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. Whether it’s a Rolex GMT-Master II worn by an intelligence officer in Paris or a Timex Ironman on a Marine in Afghanistan, part of our Use Your Tools ethos is recognizing that watches also communicate, offering unique insights about the user. From world leaders to U.S. presidents, watch culture remains alive at the highest levels of government.

The W.O.E. community has discovered kindred spirits in unlikely places, including a photographer inside the White House who told us, “As a Sangin and Breitling owner, I love seeing the sketchy dudes, status chasers, and royalty and what they choose to wear in one of the most powerful rooms in the world.” The images in this Dispatch are snapshots of that world, close-up looks at the watches worn in the Oval Office. While President Trump has not been seen wearing a watch in his second term, those around him carry on the tradition, their wrists offering quiet signals in the West Wing.

Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff - General “Razin” Caine - Rolex GMT-Master II - 05 September 2025

General John Dan “Razin” Caine became the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in February 2025 and is a former F-16 pilot with 2,800 flight hours and two tours to Iraq to his name. In addition to his considerable experience in military aviation, Caine also served as the associate director for military affairs (ADMA) at the CIA from 2021 to 2024. One constant on Caine’s wrist since becoming Chairman has been his Rolex GMT-Master II, a watch with close ties to both the military and the Intelligence Community.

Worn alongside a class ring from Virginia Military Institute, Caine’s Rolex appears to be the reference 116710LN produced from 2007 to 2019, easily distinguishable by its all-black Cerachrom bezel. Demonstrating allegiance to the Use Your Tools ethos, the bracelet on Caine’s GMT is also well-worn. A former F-16 pilot who ascended to become the most senior military officer in the United States, we’ve heard Caine has an impressive collection, including a Breitling and Tudor Pelagos.

Crown Prince of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa - Titanium Rolex Yacht-Master - 16 July 2025

The eldest son of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has held various positions within the nation’s government, including serving as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force from 1999 to 2008. The Crown Prince visited the White House in July 2025 to meet with President Trump and announce the signing of a trade agreement between the two nations worth about $17B. 

On his wrist for the meeting was a Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium, easily one of the most challenging Rolex models on Earth to get your hands on, at least for non-royalty. Unveiled in 2023, the titanium Yacht-Master is the second titanium watch from Rolex after 2022’s 50mm-wide Deepsea Challenge. Spurred by media coverage and social media hype, the new Yacht-Master has been among the most challenging Rolex sports models to acquire. 

I handled a display model at Rolex’s boutique in Geneva, and when I said, “I’ll take it”, the otherwise prim and professional saleswoman chuckled. We have discussed the challenging Rolex buying experience in detail, but apparently, it helps to be a prince.

(Former) National Security Advisor Mike Waltz – Rolex “Hulk” Submariner - 11 February 2025

National Security Advisor for Donald Trump from January to May of 2025, Mike Waltz entered the White House with particularly close ties to the W.O.E. community, having served as a US Army Special Forces officer. With four bronze stars (including two for valor), Waltz is also a known Rolex man, owning at least two GMT-Master models as well as the “Hulk” Submariner he wore while meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. 

Just as the Tudor Submariner will be forever linked to the history of the SEAL Teams, Rolex’s relationship with Army SF was forged during the Vietnam War, where SF operators purchased and used models like the GMT-Master and Submariner. The Vietnam generation of Green Berets is highly influential for modern Special Forces, and Rolex eventually became a part of the culture. The adage that the three things a Special Forces man needs are “a star sapphire ring, a Randall knife, and a Rolex” is alive and well.

King of Jordan Abdullah II - Wood Watch - 11 February 2025

Ascending to the throne in 1999, King Abdullah II is often associated with his military service, having commanded the country’s special forces starting in 1994. Intriguingly, His Majesty is at least partially responsible for the creation of W.O.E., having given me a Breitling Aerospace with a gold Royal Crown of Jordan on the dial. When the King arrived at the White House in February 2025 to discuss the situation in Gaza, he wore a nondescript, Chinese-made wooden watch. 

Despite the Royal family's extensive relationship with Breitling and His Majesty’s penchant for wearing an uber-tactical MTM Black Falcon, the watch is likely a $50 model from Etsy or Amazon. Why would a king wear a $50 watch? It’s possible the watch was a gift or that the king simply prefers a less ostentatious approach, especially while traveling internationally for political purposes. 

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles - Rolex Datejust - 11 February 2025 

Also present for the 11 February meeting between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and President Trump was Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff. An experienced campaign manager and lobbyist, Wiles is the first woman to hold the position, having worked with President Trump since 2020, when she headed his campaign fundraising activities.

If there is one brand that seems to dominate proceedings among US political figures, it would likely be Rolex, with Wiles leaning into an older steel and gold Datejust. To quote an older Rolex marketing campaign: “Men Who Guide the Destinies of the World Wear Rolex Watches.” While an updated slogan would clearly require less gender-specific terminology, there is some truth to the statement even today. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba - Grand Seiko - 07 February 2025 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who came into office in 2024,  visited the White House in February to reaffirm Japan’s strong ties to the United States at the beginning of President Trump's second term. Our friend in the White House was quick to notice and photograph the Japanese PM’s watch, a Grand Seiko. Touted as Japan’s most luxurious watchmaker, Grand Seiko was born in 1960 within the broader Seiko collection before becoming fully independent in 2017. 

The PM’s watch is an SBGP009, a quartz model from the brand’s Heritage collection. Grand Seiko is what watch nerds like to call a “fully integrated vertical manufacture”, meaning the brand produces every component of its watches, including growing its own quartz crystals for the movements. For the Japanese PM to rock a Grand Seiko is likely in part a subtle show of national pride paired with an appreciation for timepieces. Very cool.

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff - Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Tourbillon Chronograph - 25 Aug 2025

Steve Witkoff is a lawyer and real estate investor who serves as the US Special Envoy to the Middle East. According to Forbes, Witkoff’s net worth is somewhere in the neighborhood of $2B, meaning his watch-buying abilities are likely more significant than those of certain other public servants working in the White House. During a 25 August meeting, Witkoff wore a seldom-seen Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Tourbillon Chronograph. 

Today associated with rappers, athletes, and actors, and primarily known for its Royal Oak collection, Audemars Piguet is not one for the broke boys. The Jules Audemars collection pays tribute to one of the brand’s founders, usually with dressier, more complicated watches. In the early 2000s, when this particular model was still in production, it would have been a serious billionaire flex. Even today, a pre-owned example will set you back $50k or more. 

FBI Director Kash Patel - Bremont S500 - 11 August 2025

Kash Patel took over as the director of the FBI on 25 February 2025.  When we covered Patel in his new role, we focused on his White House 46mm titanium Breitling Cockpit B50, one of several custom “unit watches” produced for White House staff during President Trump’s first term. However, in an 11 August meeting with President Trump and law enforcement agencies concerning the proposed federal takeover of Washington, DC, Patel wore a Bremont S500, a dive watch from a brand with close ties to the W.O.E. community.

While Breitling’s unit watch program appears to have waned in recent years, Bremont has been prolific in pairing with military and government organizations, having produced as many as 500 unit projects since 2009. It’s unclear whether Patel’s Bremont S500, the brand’s professional dive watch, is a unit-specific version related to any of Patel’s prior positions in NatSec and Intelligence, but in any case, it’s clear the new FBI director is at least a little bit of a watch guy. 

Director of National Intelligence - Tulsi Gabbard - 23 July 2023

A former member of the US House of Representatives from Hawaii’s second district, Tulsi Gabbard, was selected by Trump in early 2025 to serve as the Director of National Intelligence. Gabbard also has a military background, including service with the Hawaii National Guard with a deployment to Iraq. Today, Gabbard serves in the Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. In a 23 July 2025 press briefing, where Gabbard was sharing recently declassified intelligence, she wore what appears to be an inexpensive fashion watch masquerading as a gold chronograph. 

The culture of W.O.E. is strong in the military, NatSec, and government, but it appears there are still a few individuals who have yet to come into the fold. If anyone has Tulsi’s digits, we suggest starting with this Dispatch. 

Honorable Mentions 

Of course, many of the notable watches spotted in the White House are on the wrists of less prominent individuals, and they also deserve a closer look. Our friend noticed a special Breitling unit watch produced for HMX-1, the Marine Corps unit that flies the Presidential helicopters. With some 40 assigned aircraft, it’s a relatively large and unheralded unit often overshadowed by Air Force One. Modern Breitling unit watches are rarer than they once were, and this one is sweet. We’d be interested to know more about the person wearing it. 

Where most of the brands in this article represent the heights of Swiss and Japanese luxury, at least one more modest microbrand is also making the rounds in the West Wing on the wrists of US Secret Service agents. This custom Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT was produced for the USSS starting in 2023.

Watch culture among USSS agents is strong, with special agents also having access to the coveted Omega Seamaster Unit Watch and a Tudor Pelagos LHD for members of the elite Counter Assault Team (CAT). 

Final Thoughts

These images demonstrate once again the power of watches in our community, serving as tools of communication, timekeeping, heritage, and influence. From a king’s surprising $50 wooden watch to a billionaire’s AP tourbillon, a Rolex representing the legacy of Special Forces to a Grand Seiko subtly showing national pride, the watches worn by world leaders tell stories every bit as revealing as their words and deeds. At W.O.E., we will continue to identify, discuss, and analyze the watches worn by influential individuals, because whether in the West Wing or the field, a watch is never just a watch.

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