After 20 years of hard use in special operations and intelligence, a watch is never just a watch
Elliot Ackerman is a former Marine Infantry Officer, MARSOC Raider, and CIA Paramilitary Officer who later became a best-selling author. The one constant throughout Elliot’s incredible life of service was the Rolex Explorer II on his wrist.
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we sit down with Elliot to talk about the weathered Rolex he has used as a tool every day for twenty years. For a Raider turned intelligence officer, a watch is never just a watch.
Enjoy episode forty-five of W.O.E. TV.
Happy Hunting,
-W.O.E.
5 comments
As a life saving bargaining chip with locals a rolex generally with a monetary value of $10,000 might get you to safety more than a G-Shock or Casio.
While I sympathize and share the enthusiasm for quality timepieces, it isn’t because they do the job better than a G-shock. Early in my career I worked closely with (legendary) Marine Colonel (then Captain) George Bristol. George and I were usually going in different directions around the globe, on missions for the same classified unit. At the time there was usually a Seiko on my wrist. One day in the office we were talking about a mission where time was particularly critical. George said “if you have to know what time it is, you have to wear a G-Shock”. I’d never worn a Casio before but was aware they were issued. Since then, I’ve always worn a G-shock when I had to know what time it is. No mechanical timepiece is as accurate as the watch that updates automatically from WWV.
I have the Black Dial version.
A very underrated Tool Watch.
If keeping good time and being robust is the goal then I really don’t see why one would get a Rolex over a a solar shock-g or similar watch. Many threads on the forums of a Rolex falling off the bed stand table onto a hard floor causing the crystal to shatter and the watch stopping. Choosing the Rolex is purely for ego.
Outstanding video. That was my first Rolex, and I wish I had kept it. Please keep the awesome articles and videos coming!
5 comments
As a life saving bargaining chip with locals a rolex generally with a monetary value of $10,000 might get you to safety more than a G-Shock or Casio.
While I sympathize and share the enthusiasm for quality timepieces, it isn’t because they do the job better than a G-shock. Early in my career I worked closely with (legendary) Marine Colonel (then Captain) George Bristol. George and I were usually going in different directions around the globe, on missions for the same classified unit. At the time there was usually a Seiko on my wrist. One day in the office we were talking about a mission where time was particularly critical. George said “if you have to know what time it is, you have to wear a G-Shock”. I’d never worn a Casio before but was aware they were issued. Since then, I’ve always worn a G-shock when I had to know what time it is. No mechanical timepiece is as accurate as the watch that updates automatically from WWV.
I have the Black Dial version.
A very underrated Tool Watch.
If keeping good time and being robust is the goal then I really don’t see why one would get a Rolex over a a solar shock-g or similar watch. Many threads on the forums of a Rolex falling off the bed stand table onto a hard floor causing the crystal to shatter and the watch stopping. Choosing the Rolex is purely for ego.
Outstanding video. That was my first Rolex, and I wish I had kept it. Please keep the awesome articles and videos coming!