In preparation for the holidays, we provide the W.O.E. stamp of approval on the following products/companies/groups.
We have closed up “shop” for the year but will be back next year with leather straps, more W.O.E. Travel Pouches, a new coin and a few more exciting things in the works. Please sign up for “Notify Me When Available” for anything that interests you.
In the meantime, check out the following items as gifts for loved ones, friends or yourself.
Watches:
Arabic-Dial Seiko, SNKP21J1: This has become the “W.O.E. hype watch.” In fact, it is attainable and can be purchased for a couple hundred dollars on Amazon or other online retailers. A great gift for a loved one.
Tudor Ranger: 39mm simple field watch. At approximately $3,000 depending on the configuration, this is a great affordable luxury tool watch. Perfect if you are looking to splurge on a timepiece for a spouse, child or parent.
CWC SBS DIVER ISSUE (QS120-DD): A great overall quartz tool watch with British Ministry of Defense heritage. Available for £582.50.
Wind Vintage: In the vintage watch world, Eric Wind is the OG. Wind Vintage specializes in high-end timepieces (primarily watches before 1990 and above $15,000) and focuses on condition, condition, condition. If you are looking to surprise W.O.E. with a Christmas present, please consider this Rolex “James Bond” / “Big Crown” Submariner reference 6538 with "Four-Line Dial.”
The Grey NA.TO: TGN is a community of like-minded individuals who believe in using their tools. Hosts Jason Heaton and James Stacey break down their love for adventure, their addiction to watches, and also discuss travel, diving, driving and gear. A subscription to The Grey NA.TO includes a strap (grey, of course), stickers and access to additional content. At $100 a year, a unique gift for someone who has everything.
The Observer Collection: Whisky Wallet. Marine-turned-photographer/designer, Robert Spangle has some unique designs for everyday travel items. The Whisky Wallet is a compact card wallet ideal in a dinner jacket. It owes much of its DNA to traditional Inrō containers and packs a slim expandable coin pocket. $200
Watchistry: When it comes to Marine Nationale watches, Watchistry (literally) wrote the book. He also has some great merchandise in his store, including the MN Enamel Mug. (Check out the books also) $19.00
Field Ethos Journal: The Everything Mug. It ain't cheap, but like most things in life, you get what you pay for. “Your grandchildren will be drinking from it.” $150
Watch Straps:
When it comes to straps, we are the opposite of monogamous. We are promiscuous. In addition to our W.O.E. Zulu Alpha strap, W.O.E. will be releasing leather straps in 2023. In the meantime, check out a few ones that we like to rock.
Zulu Alpha: Beyond the W.O.E.-ZA Collaboration, ZA has a range of straps to check out. $50-$145
Zane's Handmade: Handmade Horween leather straps crafted by a recent US Mil veteran. $85-95
Soturi Design: Cordura Straps. Designed for living and built to last, the Victory strap is both rugged and refined. Inspired by Cordura’s military heritage, we chose this material as a nod to the fabric’s proven performance in many of the world’s toughest environments. $135
Saga Trading Co.-Peplor: Leather strap with raindrop camo pattern. Strichtarn, or more commonly “raindrop camo” pattern, was adopted by East Germany in the mid- 1960s. Since then, it has seen use by Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, South Africa, and Uzbekistan. $155
Art:
Bad Art Nice Watch: Commission a piece on your favorite watch. Check out the one he did for the Jordanian Breitling.
King Kennedy Rugs: We have no idea who runs this company, but his rugs are incredible. Check out these “Vintage Rolex Hand Woven Rugs” rugs from Afghanistan. $325
Prairie Fire Art Company, "Resistance" WWII OSS Jedburgh Art Print: In 1944, the Jedburgh teams of the American OSS and the British SOE (including French officers) dropped into Nazi- occupied Europe to organize, train and lead into battle the resistance forces of France, the Netherlands and other European nations. This painting depicts an American Jedburgh officer meeting members of the French Resistance. The officer wears a Gallet Clamshell Chronograph - a popular choice with American aviators and special operations officers in Britain during the lead up to the invasion.
Ad Patina: The best in the game when it comes to vintage watch advertisements. Prices vary.
Justin Sowders: Want to commission a piece of horological art? Sowders is your guy. He’s developed a unique style that’s unlike anything else in the space. He’s done pieces that now hang in the halls of HODINKEE and Citizen HQ, and maybe above your fireplace next. Price on request.
Knives:
Half Face Blades: Half Face Blades was founded by Andrew Arrabito, Navy SEAL (ret.), to meet the need for high-quality, “go-to” knives and axes – usable, personalized, functional, versatile tools that work for every person in every walk of life. Half Face Blades knives are designed with the distinction and ruggedness required for the work they are intended to do. Each knife is calculated to meet requirements gained by experience, by testing knives and axes, by using them over time at sea and in remote wildernesses. Brad Cavner signature series. $375
Emerson Commander: The ultimate utility knife, designed to go anywhere, anytime, and to get the job done, the Commander is the ultimate “all-rounder.” Whether you're on patrol, hunting that white-tailed buck or stripping wires to run electrical in the “she-shed,” the Commander does it all with ease. $269.85
Dynamis Alliance - Winkler Knives: Razorback, a staple in W.O.E.'s EDC.
Books-
A Man & His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them, Matt Hranek: Paul Newman wore his Rolex Daytona every single day for 35 years until his death in 2008. The iconic timepiece, probably the single most sought-after watch in the world, is now in the possession of his daughter Clea, who wears it every day in his memory. Franklin Roosevelt wore an elegant gold Tiffany watch, gifted to him by a friend on his birthday, to the famous Yalta Conference where he shook the hands of Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. JFK's Omega worn to his presidential inauguration, Ralph Lauren's watch purchased from Andy Warhol's personal collection, Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex worn during the first-ever summit of Mt. Everest . . . these and many more compose the stories of the world's most coveted watches captured in A Man and His Watch. Matthew Hranek, a watch collector and NYC men's style fixture, has traveled the world conducting firsthand interviews and diving into exclusive collections to gather the never-before-told stories of 76 watches, completed with stunning original photography of every single piece. $28.49
A Die Hard Christmas: A true story. All John McClane wants for Christmas is to reunite with his estranged family. But when his wife’s office holiday party turns into a deadly hostage situation, he has to save her life before he can get home in time for Christmas! The unconventional fan-favorite movie Die Hard is now an illustrated storybook- complete with machine guns, European terrorists, and a cop who’s forced to rely on all his cunning and skills (and the help of a fellow officer) to save the day. Based on the classic “Night Before Christmas” poem and filled with whimsical illustrations, this cleverly reimagined homage is destined to become a holiday classic.
Depth Charge, Jason Heaton: Julian “Tusker” Tusk, an American archaeologist, is excavating a shipwreck half a world from home when a research boat catches fire and sinks, killing an old friend. The tragedy sets in motion a dangerous quest for truth that pulls Tusker into a sinister plot spanning 75 years, from World War II Ceylon to modern day Sri Lanka. Along the way, he matches wits with a psychopathic mercenary, discovers a long lost ship with an explosive secret, and falls for a beautiful marine biologist who is at least as strong as he is. In the end, Tusker finds that the truth may lie at the bottom of the sea, with only one way back to the surface. Depth Charge is an old school thriller in the tradition of Fleming, Maclean, and Cussler, with an eye for detail, cunning villains, and narrow escapes. The story is full of wartime secrets, the intersection of religion and politics, and the arcane world of deep technical diving. It takes readers from the smoky halls of 1940s London to the volatile, seductive heat of Sri Lanka and sixty fathoms under the Indian Ocean. Try not to hold your breath. $14.39
Watch Annual: A book for watch lovers, by watch lovers. A reflection of 2022 in watches; celebrating the best of design and complication — and a reference for years to come. An honor for W.O.E. to be featured in the 2022 Watch Annual. Our submission was the Tudor Pelagos 39, in my opinion the best luxury tool watch from this year. £29.99
Selling the Crown: The Secret History of Marketing Rolex, Brendan Cunningham, PHD: During World War II, a new front opened in the battle between the Axis and Allied powers: propaganda. Little-known archival records reveal that in the postwar period, British veterans of covert warfare applied their experiences in a new arena: advertising. This is the inside story of those who marketed Rolex, one of the most valuable and secretive brands in world history. The company's reputation for luxury and exclusivity was built, in part, using the strategies and tactics that were sharpened through secretive global conflict.
Vickers Guide: The firearms and content in Vickers Guide have been sourced and curated by Larry Vickers – twenty year U.S. Army Special Operations veteran and combat marksmanship instructor, 1911 custom builder, and firearms industry consultant. Photography and publishing by James Rupley, who also happens to have taken most of the professional shots on Watches of Espionage. Starting at $98.00
Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed: You may have heard about the recent debut of the B-21 Raider. That stealth bomber is made by Northrop Grumman, they lost the contract to competitor Lockheed, which developed planes like the SR-71 and plenty more that only a few know about. Skunkworks is the secretive division of Lockheed that works on developing aircraft one step ahead of everyone else. This book is the best bit of insight on what happens inside Skunkworks. It’s a quick and fun read. Starting at $5.
Terminal List Series, Jack Carr: Applying the experience and emotions from real-world combat to the pages of his novels, Jack Carr brings unprecedented levels of authenticity to the political thriller, taking readers on a behind the scenes journey into the mind of a modern-day special operations soldier, dispensing an ancient form of justice in today’s modern geopolitical landscape. Some great watch content also!
First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, Toby Harnden: America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck, and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan - where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of Northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors: the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al-Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again.
The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB: A landmark collaboration between a thirty-year veteran of the CIA and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, The Main Enemy is the dramatic inside story of the CIA-KGB spy wars, told through the actions of the men who fought them.
Based on hundreds of interviews with operatives from both sides, The Main Enemy puts us inside the heads of CIA officers as they dodge surveillance and walk into violent ambushes in Moscow. This is the story of the generation of spies who came of age in the shadow of the Cuban missile crisis and rose through the ranks to run the CIA and KGB in the last days of the Cold War. The clandestine operations they masterminded took them from the sewers of Moscow to the back streets of Baghdad, from Cairo and Havana to Prague and Berlin, but the action centers on Washington, starting in the infamous "Year of the Spy"--when, one by one, the CIA’s agents in Moscow began to be killed, up through to the very last man.
Hot Sauce:
Tabasco: Tabasco is an American brand of hot sauce made from vinegar, tabasco peppers (Capsicum frutescens var. tabasco), and salt. It is produced by McIlhenny Company of Avery Island in south Louisiana, having been created over 150 years ago by Edmund McIlhenny.
Priceless.
*W.O.E. has received no financial compensation for the above products and these are NOT/NOT sponsored. Please do your own research before making any purchases.
