WOE Dispatch
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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Blackwater Breitling - The Story
Blackwater Breitling: Regardless of one's personal views on Blackwater and their impact on global events, one cannot properly recount the history of modern Intelligence and Special Operations without discussing Blackwater. In...
Blackwater Breitling - The Story
Blackwater Breitling: Regardless of one's personal views on Blackwater and their impact on global events, one cannot properly recount the history of modern Intelligence and Special Operations without discussing Blackwater. In the niche genre of military timepieces and Watches of Espionage this is an important story. Breitling developed this tool watch...
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Military Watch Straps - The Origin of the W.O.E...
W.O.E. Single Pass Z.A. Straps. At Watches of Espionage, our product development model is to partner with true professionals –masters of their craft– to develop distinct and highly functional products...
Military Watch Straps - The Origin of the W.O.E. Z.A. Strap
W.O.E. Single Pass Z.A. Straps. At Watches of Espionage, our product development model is to partner with true professionals –masters of their craft– to develop distinct and highly functional products that honor our community and our core belief that you should “use your tools.”
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Man O'War And The Horological Symbols That Insp...
by Cole Pennington A watch is just a watch–until we add meaning to it. Open up the Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, turn to the section on American warbirds...
Man O'War And The Horological Symbols That Inspire Us
by Cole Pennington A watch is just a watch–until we add meaning to it. Open up the Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, turn to the section on American warbirds and you’ll notice one plane is broken out under the heading “The P-51 Mustang: Perhaps the greatest fighter of them...
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Digital Watches of Espionage, The Role Watches ...
by J.R. Seeger For this week’s Dispatch, former senior CIA Case Officer J.R. Seeger writes about the role his watches played in the early days of the conflict in Afghanistan....
Digital Watches of Espionage, The Role Watches Played in the Early Days of the CIA's War in Afghanistan
by J.R. Seeger For this week’s Dispatch, former senior CIA Case Officer J.R. Seeger writes about the role his watches played in the early days of the conflict in Afghanistan. As Seeger outlines, watches are tools, and one should choose the best tool for the job. In the world of...
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Timepiece Crime and Traveling with Watches, Afr...
In this week's Dispatch, we continue our exploration of the massive uptick in watch-related crime and discuss traveling with watches. Africa Watch Loadout- Traveling with Watches See Part I, Criminal...
Timepiece Crime and Traveling with Watches, Africa Watch Loadout, Part II
In this week's Dispatch, we continue our exploration of the massive uptick in watch-related crime and discuss traveling with watches. Africa Watch Loadout- Traveling with Watches See Part I, Criminal Rolex Gangs and Traveling with Watches In early 2022 I planned a return trip to Africa–a continent where I’ve spent...
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Espionage Art & Vintage Watch Advertisements
W.O.E. Releases MACV-SOG Watch Print – Original Art by Watches of Espionage This week on the W.O.E. Dispatch, we examine the inspiration behind the new W.O.E. artwork and the link between...
Espionage Art & Vintage Watch Advertisements
W.O.E. Releases MACV-SOG Watch Print – Original Art by Watches of Espionage This week on the W.O.E. Dispatch, we examine the inspiration behind the new W.O.E. artwork and the link between comic book-style art and our community. MACV-SOG Watch Print #1: The first print is an artistic rendition of what an...
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Demystifying a North Korean State-Sponsored Lux...
By Cole Pennington For this edition of the W.O.E. Dispatch, Cole takes us to Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Kim Il-Sung wore a gold Omega Constellation (Photo...
Demystifying a North Korean State-Sponsored Luxury Wristwatch Awarded to High-Ranking Officials
By Cole Pennington For this edition of the W.O.E. Dispatch, Cole takes us to Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Kim Il-Sung wore a gold Omega Constellation (Photo Credit: Britannica) Product of the North Korean Politburo: The Kim Il-Sung Omega Even if it were a possibility, I would...
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