Revealing Watchmakers with Close Ties to the W.O.E. Community
From Tudor Submariners worn in the jungles of Vietnam to Casio G-Shocks and Seikos used as tools in the Global War on Terror and beyond, certain watch brands have stronger connections to the military than others. So much of what you see out there is for marketing’s sake that it’s hard to know which brands you can trust for watches well suited to the Use Your Tools ethos. Luckily, we are here to help.
In this new video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we reveal ten watchmakers with close ties to the W.O.E. community, highlighting some of the biggest names in the business as well as a few smaller brands you need to know.
Enjoy episode thirty-three of W.O.E. TV.
Happy Hunting,
-W.O.E.
11 comments
Still love my Rolex, quality is expensive.
Bravo thank you to all the watchmakers out there and the man and ladies that wear them.to protect are beautiful america.peace be with you 🙏❤️
My father was a military policeman back in WW2 and he was wore his Timex luminous glow in the dark watch.i could Walk in his bed room and tell just wear he laid his watch ⌚ on hi night stand.
Carry on 🙏🇺🇸
Another top notch article. I would like to here your thoughts on the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association watch under Use your tools
Bravo WOE! You hit the nail on the head. Rolex abandoned their purpose built tool watch identity for real professionals and ventured off into the ultra luxury for complete dickbags using them as flex culture status symbols. The turning point was right when they stopped piercing lugs on dive watches. The Sub was originally intended for professional divers and the GMT Master was built for commercial pilots, but if you are one these two you have to put your name on a phony list that reprioritizes based on how much money is spent on other watches you don’t want or jewelry you don’t need. You may get also get some preference with the AD if you pimp your wife for sexual favors or share your 8-ball of coke. No self respecting consumer goes through that for a stupid watch, except people that don’t like watches in the first place. Omega is owned by Swatch Group. They are by far the most hostile to consumers and independent watch makers by cutting off parts ETA and other proprietary caliber parts and designing movements that can only be serviced in-house. They don’t want you to choose who works on your watch because they think they own it. The Swiss watch industry in general is hostile to US independent watchmaker by controlling half of our watchmaker schools and downgrading half of those from full curriculum watchmaker schools where a student has to build their own “school watch” by fabricating the plate, bridge, and stem themselves, to a customer service course that relegates the watchmaker to a brand specific parts orderer and swapper. They downgraded our curriculum while maintaining full curriculum in other schools worldwide. You mentioned Tudor and rightly so as they are carrying the torch for tool watch enthusiasts despite these hostilities. I’ve recently noticed Seiko has completely abandoned their market share of entry level automatics. They discontinued SKX and most of the frugal SNKs and downgraded some of their dive watches with less water resistance, no longer having screw down crowns, and raised the price. This is likely because the Chinese microbrands have moved in and improved by leaps and bounds over the last 10 years. You can now get discontinued Seiko homages on Aliexpress for less than $100 with the same Seiko NH series caliber, regulated better than Seiko ever did from the factory, sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel, solid steel screw link bracelets, and slide locking clasp. If you think China makes cheap crap you are either basing that on old information or you simply have your head in the sand. I like that you mentioned Citizen. Citizen is a virtuous brand. I’ve realized they are the most no nonsense frugal manufacture of calibers. The 8000 series is right on par with durable low beat Seiko calibers. They also have the 9000 series which is high beat (28800 vph), durable, affordable, and can be in house or DIY regulated within +/-5 seconds accuracy. They brought the TRUE GMT 9075 to masses with affordability and accessibility through microbrands. They also have the LJP G100 for higher end performance that laughs at Swiss top grade calibers. But what tickles me the most is their support to disabled veterans aspiring to be watchmakers. They fund the Veterans Watchmakers Initiative (VWI) through subsidies and using them as a Bulova service center. Take a look at their recent reissued Caravelle Sea Hunter (Devil Diver). This watch, much like Seiko 6105 CPT Willard and Slim Willard, was a R&R watch or PX watch favored by GIs in Vietnam. I believe the reissued Devil Diver will be the new Seiko SKX.
TBD on the coffee table book, we are working on it now but taking a lot of time to get right!