Rolex
CIA Memorial Wall: The Watches of Fallen CIA Of...
Memorial Day honors all military members who have died while serving in the US armed forces. On this day, we also reflect on the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice...
CIA Memorial Wall: The Watches of Fallen CIA Officers
Memorial Day honors all military members who have died while serving in the US armed forces. On this day, we also reflect on the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice at the Central Intelligence Agency. Some I knew personally, some by reputation, and many others were lost years before I...
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The Watches of General Dan “Razin” Caine
From the precision airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in June to the surprise capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, to the ongoing conflict in Iran, General Dan Caine...
The Watches of General Dan “Razin” Caine
From the precision airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in June to the surprise capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, to the ongoing conflict in Iran, General Dan Caine has been a constant at the pointy end of military affairs. As these historic events unfolded one by one, Caine...
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Inside the Counterfeit Watch Trade - Hunting “S...
The goal was to find a so-called “superclone,” the highest tier of counterfeit watches that claim to mirror genuine models down to the weight, finishing, and movement. According to internet...
Inside the Counterfeit Watch Trade - Hunting “Superclones” in Dubai
The goal was to find a so-called “superclone,” the highest tier of counterfeit watches that claim to mirror genuine models down to the weight, finishing, and movement. According to internet lore, the superclones are so good that even an expert watchmaker can’t distinguish them from the real thing.
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Interview with a Watchmaker
For this Dispatch, we sat down with Greg Petronzi of True Patina to learn more about his life and work, as well as to explore some of the most common...
Interview with a Watchmaker
For this Dispatch, we sat down with Greg Petronzi of True Patina to learn more about his life and work, as well as to explore some of the most common questions y’all might have for a watchmaker.
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Watch Industry SITREP - February 2026
These past few weeks have a lot to offer, from intriguing astronaut watch developments to Jeffrey Epstein’s surprising timepiece ties to the Dutch Queen and her Rolex in military service...
Watch Industry SITREP - February 2026
These past few weeks have a lot to offer, from intriguing astronaut watch developments to Jeffrey Epstein’s surprising timepiece ties to the Dutch Queen and her Rolex in military service to our usual assortment of watch-related criminal goings on, this time involving both Tom Cruise and a professional athlete. Referencing...
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Alex Honnold, Rolex, & the True Meaning of an E...
Last week, professional climber Alex Honnold free solo climbed Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot-tall tower in Taipei, Taiwan. The feat was streamed live to millions around the globe and was quite...
Alex Honnold, Rolex, & the True Meaning of an Explorer
Last week, professional climber Alex Honnold free solo climbed Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot-tall tower in Taipei, Taiwan. The feat was streamed live to millions around the globe and was quite the spectacle. Honnold is best known for his (even more impressive) June 2017 free solo ascent of El Capitan in...
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Watch Industry SITREP - January 2026
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...
Watch Industry SITREP - January 2026
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...
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Was Rolex Founder Hans Wilsdorf a Nazi Spy?
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...
Was Rolex Founder Hans Wilsdorf a Nazi Spy?
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...
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The Real Watches of Venezuelan President Nicolá...
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...
The Real Watches of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
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...
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“There’ll Always Be A Christmas” - Rolex
We came across two remarkable advertisements from 1942 and 1943 in Rolex Magazine that transcend the watch industry. Whether they are altruistic or motivated by self-interest is open to interpretation,...
“There’ll Always Be A Christmas” - Rolex
We came across two remarkable advertisements from 1942 and 1943 in Rolex Magazine that transcend the watch industry. Whether they are altruistic or motivated by self-interest is open to interpretation, but they are inarguably profound given the historical context.
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Every Watch SEAL Turned Astronaut Jonny Kim Wor...
In honor of Captain America’s safe return from the ISS, we recap the former US Navy SEAL, medical doctor, and astronaut’s collection of space-flown watches, including an impressive new unit...
Every Watch SEAL Turned Astronaut Jonny Kim Wore In Space
In honor of Captain America’s safe return from the ISS, we recap the former US Navy SEAL, medical doctor, and astronaut’s collection of space-flown watches, including an impressive new unit watch.
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Professional Diver Explains How To Use A Dive W...
Despite its prominence, the dive watch is surprisingly misunderstood, especially as it relates to actual diving. Backed by my experiences in commercial and recreational scuba diving, in this Dispatch, I’ll...
Professional Diver Explains How To Use A Dive Watch
Despite its prominence, the dive watch is surprisingly misunderstood, especially as it relates to actual diving. Backed by my experiences in commercial and recreational scuba diving, in this Dispatch, I’ll unpack how to use a dive watch for actual diving, touching on historical use cases, the modern role played by...
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Rolex Gifted President Trump A Clock - Will it ...
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...
Rolex Gifted President Trump A Clock - Will it Ease Tariffs?
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”...
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Watch Industry SITREP - September 2025
Trump Hangs With The Rolex CEO, A Taliban Casio On Display, Honoring Robert Redford, The Syrian President’s Patek Philippe, & Plenty Of Watch Crime.
Watch Industry SITREP - September 2025
Trump Hangs With The Rolex CEO, A Taliban Casio On Display, Honoring Robert Redford, The Syrian President’s Patek Philippe, & Plenty Of Watch Crime.
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Inside the FBI’s Watch Culture
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...
Inside the FBI’s Watch Culture
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...
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W.O.E. YouTube: A Hero's Rolex On September 11th
Todd Beamer’s Rolex & United Flight 93 - For an entire generation of service members and Intelligence Officers, September 11th was a defining moment.
W.O.E. YouTube: A Hero's Rolex On September 11th
Todd Beamer’s Rolex & United Flight 93 - For an entire generation of service members and Intelligence Officers, September 11th was a defining moment.
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Watches Of The White House & Oval Office
For Some Of The World’s Most Powerful & Influential People, A Watch Is Never Just A Watch - At Watches of Espionage, we view timepieces as tools, serving dual duty...
Watches Of The White House & Oval Office
For Some Of The World’s Most Powerful & Influential People, A Watch Is Never Just A Watch - At Watches of Espionage, we view timepieces as tools, serving dual duty as timing instruments and cultural symbols.
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The Rolex of a Tinker, Writer, Soldier, Spy
Elliot Ackerman’s Journey From MARSOC To CIA To Bestselling Author, and The Rolex Explorer II On His Wrist - I first met Elliot Ackerman at a discreet dinner in Northern...
The Rolex of a Tinker, Writer, Soldier, Spy
Elliot Ackerman’s Journey From MARSOC To CIA To Bestselling Author, and The Rolex Explorer II On His Wrist - I first met Elliot Ackerman at a discreet dinner in Northern Virginia for current and former members of CIA’s Special Activities Center (SAC).
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