WOE Dispatch
Remembering the Legacy of Billy Waugh Through H...
Former CIA Paramilitary Officer Billy Waugh passed away at the age of 93 exactly one week ago; but we don’t mourn his death–instead we celebrate his incredible life of service...
Remembering the Legacy of Billy Waugh Through His Watches
Former CIA Paramilitary Officer Billy Waugh passed away at the age of 93 exactly one week ago; but we don’t mourn his death–instead we celebrate his incredible life of service in the best way we know how–through his timepieces. William “Billy” Waugh is the Forest Gump of CIA and Special...
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Tudors of Espionage (T.O.E.s)
The Shield Protects the Crown: W.O.E. is a watch snob–or at least I was. For years, I looked down on Tudor as an inferior tool watch existing in the shadow...
Tudors of Espionage (T.O.E.s)
The Shield Protects the Crown: W.O.E. is a watch snob–or at least I was. For years, I looked down on Tudor as an inferior tool watch existing in the shadow of its big brother Rolex. I never understood why someone with a Rolex would purchase a Tudor. After all, Tudor...
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Trading a Rolex to Get out of a Sticky Situatio...
The "Escape and Evasion" Rolex The final requirement to be certified as a CIA Case Officer (C/O) is to pass the certification course at a classified government training center commonly...
Trading a Rolex to Get out of a Sticky Situation - Myth or Reality?
The "Escape and Evasion" Rolex The final requirement to be certified as a CIA Case Officer (C/O) is to pass the certification course at a classified government training center commonly referred to as “the Farm.” Students learn the tradecraft to clandestinely recruit and handle assets. The entire learning process is...
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Bond: A Case for Omega
This Dispatch is a counter argument to the previous Dispatch “James Bond Should Wear a Rolex” To those familiar with modern fiction, the inclusion of extreme detail for items such...
Bond: A Case for Omega
This Dispatch is a counter argument to the previous Dispatch “James Bond Should Wear a Rolex” To those familiar with modern fiction, the inclusion of extreme detail for items such as the tools of the hero’s trade are incredibly common, but rarely to the extent found in Ian Fleming’s text...
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Jordanian Breitling: The Gift From A King That ...
At its core, the Breitling Aerospace is a functional tool watch. The dual digital screens of the chronometer-certified "SuperQuartz" have practical features including a digital chronograph, second time zone, day...
Jordanian Breitling: The Gift From A King That Spawned A CIA Case Officer's Love Of Timepieces
At its core, the Breitling Aerospace is a functional tool watch. The dual digital screens of the chronometer-certified "SuperQuartz" have practical features including a digital chronograph, second time zone, day and date, alarm, and countdown timer. In the intelligence business, these would be useful features for conducting clandestine operations where...
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Leather Straps by W.O.E. - The Story
There are a few accessories that every watch owner needs, and a durable two-piece leather strap is one of them. So we went out and designed our own using the...
Leather Straps by W.O.E. - The Story
There are a few accessories that every watch owner needs, and a durable two-piece leather strap is one of them. So we went out and designed our own using the best craftsmen in America. The Jedburgh is a two piece English Bridle Leather Strap and the Desert Night Camouflage (DNC) is a...
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The History Of Casio G-Shocks And The US Military
Forty years have passed since the introduction of the Casio G-Shock in 1983. And while the basic formula behind the world’s most durable watch has remained largely unchanged since the...
The History Of Casio G-Shocks And The US Military
Forty years have passed since the introduction of the Casio G-Shock in 1983. And while the basic formula behind the world’s most durable watch has remained largely unchanged since the legendary DW-5000C first hit store shelves, the world of warfare and the United States Military in particular have made significant...
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Glorious Amateurs: The Watch Worn by the OSS an...
Readers of thrillers set in World War II and even some non-fiction histories of the OSS and SOE could easily assume the kit of these “special forces” operators was highly...
Glorious Amateurs: The Watch Worn by the OSS and SOE
Readers of thrillers set in World War II and even some non-fiction histories of the OSS and SOE could easily assume the kit of these “special forces” operators was highly specialized and the result of great care and curation in OSS and SOE headquarters. The reality was that early in...
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CIA Analysis of Foreign Leaders’ Timepieces
A foreign leader's timepiece can play a part in informing the profile and psychological assessment of the given leader, and when it comes to analysis, just having a piece of the puzzle...
CIA Analysis of Foreign Leaders’ Timepieces
A foreign leader's timepiece can play a part in informing the profile and psychological assessment of the given leader, and when it comes to analysis, just having a piece of the puzzle helps – a watch might be significant or might not be.
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Marathon, Watch Maker for the Modern Military
We often assign greater value to watches that were issued to soldiers in days gone by, like the Rolex MilSub of the ‘80s, Marine National Tudor Submariners from the ‘60s,...
Marathon, Watch Maker for the Modern Military
We often assign greater value to watches that were issued to soldiers in days gone by, like the Rolex MilSub of the ‘80s, Marine National Tudor Submariners from the ‘60s, or the Omega SM300 examples ordered by the British Ministry of Defence during the same era. There’s something fascinating about...
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A Navy SEAL’s Rolex Submariner on the Osama Bin...
Over the past decade, just about every detail of Operation Neptune Spear, the Navy SEAL raid that brought Usama bin Laden to justice, has been recounted. The service members involved,...
A Navy SEAL’s Rolex Submariner on the Osama Bin Laden Raid
Over the past decade, just about every detail of Operation Neptune Spear, the Navy SEAL raid that brought Usama bin Laden to justice, has been recounted. The service members involved, the elusive stealth Black Hawk helicopters, the quad NODs, have all become objects of intrigue and some have risen to...
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Forget Bond, A Real CIA Spy Seiko Watch
In the 1970s, CIA Technical Officers modified a digital Seiko to conceal a Tropel T-100 camera inside. The purpose of the watch-turned-espionage-tool was to allow a recruited agent to surreptitiously...
Forget Bond, A Real CIA Spy Seiko Watch
In the 1970s, CIA Technical Officers modified a digital Seiko to conceal a Tropel T-100 camera inside. The purpose of the watch-turned-espionage-tool was to allow a recruited agent to surreptitiously photograph classified documents in their place of work and deliver them to CIA. The camera was so quiet that it...
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Prince Harry The Military Watch Enthusiast
Prince Harry has worn at least four watches with strong military ties: a Pulsar G10, Rolex Explorer II, custom Breitling Aerospace Avantage, and even a Casio G-Shock.
Prince Harry The Military Watch Enthusiast
Prince Harry has worn at least four watches with strong military ties: a Pulsar G10, Rolex Explorer II, custom Breitling Aerospace Avantage, and even a Casio G-Shock.
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James Bond Should Wear a Rolex
You don’t mess with tradition. It’s a critical piece of culture, particularly in the Intelligence and Special Operations communities, and serves as a reminder of those who have come before...
James Bond Should Wear a Rolex
You don’t mess with tradition. It’s a critical piece of culture, particularly in the Intelligence and Special Operations communities, and serves as a reminder of those who have come before us, and those who will come after us—that we’re all tied together. We’re all part of the same mission.
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Ask Watches of Espionage Anything, Part I
In this edition of the Dispatch, we address some common questions we get about W.O.E with an in-depth response. Many of these responses can even serve as standalone stories– and...
Ask Watches of Espionage Anything, Part I
In this edition of the Dispatch, we address some common questions we get about W.O.E with an in-depth response. Many of these responses can even serve as standalone stories– and probably will at some point, but for now, here’s some additional insight on Watches of Espionage. READ PART II HERE...
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The Lasting Legacy of the CIA’s Lockheed A-12 a...
In 1957 Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the leader of aircraft manufacturer Lockheed’s Advanced Development program dubbed Skunk Works, knew satellites would make reconnaissance aircraft obsolete in the near future. It was...
The Lasting Legacy of the CIA’s Lockheed A-12 and the Watch That Served It
In 1957 Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the leader of aircraft manufacturer Lockheed’s Advanced Development program dubbed Skunk Works, knew satellites would make reconnaissance aircraft obsolete in the near future. It was determined that the U-2 spy plane, which Johnson had worked on, had a radar cross section that was simply too...
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The Pragmatic Journey of a SEAL Through Watch C...
By Benjamin Lowry One thousand yards of open ocean undulated gently between US Navy SEAL David Hall and the dim lights of the Haitian shoreline. Wearing little more than woodland...
The Pragmatic Journey of a SEAL Through Watch Collecting
By Benjamin Lowry One thousand yards of open ocean undulated gently between US Navy SEAL David Hall and the dim lights of the Haitian shoreline. Wearing little more than woodland cammies, a Boonie hat, and a modified hunting life jacket, Hall glanced at the luminescent display of his Luminox watch...
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W.O.E. Holiday Gift Guide, 2022
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...
W.O.E. Holiday Gift Guide, 2022
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...
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