for its vertical integration, relying on only a few outside manufacturers, but it is a multinational company, and some components, packaging, and raw materials must be sourced on the open market.  Equally important are the downstream retail operations. Even with the 2023 acquisition of major watch retailer Bucherer, these retailers are largely outside the Rolex umbrella. A deeper dive into these relationships, invoices, and international shipping manifests can further inform the assessment of organizational structure, supply chain, and even future releases.   While Rolex is believed to have its own foundry, a large shipment of titanium from a broker in South Africa may indicate an expansion of the titanium offering from just the Yacht-Master which was released in 2024.  The same could be said for other raw inputs used for the ceramic bezels or gem-set pieces. While these international shipping manifests are not always easily accessible, with the right know-how and determination, they can often be accessed. Rolex manufacturing facility in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Analyzing the capacity and fullness of parking lots via commercially available satellite imagery can lead to valuable information. Full parking lots on a weekend could indicate an increase in working hours and production schedules. Of note, according to Google Street View, this parking lot has been replaced and covered. (Photo Credit: Google) Human Intelligence (HUMINT) - Recruiting A Clandestine Source inside Rolex. Despite all the technical capabilities, having a human source/penetration with direct knowledge of the collection requirements, i.e. the future Rolex models, is the ultimate goal of any intelligence operation. Anyone who works directly for Rolex is a potential target, but finding someone with placement and access who is willing to divulge secrets is crucial. From an offensive intelligence collection perspective, the “insider threat” is arguably the greatest vulnerability.    “You start working at Rolex and you stay there. It’s a loyalty thing but it’s also an incentive thing. I think they pay very well, great benefits, great perks… This works really well for their secrecy.”  - Acquired Podcast Little is actually known about the structure and inner workings of Rolex.  There is no public organizational chart and even an informed assessment about who would actually know about the Watches and Wonders releases in advance is informed speculation.   A watchmaking trainee at Lilitz, a watchmaking school in Pennsylvania that was built and funded by Rolex. (Photo Credit: Rolex Training) According to the recent Acquired podcast, Rolex has approximately 16,000 employees, with 9,000 of those residing in Switzerland. A LinkedIn query shows 8,388 employees and “associated members” with 4,555 residing in Switzerland.  If you dive deeper and segment the employees, 574 live and work in Biel/Bienne where the cases are manufactured, and you can do the same with the various Rolex entities. The first step is to build an organizational chart to better understand the type of people who work at Rolex. This is your target list. Rolex employees in Switzerland are broken down by geographic area and education. (Photo Credit: LinkedIn) The fact that someone is on LinkedIn at a minimum suggests they are comfortable with public association with Rolex and also makes them more likely to engage externally, maybe even open to exploring other job opportunities. Those who work in watchmaking, watch design, research, and development are obvious targets, but also individuals with access to IT infrastructure could prove a windfall.   Access & Placement In Human Intelligence (HUMINT) placement and access to information is crucial. In an ideal world, you would recruit someone with direct access to the senior level “plans and intentions,” which in the case of Rolex is the CEO. That said, you really don’t know who has access to what until you start talking to people. While new releases are likely a compartmented group, it has to be in the hundreds to design and manufacture new watches. “Open To Work” - The Approach LinkedIn’s “Open To Work” banner is a sign of a potentially exploitable individual within an organization. Linkedin is a professional networking platform owned by Microsoft and a valuable tool for intelligence services. According to the New York Times, Chinese intelligence services have used this platform to recruit spies abroad, including in the United States. To expedite the process and remove myself from the operational act, I would hire a recruitment service firm to conduct the initial outreach to Rolex employees, telling them that an unspecified “consultant” is interested in hiring consultants with knowledge of the Swiss watch industry. Those with “Open for Work” on their profile are priority number one, but given the number of employees at Rolex, a broad initial outreach is necessary.   A recent patent for a Rolex “Alignable Screw Down Crown”. (Photo Credit: Unpolished Watches) Designers, engineers, and scientists are notoriously naive to their value and often eager to talk about their creations and work. Business types are generally eager for other opportunities and career progression, often tempted by outside employment opportunities. With enough “shots on goal,” statistically some will respond positively. Any Rolex employee could be a potential point of exploitation, but someone working within a technical or marketing role could be best. (Photo Credit: Rolex Training) After an initial triage of the resumes received, I would compile them and make an informed assessment of who has access to the information of interest, in this case, the Watches and Wonders releases, and invite them for a remote “interview,” to further assess their access and willingness to disclose sensitive information. Over time, the full-time position would disappear but another opportunity as a “part-time consultant” would appear. The individual could remain at their place of employment, and “consult” on the Swiss watch industry on the side. The target would then transition to a “source,” and be responsive to tasking, i.e. answering specific questions. Student Seeding Operation École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Rolex’s primary source university for new hires. (Photo Credit: EPFL) The largest cohort of known Rolex employees studied engineering at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, a public research university in Lausanne, Switzerland, followed by the University of Geneva. Depending on the timeline, you could also consider recruiting a student and “feeding them” into Rolex, another method used by Chinese and other intelligence services. This option represents the long game but is also an effective methodology that does not require developing a source who may already have loyalties to the Rolex organization. Conclusion Rolex is a sophisticated organization that no doubt spends considerable money on both physical security and counterintelligence procedures. That said, it is a big organization, and every organization is vulnerable to exploitation, with the “insider threat” often being the greatest. This article is about the Swiss watch industry in particular, we are “watches of espionage” after all, but really, it is about more than that. Any industry that has leaders will be subject to targeting by hostile actors. This vintage Speedmaster was sold at auction for over $3M after having been faked with insider help and vintage components from Omega’s heritage department. (Photo Credit: Bloomberg) While this may seem farfetched, there is a precedent for this type of compromise in the Swiss watch industry. In 2021, insiders at Omega allegedly conspired with outsiders to compile a fake Speedmaster using parts from the Omega archives, with the watch ultimately selling for over $3 million at auction.   While this may come as a surprise to many in the watch community, it is something at least some at Rolex are keenly aware of. A further review of LinkedIn data shows that the Director of Security at Rolex USA is a former FBI Special Agent, and we can assume he has counterparts in Switzerland and around the globe. Hopefully, Rolex leadership is listening to them and not sidelined as paranoid “formers.”   To be very clear, this is just an intellectual exercise and we do not advocate or condone commercial espionage. We do hope this is a wake-up call to not only watch companies but companies in general. This article has been reviewed by the CIA's Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: The Murky World Of Counterfeit Rolex

Former French Spy Chief found guilty of using public intelligence resources to aid LVMH and France’s richest man, Bernard Arnault. Nothing gets the blood flowing like a little corporate espionage. On 7 March, Bernard Squarcini, the former chief of France’s domestic intelligence service, was convicted of using public resources to benefit a private client, LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). According to court records, Squarcini used government surveillance assets in 2008 to monitor a cyber cafe in an effort to identify an individual attempting to blackmail LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and for conducting illegal surveillance against other individuals. Squarcini was sentenced to two years' house arrest, two years' probation, and a 200,000 Euro fine. Spicy. Bernard Squarcini was conducting private intelligence operations for LVMH.  The Squarcini-LVMH case sheds light on the lengths luxury brands will go to protect their reputation as well as a window into the common, but little understood, practice of corporate espionage and private intelligence. LVMH is arguably the largest luxury conglomerate and owns several watch brands, including Zenith, TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Bulgari. The conglomerate was also an investor in Hodinkee through its corporate venture capital arm: LVMH Luxury Ventures. Bernard Squarcini, known in some circles as “The Shark” (Le Squale), is a former police officer who rose to lead France’s domestic intelligence service, Direction Centrale du Renseignement Intérieur (DCRI - later DGSI), from 2008 to 2012. Appointed by then-president Nicolas Sarkozy, he played a significant role in domestic security and counterterrorism during this timeframe. He also appears to be somewhat of a watch guy, and he was photographed wearing an older model Breitling Navitimer chronograph in steel and gold (shocker). Bernard Squarcini wearing what appears to be a steel & gold Breitling Navitimer.  While it appears Squarcini’s freelancing may have started when he was head of DCRI, in 2013, he founded Kyrnos, a private intelligence firm, which provided a range of intelligence and investigative services to private corporations. It was at this point that he was reportedly hired by the luxury brand as a “security consultant”—a vague term that can mean many different things.   Bernard Arnault, the founder, CEO, and chairman of LVMH, is among the world's richest people.  The client was LVMH and, therefore, also its founder, chairman, CEO, and largest shareholder, Bernard Arnault. With an estimated net worth of $233 billion, he was dubbed Forbes Magazine’s richest person in 2024, ahead of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg. It is no surprise that Arnault’s watch game is strong, and he owns what is likely a pièce unique (one-of-one) Tiffany-Blue Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar 5740, an even more limited edition of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Tiffany & Co. edition, limited to 170 pieces. Of note, LVMH also owns Tiffany and Co., and the limited release with Patek has traded for over $1 million on the secondary market.  Bernard Arnault pictured with son, Frédéric Arnault, who now serves as CEO of LVMH Watches. On Bernard's wrist is his one-of-a-kind Tiffany Patek Philippe reference 5740. Photo Credit: Arnault Instagram. It is clear that Arnault values the watch companies in the LVMH portfolio and has even appointed his 26-year-old son Frederic Arnault as CEO of TAG Heuer, who was later promoted to CEO of LVMH Watches before the age of 30 (key succession music). Accusations & Conviction The conviction and sentencing of the former French spy chief is related to Squarcini’s misuse of public resources to identify a blackmailer targeting Arnault. According to court documents, Squarcini also drew on his influence to collect classified information and spy on activist journalist Francois Ruffin. Ruffin produced a documentary, “Merci Patron!,” which discussed companies' outsourcing of French jobs to foreign labor and was heavily critical of Arnault and LVMH. While LVMH CEO Arnault's involvement in the illicit activity is denied by the company, it is not a stretch that he was at least potentially aware of Squarcini’s work for LVMH. It is clear that brand and personal reputation are key aspects of a luxury brand's value proposition. Squarcini at the courthouse in Nov 2024. (Photo Credit: Reuters) According to press reporting, LVMH previously settled a case involving Squarcini spying on private individuals by paying 10 million euros but was quick to note that this payment did not constitute a judgment against the company or an admission of guilt. Squarcini’s lawyers said they would appeal the verdict. “Private Intelligence” - Mercenaries for Hire? In Hollywood, intelligence firms are vilified as mercenaries for hire, willing to work for the highest dollar with nothing off the table. There is some truth to this, but most “private intelligence” companies work for corporations and provide relatively mundane investigations, political risk assessments, and due diligence. That said, some are willing to operate in the grey/black like Squarcini, and their actions can and do result in convictions and prison sentences. We have touched on this in the past with Daniel Corbett, a Rolex-wearing former SEAL turned mercenary who was arrested in 2017 in Serbia while visiting a source to collect information on a terrorist financier on behalf of an unspecified client. Daniel Corbett, a former SEAL who was jailed in Serbia. Former intelligence officers from CIA, British MI6, and other agencies are valued for their skillset and knowledge but also their tolerance for risk and network of contacts. Many former colleagues of mine at CIA have gone into this business, and roles range from benign political risk for large oil companies to more murky work for unspecified clients “based out of” the United Arab Emirates. It can be a dangerous game with real consequences. While these arrangements are generally kept secret, they do sometimes make international headlines and can have a significant impact on geopolitics. The controversial Trump-Russia “Steele dossier” opposition report compiled by Fusion GPS and former MI6 officer Christopher Steele is one recent example. Separately, according to press reports, Qatar hired former CIA officers (Global Risk Advisors) to influence their bid for the World Cup. Israeli firms, notably NSO Group and Black Cube, have (allegedly) been used by private entities and governments to collect damaging information about individuals and human rights activists. The line between legal research and illegal practices can often be blurred and open to interpretation. Christopher Steele, a former British Secret Intelligence Service officer and founder of Orbis Business Intelligence. Espionage is illegal in every country, and intelligence officers from CIA and other services are trained to lie, cheat, and steal on behalf of their government. As government officials, intelligence officers are mostly protected from third country prosecution through diplomatic immunity, but this goes away once they leave the government. After a life of operating in the grey area, some practitioners find it difficult to make this transition to the private sector where laws and norms must be adhered to.  The world is not all flowers and rainbows. To quote the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster, for when you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.” If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Watches of the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict This article has been reviewed by the CIA's Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

Using Hotel Safes As A CIA Case Officer & In Daily Life During my second tour as a CIA Case Officer, I received a short message from a HQS office I had never heard of. The individual inquired about an upcoming vacation (R&R) I planned to take with Mrs. W.O.E. and specifically our stay at a relatively obscure 3-star resort in the middle of the Indian ocean. After confirming the details, the individual asked if I would photograph the locks, cameras, and hotel room safe during my visit. I said yes without hesitation and eagerly awaited a special camera (REDACTED). I would later come to find out that the office was responsible for CIA's “black bag operations” or surreptitious entry, i.e., the group that breaks into buildings in the middle of the night (REDACTED). To this day, I don’t know if the request for pictures was for a specific operation or to have “just in case” it was needed in the future. I did notice that many individuals from a certain country were present at the hotel, so I have my suspicions. My wife enjoyed posing around the hotel as I photographed her in front of the cameras and rolled her eyes when I asked her to keep watch as I photographed the hinges, keypad, and serial numbers of the closet-mounted safe. Years later, I received a demonstration from CIA technical officers on how long it took to defeat electronic locks on hotel rooms and digital safes: about 3 seconds. There is nothing secret about this capability, and there are commercially available technologies capable of defeating hotel locks and safes. The process is achieved by electronically overriding the lock via a port under the keypad (or key scanner on a hotel door). Electronic access port under the keypad of a Safemark Systems hotel safe. Is “Hotel Safe” An Oxymoron? If you find yourself as a Student Case Officer (SCO) at the CIA training center—“the Farm”—and receive a pop quiz; “True or false, a hotel safe is sufficient for Covert Communications (CovCom) storage?” Circle false. The answer is false. You don’t have to be a super-secret squirrel to know that a hotel safe is not safe storage for anything; this should be common sense. Using the transitive property, it’s logical to conclude that you should never leave your prized Omega or Rolex in a hotel safe. But I would point you to the real answer to every question at the CIA: It depends. Drawer mounted hotel safe. Dubai – A Case Study I was recently in Dubai for a short layover and was traveling with three watches: a Rolex GMT, a Tudor Black Bay 58, and the more affordable Arabic Seiko. I stayed at a nice hotel (like most hotels in Dubai), and the United Arab Emirates is arguably one of the safest countries in the world. For most of my trip, I left the Seiko and Black Bay 58 in the hotel safe and wore the GMT on my wrist. I could have carried the other two in my man purse, as the risk of them getting stolen on the street is low in Dubai, but I assessed that the likelihood of accidentally leaving the bag at a coffee shop or bar exceeded the likelihood of them being stolen out of my hotel room. Travel risk mitigation is often about choosing the best or least worst option. Would I leave my priceless South African Navy-issued Tudor in the hotel safe? No, because it’s irreplaceable. If it’s irreplaceable, don’t take it with you. South African Navy issued Tudor MilSub ref 7016.  (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) Watch Crime Is No Joke As we have discussed at length, watch crime is at an all-time high. According to data from The Watch Register, the global value of stolen watches in 2024 exceeded $2 billion, a remarkable number. Examples of watches stolen out of hotel safes are numerous, and the incidents often go unreported. When it comes to hotels, crime can be sophisticated, such as breaking and entering, targeting patrons at the hotel bar, or more opportunistic sticky fingers from the housekeeper. Considerations With Hotel Safes Of course, the safest thing to do is to leave your watch at home and/or travel with one affordable watch. But if you do decide to travel with more than one, here are some considerations. The Bates Motel vs. The Four Seasons In general, a 5-star hotel will have better security than a 1-star hostel. The Ritz Paris on Place Vendôme will have a director of security, controlled access elevators, and working cameras throughout. The hostel will not. Security personnel will be more likely to ensure access to the safes is restricted and that default codes are reset. That’s not to say that luxury hotels are inherently safe, but they are probably safer. The first thing I do when I arrive at a hotel is take a basic stock of the security measures in place. Besides the obvious indicators, this is often more a gut feeling than anything else. The Safe Characteristics Hotel safes are often mounted in a closet or drawer and vary greatly from cheap and mechanical to sophisticated and robust. A good safe is secured to the wall and is not easily removed. If possible, you should check to see if the default or administrator password has been reset, a common mistake made by hotels when installing the safe.   For many safes, you can enter “superuser mode” by pressing the lock button twice, followed by the default/factory master password: 999999. Default passwords can often be found online. Regardless, the hotel staff can generally get into a safe if a customer accidentally forgets the password. Hotel procedures should require at least two members to be present when opening a safe, but in my experience, this policy is rarely adhered to. Entering superuser mode by pressing “LOCK” twice; default override password for SafeMark safes is “999999” Most electronic safes can also be accessed electronically via a port under the keypad. The purpose of the port is to program the safe, but commercially available technology can plug in and immediately override the set code. Some also can be open with a traditional key, often held by the hotel. Of note, many hotel room electronic locks can also be accessed via a port under the lock. In this video, after entering superuser mode, by pressing “LOCK” twice, I am able to confirm the default code of 999999 has been changed, but the safe is secured via easily accessible screws, making removal of the entire safe easy with a wrench. I give it a B. Other Precautions The first thing I do after getting into a hotel room is put the do not disturb sign on the door, which generally stays there for the remainder of my stay.  I also check to make sure the windows and door to the adjoining room are locked. Whenever I leave the room, I turn on the TV to ensure there is some noise coming from the room, but not so loud that a neighbor calls to complain. Lastly, check the exits and cameras in the hallway to understand what is and isn’t being captured. If anything is wrong with your room, ask for another one. Alternatives To Hotel Safes? Of course, the elephant in the room is why you would travel with one, let alone multiple watches. The safest thing is to leave your watches at home, and I do agree that anything you travel with should be considered perishable to some extent. If you want to travel with a watch, consider an affordable (a relative term) one-watch approach. I wouldn’t take that family heirloom Omega to Cape Town.   Travel essentials: An affordable, one-watch companion may be a better option for travel.  Pictured here is a CWC SBS. Bring It With You There are times when bringing your watch with you is better than leaving it in the room, and this depends on your location, activity, and watch. You probably don’t want to wear a Rolex while clubbing in London, but a stroll around the Dubai Marina, I wouldn’t think twice. I would never leave it in a bag while taking a swim on a public beach, but that boutique hotel on a private beach may be viable. Hide It In The Room There is a theory floating around the internet that you should hide valuables in your room. A locked safe indicates there is something of value in it, and an open safe may telegraph that you have nothing of value.  The idea is to hide the watch in the hotel room: in a dirty sock, tucked in a hidden pocket of your suitcase, or even the bottom of a dopp kit. This theory does hold weight, and it is something I have done, particularly in hotels without safes or AirBnBs. Again, the do not disturb sign is key here. That said, this option is also not without risk. If housekeeping does come in, they could mistakenly wash that dirty sock, or you could forget to retrieve it while in a rush checking out. Safety Deposit Box At The Front Desk Some hotels have safe deposit boxes for guest use. I have never used one because I don’t like to telegraph to the hotel staff that I have something of value. These safe deposit boxes are on a spectrum, with some offering secure storage with one box per patron while others are a single communal safe. My biggest concern here is that you introduce a human element. The front desk changes over time, and multiple people could, in theory, have access to that storage box. Apple Air Tag Real-time geolocational devices used to be the stuff of futuristic spy movies, but today, they are readily accessible from Apple and other vendors. While most savvy criminals will check the loot for an air tag, it is a simple measure to throw one in your watch pouch or bag just in case it is stolen or misplaced.   What Happens If Something Is Stolen? As a general rule, if something is truly irreplaceable, leave it at home. If you do decide to take a nice watch on a trip, make sure you have pictures of the watch and have documented the serial numbers. If possible, insure the watch and make sure that the insurance will cover stolen property out of a hotel safe. If the watch is stolen, make sure you document it with the local police and the hotel, as this documentation will be needed to file a claim. Please note that most hotels have disclaimers that they are not responsible for stolen items. So, What's The Verdict? If this article seems vague and non-descriptive, that is by design. The goal is not to tell you what to think but to teach you how to think. There are no true or false quizzes at the Farm because there are very few definites in the world of intelligence. To be very clear, I am by no means advocating for storing watches in hotel safes, and if you do so, you must acknowledge the risk of the watch not being there when you return. What I am really saying is “it depends.” This article is about watches, but the knowledge should be applied to passports, computers, tablets, and other valuables. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Criminal Rolex Gangs and Traveling with Watches, Part I This article has been reviewed by the CIA's Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

FBI Breitlings, Iran Holding British Couple, Luxury Watch Scammer Sentenced, Pro-Russian Paramilitary Leader Assassinated, & New Stats For Swiss Watches By Benjamin Lowry At Watches of Espionage, we take a holistic approach to our understanding of current events, regularly scrolling mainstream news outlets, sketchy conspiracy theory sites, social media, and anything else that falls within our purview. Once a month, we take all of that roughly digested information and distill it into something we like to call the SITREP (Situation Report), a brief synopsis of recent events related to watches, crime, espionage, the military, and anything else we think you’ll find valuable or entertaining. No marketing fluff. No celebrity endorsements. Only the good stuff. This past month, there was a lot to unpack. From a fraudulent Beverly Hills watch dealer getting his comeuppance to a pro-Russia paramilitary leader dying in a mysterious explosion to British nationals accused of espionage (sketchy Breitling content included) to some surprising watch theft stats, it’s been a big February. On top of all that, one of the more important statistical analyses of the watch industry was recently released, serving up several intriguing insights. Hold onto your hats, it’s time for the SITREP. The Timepiece Gentleman Sentenced For Mail & Wire Fraud At this point, our fascination with watch-related crime is well-established and some would say borderline unhealthy. After pleading guilty back in October, Anthony Farrer, who operated a Beverly Hills watch consignment business based on an online persona known as “The Timepiece Gentleman”, was recently sentenced for mail and wire fraud to the tune of about 5.6M US doll hairs. According to court documents, after advertising a relatively straightforward consignment-style business in which he would retain a percentage of proceeds after selling a watch on behalf of a client, Farrer would instead keep all of the money, using the ill-begotten funds to maintain a lavish LA lifestyle including luxury apartments and cars. As we have discussed in our piece looking at watches as tools of money laundering and other illicit activities, timepieces are easily transferable units of value. That aspect, combined with the dramatic rise in the value of brands and vintage watches, means bad actors looking to make a quick buck will increasingly look to watches for nefarious purposes. However, in the long run, crime doesn’t pay, and the ironically named Timepiece Gentleman will have almost six years in federal prison to consider whether all of the Richard Mille Instagram wrist shots were worth it. US Secret Service Breitling On The New Deputy Director Of The FBI Dan Bongino in his USSS days wearing a Secret Service Breitling “Unit Watch” while providing close protection to President Barack Obama. As discussed in our look at the watches of the Trump Administration, the White House has no shortage of Breitling content. Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, wears a 46mm titanium Breitling Cockpit B50 with the White House seal on the dial, part of a special run of White House Breitling models ordered in the past few years. Not to be outdone, Trump’s pick for the FBI’s deputy director spot, former Secret Service agent and conservative media personality Dan Bongino, has also been spotted wearing a Breitling. Former USSS Acting Director Ronald Rowe wearing a USSS Breitling that could be the same as Bongino’s. Rather than the White House version, Bongino’s Breitling appears to be the seldom-seen older USSS Colt GMT with the Service Star on the dial that we’ve also spotted on former Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe. Remember, when it comes to sketchy dudes and Breitling, we don’t make the rules. We simply observe and discuss. Pro-Russia Paramilitary Leader Dies In Moscow Explosion - Wearing A Richard Mille? Moving from white-collar watch crime to the world of espionage, Armen Sarkisyan, the founder of a pro-Russia paramilitary group, was assassinated on 03 February following an explosion in central Moscow. The founder of the “Arbat Battalion”, a paramilitary organization that fought for Russia against Ukraine in several key engagements, has been described as a criminal mastermind and was once allegedly responsible for overseeing Russian prisons where he recruited fighters for the Russian war effort. Unsurprisingly, Ukraine has yet to comment on the explosion but with a history of targeted killings including the assassination of Russian Naval Commander Stanislav Rzhitsky carried out in Russia using Strava data, it would not be a large logical leap to imagine Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency was involved. Getting back to watches, Sarkisyan has been photographed wearing what appears to be a Richard Mille chronograph, potentially the RM 50-03 that will set you back $1M, as well as an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore chronograph. Whether this is real or not, we can only speculate, but we would not be surprised either way. Serving as a prominent private military contractor for Russia appears to have good watch implications but is also bad for your health. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group had been spotted wearing a Ulysse Nardin before he turned against Russia and—coincidentally, maybe—died in a plane “crash” a couple of months later. British Motorcycle Tourists Detained In Iran & Charged With Espionage A pair of British motorcycle tourists, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, have been detained and charged with espionage in Iran after traveling to the country as part of a Middle Eastern motorcycle tour. According to the Iranian government, the couple, “...entered Iran under the guise of tourists and gathered information in multiple provinces of the country.” According to The Guardian, since 2010, at least 66 foreigners and dual citizens have been detained by Iran on a wide variety of charges often related to espionage. Despite a photo of Craig Foreman wearing an old-school Breitling Colt, we would be shocked to learn the couple was involved in clandestine activities, and it’s far more likely they are the victims of so-called “hostage diplomacy”, the taking of hostages for diplomatic leverage. That said, the naivety of Western travelers never ceases to amaze, and we would argue people need to start taking responsibility for their actions. It might sound like fun to rollerblade through Iran, play basketball in Russia, or teach Somali kids yoga, but these decisions have real geopolitical consequences, with the US and UK governments often making significant concessions to get people like Craig and Lindsay home. Morgan Stanley’s Watch Industry Report For 2024 Is In Likely the most-referenced guide to the overall health of the Swiss watch industry, Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult’s annual report was published earlier this month. We try to stay away from pure industry news, but an overarching statistical analysis like this is worthy of your time, showing numerically which brands are growing in revenue and market share, which are in decline, and how the Swiss watch industry as a whole is faring, all free from the influence of brand marketing dollars. The revelations this year are straightforward. Rolex continues its reign, accounting for an astonishing 32% of the Swiss market share and over 10.5B CHF in turnover based on sales of 1.24M units. Those numbers—which are estimates for a private business like Rolex—are not so different from last year but worthy of a second glance when you consider the massive delta between the Crown and Cartier down in second place with an 8% market share and 3.1B CHF in turnover based on 660,000 units. More broadly, the report indicates the overall health of the industry could be better, with a 3% decrease in Swiss watch exports from 2023 to 2024 and only eleven of the top 50 brands recording growth. Despite these metrics, nothing here amounts to doom and gloom for Swiss watch lovers or indicates we are any closer to being able to walk into a Rolex AD and grab a brand spanking new GMT-Master II right out of the showcase. Watch Theft Tops $2B Globally In 2024 Richard Mille accounted for the ten most valuable stolen watches in 2024. (Source: BBC) Once again revisiting the seedy world of watch theft, new reporting from LBC based on data from The Watch Register claims the global value of stolen watches in 2024 topped £1.6B, or approximately $2B, with some £60M ($75M) worth of luxury watch theft coming from Britain alone. In most cases, stolen watches are sold internationally after being networked through transnational criminal organizations that also often deal in illicit narcotics and human smuggling, using luxury watches as another increasingly lucrative income stream. Rolex remains the most commonly stolen brand, though the top ten stolen watches in value were all from Richard Mille, which makes sense given Richard Mille’s average per-watch cost in 2024 was an astronomical 275,000 CHF, again referencing Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult’s report. As the potential upside for criminal organizations increases, these robberies have become more brazen, sophisticated, and violent, with some perpetrators surveilling potential victims in luxurious shopping areas or watch boutiques before identifying targets, following them to a more secluded area or even their residence, and relieving them of their timepieces, sometimes violently. We’ve discussed luxury watch theft in detail and provided some of our recommendations for avoiding becoming a victim of this growing trend. Suffice it to say that situational awareness is always key and flexing your Batman GMT in Mayfair is never worth catching an ass-whooping and losing your $11k watch. W.O.E. In The Press While it is never our intention, our discussion of Watches of Espionage occasionally finds itself referenced outside the traditional boundaries of our community. When we penned our open letter to Vice President JD Vance asking him to cease his Apple Watch-wearing ways, we had no idea the response it would elicit in mainstream media, including a write-up in The Daily Mail entitled, “Espionage expert's chilling plea to JD Vance”. In addition, W.O.E. was called out in The Financial Times for our discussion on the watch-wearing habits of Ahmad al-Sharaa, the defacto president of Syria who has been spotted with an ascending watch game that quickly escalated from no-name quartz to Patek Philippe. Finally, we haven’t had a chance to listen to the entire (five-hour) thing, but W.O.E. also got the nod in a popular podcast called Acquired in a Rolex-focused episode. Final Thoughts With Watches and Wonders and the majority of new watch releases looming at the end of April, there is typically something of a slowdown for watch news in the early days of Q1. Looking beyond our usual dose of watch-related crime and the recent illuminating report on the Swiss watch industry, that was precisely the case this past month, which is where espionage comes in, with yet another high-profile assassination of a Pro-Russian paramilitary leader as well as the unfortunate story of a British couple being detained in Iran, supposedly for spying. This blend is exactly what the SITREP is meant to be, a one-pager providing a high-level overview of recent events related to any aspect of our community, whether that’s watches, espionage, NatSec, or the military. Whatever your reason or path of entry into our community may be, we’re here for you, but we still wouldn’t recommend motorcycle touring in Iran. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Watch Industry SITREP - January 2025

The USG Finds An Unlikely Culprit That “Prevents Time Travel” - In the W.O.E. world, we focus on watches used as tools to get the job done. But in one fascinating historical instance, a watch was part of the problem rather than the solution. According to CIA, a simple wristwatch may have prevented some test subjects from traveling through time and space, by grounding them in the present.

The Evolution Of A Rebel Leader Turned Syrian President, Told Through His Watches - Tactical Watch, Seiko, Omega, & Patek Philippe At Watches of Espionage, we explore national security and current events through the lens of timepieces. Today we take a close look at the watches of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the former Al-Qaeda in Iraq fighter who led the movement to overthrow the Syrian regime, now serving as President of Syria. As he ascended to power, al-Jolani’s watches changed to match his persona, communicating a message to his supporters and the international community. In intelligence and national security, a watch is a tool. In this case, al-Jolani’s watch serves as a tool to telegraph a persona. When Syria’s Bashar al-Assad was overthrown at the beginning of December 2024, ending some five decades of rule by the Assad regime, I was—along with the rest of the world—genuinely surprised by the speed with which the events transpired. With extensive experience living, working, and traveling throughout the Middle East, including to Syria, I would have expected the Assad family to maintain its totalitarian stranglehold over its 25 million citizens all but indefinitely. So how could this have happened? And where do watches fit into the picture? Al-Jolani made the change from a seemingly-generic quartz watch to a more refined Seiko as he molded himself into a statesman. At the center of the conversation was one man: the “rebel leader” then called Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who led the effort to overthrow Assad. Despite a challenging background, ties to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and a stint in Iraq’s infamous Camp Bucca internment facility, al-Jolani has demonstrated an impressive grasp on the importance of communication and influence since becoming Syria’s new head of state. While his attire was perhaps the first to change—from olive drab fatigues to a business suit—for a trained eye, nowhere was this shift from Jihadist to political leader more apparent than with al-Jolani’s watches. For al-Jolani, who has since dropped his nom de guerre in favor of his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, his choice of watches symbolizes an intriguing step-by-step ascent from a scrappy rebel leader, to a budding diplomat, and eventually, to a fully fledged statesman complete with a Patek Philippe, all taking place in record time. Remember, a watch is never just a watch. Unknown Tactical Watch A photograph from the first days of al-Sharaa’s rule showing his mysterious black tool watch. As the first images of a triumphant al-Sharaa in Damascus hit the media on 08 December 2024, he wore the de facto Middle Eastern rebel uniform: a thick beard and olive drab fatigues. In our earliest discussion of the events, we incorrectly identified the watch on al-Sharaa’s wrist as a black plastic Digital Tool Watch (D.T.W.), but as more photos of the events have surfaced, it would appear the watch is some kind of all-black, likely quartz analog watch with an integrated rubber strap. Despite our best efforts, we have yet to identify the watch. If anyone out there knows, we’ll be sure to update this article. Another angle shows the watch. Does anyone have any idea about this one? In any case, the tactical-looking watch was in line with al-Sharaa’s messaging at the time, portraying himself as the militant Jihadist leader commanding troops on the road to Damascus. And while that image served al-Sharaa’s needs, it would appear the new Syrian leader had a long-term plan in mind with regards to his look, quickly making the swap to business suits and a more elegant timepiece. It happened so quickly, it would appear significant forethought went into al-Sharaa’s appearance and watches. Seiko Kinetic SRN045P1 - $150 al-Sharaa wearing his Seiko in the days following the overthrow of the Assad regime. In the days immediately following the overthrow of the Assad regime, al-Sharaa began a campaign to court the media, inviting a series of politicians and delegates to Damascus for highly publicized displays of the “new Syria”. Along with some fresh threads, al-Sharaa upgraded the black tactical watch to a more refined Seiko Kinetic SRN045P1. The Seiko Kinetic SRN045P1 was Ahmed al-Sharaa’s watch of choice in his early days as Syria’s leader. While it isn’t expensive by watch standards at around $150, the Seiko looked the part with a new, more business-like but still modest al-Sharaa and accompanied him on a series of high-profile meetings in his quest for international legitimacy. Seiko is an intriguing brand, serving as one of the world’s largest watchmakers while also balancing a passionate following among the military and watch enthusiasts with mainstream commercial success, including at least one Middle Eastern head of state. We discussed al-Sharaa’s then two-piece watch collection in our SITREP back in December, thinking that at least the watch story had run its course. As it turns out, al-Sharaa is more of a watch guy than we ever imagined and has significantly leveled up his timepiece game in recent weeks, starting with a Swiss luxury icon from one of the biggest names in the business. Omega Seamaster Diver 300 - $5,900 An Omega Seamaster Diver 300 on al-Sharaa’s wrist as he met with a Qatari delegation. On 23 December, al-Sharaa stepped up his game as he met with a delegation from the Qatari Foreign Ministry. Given away by its distinctive early 90s bracelet design and helium escape valve, the watch was an Omega Seamaster Diver 300 in the more seldom-seen grey dial/navy blue bezel configuration. Often associated with James Bond for its predecessor's antics on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s GoldenEye, the Seamaster Professional has become one of the single most popular luxury dive watches in the world, serving as an entry-point to luxury watchmaking for many, including al-Sharaa. The Seamaster appeared to be a mainstay on the al-Sharaa’s wrist for weeks to follow, and we might have once again called our conversation on the leader’s watches complete. After all, the Seamaster hits a nice sweet spot of not feeling overly expensive or luxurious while still representing a big jump above a Seiko. Also favored by former US President Joe Biden, the Seamaster is not cheap, but a world leader likely won’t be accused of corruption or anything else interesting simply for wearing an Omega, which is where our next and (maybe) final watch comes into play. Patek Philippe World Time Chronograph 5930G - $81,610 Moving from a $150 Seiko to an Omega with a retail price of around $6k is a leap, sure, but nothing compared to al-Sharaa’s next move. Last week, al-Sharaa, who is now officially the “Interim President” of Syria, visited Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Kingdom’s de facto ruler, in Riyadh. The visit was in keeping with al-Sharaa’s recent MO, shaking hands in front of the camera with as many prominent leaders in the region as possible in an attempt to earn favor for Syria’s new political direction. What was out of place was the watch on al-Sharaa’s wrist, a white gold Patek Philippe 5930G. The watch, which offers “world time” functionality as well as a chronograph, goes for over $80k new and closer to $50k on the secondary market, a significant leap from a Seamaster to say the least. Where the Patek came from is anyone’s guess, but the fact that it was first spotted in Saudi does offer clues depending on your level of pessimism. We have discussed the role of watches in diplomacy and the Middle East and the Saudis in particular are known for cementing relationships with the gift of watches. We assess with medium confidence that this watch could have been a gift from MBS or another Saudi official. Regardless, the Patek Philippe stands in stark contrast to the black tactical watch the rebel leader wore just two months prior and marks a clear evolution to a leader in the Middle East. Final Thoughts If you made a movie about a fictitious rebel leader becoming the legitimate president of a Middle Eastern country, I’m not sure you could have cast the watches any better, representing a near-perfect four-watch staircase demonstrating al-Sharaa’s rise from Jihadi fighter to president. Starting with a humble black “tactical” watch fit for battle fatigues, then swapping for an elegant Seiko to pair with political business attire, to one of the biggest names in luxury watches in the Omega Seamaster, and finally a complicated Patek Philippe, one of the most storied (and expensive) names in watchmaking, al-Sharaa has proven once again that there is more to every watch than meets the eye. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Bribes & Operational Gifts - The Role Of Timepieces In Clandestine Operations