“Terrific” Trump Watches, Rolex Submariner Secrets, Shark Tank Tudors, & More Watch-Related Crime By Benjamin Lowry Last month, we tested a new Dispatch format offering a brief overview of notable watch industry news as well as a discussion of current events either directly or tangentially related to our community. Given the positive feedback on our first run, each month I will provide a brief overview of watch-related news and current events pertaining to our community, all paired with our commentary. As a disclaimer, our monthly Watch Industry SITREP (Situation Report) will never include vapid reporting about which Patek Philippe model Zac Efron pairs with his chiseled abs or what brands have paid to be included in this year’s Fashion Week. Most celebrity endorsements are sponsored anyway, and we frankly don’t care (unless it’s Daniel Craig). To quote Thomas Jefferson, “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” While that is probably overstating the value of this watch and espionage-oriented platform, suffice it to say that knowledge is power and you don’t want to be caught sleeping on the big news at your next local watch meetup. That said, here are some notable watch industry events from this past month coupled with our commentary, starting with the recent unveiling of 45th President Donald J Trump’s very own collection of “luxury” watches. “That’s A Lot Of Diamonds. I Love Gold, I Love Diamonds” - Donald Trump Watches If you like gold and diamonds, which Trump says “everyone does”, the Victory Tourbillon could be for you. Bottom line up front, W.O.E. is an apolitical platform, but now and then, political figures cross over into our horological world and—as is the case here—require closer examination. Yesterday, Donald J. Trump revealed a new collection of watches headlined by a solid gold “Victory Tourbillon” that will set you back a cool $100k. If that’s out of your price range, there’s also the “Fighter”, sometimes also called the “Fight Fight Fight”, a dive-inspired model that presents a more reasonable $500 price point while still being equipped with an automatic Seiko movement. But as silly as they are, the watches, which are pre-order only for now, are not the news here. As always, Trump himself is the hook. Trump’s “Fighter” model will set you back a cool $499. In what feels almost like a parody or an AI deep fake, the website, GetTrumpWatches, is led by an embedded video that is the stuff of dreams. In the video, Trump introduces himself as your favorite president, proclaims that he is doing “quite a number with watches”, and that, “the quality to me is very important”. Describing the Victory Tourbillon by saying “This isn’t just any watch, it’s one of the best watches made” before launching into the number of grams of gold and the number of diamonds used in the Victory’s eye-watering six-figure design. No matter where you stand politically, watch enthusiasts must unite to enjoy this incredible minute or so of content. If you thought the front of the “Fight Fight Fight” was amazing, the back is even more terrific, though it does say the watch is rated to 200 meters where the specs indicate 100 meters. I digress. Further, the watches do not appear to be making America great again, with the FAQ section indicating the watches are made from “premium, Swiss-Made materials”, whatever that means, and saying proceeds from the watches do not support the former president’s campaign. Instead, the watches—whose country of origin is unclear—are a product of a licensing deal with TheBestWatchesonEarth LLC. With watch-specific and mainstream media eating these watches up—ourselves included—it’s difficult to fault Trump’s ability to remain at the forefront of the public eye. NFL Player Shot But Survives Attempted Rolex Robbery In San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Rocky Pearsall after being shot in an attempted Rolex robbery in San Francisco. In our last SITREP, we discussed watch-related crime including a still-at-large NYC man who placed victims in chokeholds before relieving them of their watches. It gets worse. Days later, on August 31st, San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall was shot in an attempted robbery of his Rolex on the streets of the troubled city that is San Francisco in 2024. According to local news, a teenager spotted the Rolex on the 6’1” 192-pound first-round draft pick, brandished a firearm, and demanded the watch. A struggle ensued in which both Pearsall and his assailant were both shot, but the wide receiver kept his watch, which appears to be a Rolex Datejust, proudly wearing it on the sidelines only two weeks later. Pearshall wearing his nearly-stolen Rolex Datejust on the sidelines only a couple of weeks after the attempted robbery. At W.O.E., we shy away from telling people how to live their lives but have discussed how to safely travel with a watch in great detail (read HERE). Your experience may vary, but suffice to say SF is not the place for flexing your luxury watch collection. Hammer-Wielding Smash & Grab At Pentagon City Mall Broken glass litters the scene around the Pentagon City Mall Tourneau | Bucherer. In further crime news, a Tourneau | Bucherer boutique close by the Pentagon was the subject of a smash-and-grab robbery back on September 1st, when three teens allegedly used hammers to smash into display cases inside the watch boutique. According to police, the sound of the breaking windows was enough to make multiple eyewitnesses report a shooting had taken place, leading to a full lockdown of the shopping center for about an hour. Whether specifically targeting watches or other industry pillars including Louis Vuitton, the luxury industry has been plagued by similar robberies in recent years.  Tourneau, which dates back to 1900, was acquired by Bucherer, one of Europe’s largest watch retailers, in 2018. In some of the most surprising watch news in years, Rolex SA then purchased Bucherer in 2023, presumably to have greater control over its supply chain, secondary market, and customer experience. For luxury boutiques, often “protected” by unarmed security professionals unwilling to engage in fisticuffs with hammer-wielding assailants, the smash-and-grab methodology is challenging to counter, with similar robberies targeting watch retailers taking place in Newport Beach, California, Ellis​​ville, Missouri, Washington, D.C., and Concord, North Carolina in the past year. That said, with most of the watches on display being “Exhibition Only,” they will likely be disappointed with the loot. A Rolex Submariner Book Full Of Revelations Long shrouded in secrecy, a new book developed with Rolex shares untold history and details about history’s most popular watch. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) As one of the world’s most secretive brands, Rolex is not known for sharing, making the recent unveiling of a book entitled Oyster Perpetual Submariner—The Watch That Unlocked The Deep all the more surprising. A co-venture between watch industry historian Nicholas Foulkes and the Crown itself, the book peels back the layers on several aspects that have long been speculated among Rolex enthusiasts in the darkest corners of internet watch fora. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) First and foremost, and in a move that led to numerous pearl-clutching gasps among Rolex diehards, the brand formally provided production numbers for each and every Rolex Submariner reference ever made. For collectors, this is huge, providing concrete data for any argument about how rare a particular reference is or isn’t. We’ve never seen a move like this from Rolex before, and perhaps the book indicates a changing tide for a luxury icon that is quite possibly as secretive as any respected intelligence agency. Beyond the production numbers, a detailed history is provided for the Sub’s close relationship to the Explorer, former names considered by the Crown before landing on “Submariner” and plenty of other historical gems. The book formally launches in French and English on October 1st and rest assured, we will have more to say about the text in due course. A Custom Tudor Black Bay 925 For The Shark Tank Cast Known for wearing red straps with the watches in his luxurious and ostentatious collection, Kevin O’Leary is the resident watch enthusiast on Shark Tank, the popular entrepreneurial reality show that just wrapped shooting for its sixteenth season. To celebrate the 24 team members who have been with the show since the pilot, O’Leary purchased 24 of a custom version of the silver Black Bay 925 with a Shark Tank logo on the dial as well as the name of the recipient and “One great idea can change your life forever” engraved on the exhibition caseback.  Within the watch collecting hobby, so-called “unit watches” are one of our favorite aspects, with Tudors Of Espionage (T.O.E.) playing a not insignificant role in our admiration for these customized timepieces. That said, these particular iterations come off more than a little bit corny. Further, the accompanying attempt at virality—a short video entitled Gifting 24 Custom Shark TankTudor Watches—feels like engagement-thirsty virtue signaling of the highest order when the project could have easily been more subtle. We’ll have to see where aftermarket pricing for these goes when someone inevitably sells one… Final Thoughts Whether it’s a solid gold tourbillon from none other than Donald Trump, an NFL player fending off a would-be Rolex thief and getting shot in the process, or the chamber of secrets that is modern Rolex letting just a little bit of light in with a new Submariner book, September didn’t disappoint when it comes to watch-related news. If you guys enjoyed this format and our commentary, please let us know. If you come across great stories as the next month progresses, be sure to share those as well. As a whole, the watch industry is often guilty of taking itself too seriously. With this monthly column, we aim to share some relevant events you might actually care about while also just maybe having a good time in the process. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our free weekly newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Watch Industry SITREP - August 2024 *As a disclaimer, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. When you click on links to various books in our articles and make a purchase, this can result in Watches of Espionage earning a commission. If you’re interested in these books and want to make a purchase using these links, we appreciate your support.

How Z.A. Straps & W.O.E. Developed A Strap For The Commando Hubert’s Tudor Unit Watches In the Watches of Espionage space, the Tudor Pelagos FXD reigns supreme as the apex predator of dive watches. Developed in partnership with the Commando Hubert Combat Swimmers, the French equivalent to the US Navy SEALs, the FXD is an unapologetic tool watch with legible snowflake hands, a purpose-designed bezel, and fixed lugs. We have discussed Tudor’s extensive relationship with the military and intelligence community and the FXD is the latest example of the over seven-decade-long partnership.  A Commando Hubert operator tests a prototype of the Commando Strap on a training dive. The Commando Strap Earlier this year we were approached by an intermediary with a unique requirement: the French Commando Hubert Combat Swimmers wanted to design a strap for their FXDs. The request was simple. The operators required a practical dive strap that honored the legacy of the past, when the French Navy used parachute webbing to fashion in-field made straps for their Tudor MilSubs. The elastic strap would be used in the field and underwater on their “two line” Pelagos FXDs, as well as a commemorative watch that remains confidential. We immediately said yes and called our friends at Z.A. Straps in the United Kingdom when we set about prototyping and field testing the strap based on feedback and requirements from the Combat Swimmers. The result is The Commando Strap, a sterile strap constructed with UK-produced elastic webbing and a unique French Rapco buckle system specifically requested by the operators. With Commando Hubert’s support, we are pleased to offer a version of this strap to the community, which is available HERE. A Tudor Pelagos FXD on a prototype Commando Strap made from vintage parachute elastic webbing. (Photo Credit: Z.A. Straps) The Marine Nationale & Tudor Partnership - A History Lesson In our community, heritage matters. The Commando Hubert Strap is heavily inspired by the longstanding relationship between Tudor and the French Navy, known as the Marine Nationale. This partnership, officially announced on May 4th, 2021 with the launch of the Pelagos FXD, celebrated nearly seven decades of collaboration. The origins of this relationship date back to 1956 when Tudor first supplied the Submariners to the Marine Nationale for field testing by their elite divers. These early watches, including the famed references 7922 and 7923, were lauded for their precision and water resistance. Over the next few decades, Tudor continually refined its designs to meet the exacting standards of naval operations. Notably, in 1958, the introduction of the reference 7924, or "Big Crown," marked a significant advancement with its new case and enhanced water resistance up to 200 meters. The evolution continued with the 7928 model, which introduced protective shoulders around the crown, a critical design enhancement for underwater activities. A Marine Nationale diver wearing a "Big Crown" Submariner in the late 1950s. The adaptation reached a pinnacle in the late 1960s with the debut of the "Snowflake" Submariners, designed specifically for improved visibility in murky underwater environments. These models featured Snowflake hands and later “Mercedes” hands and continued to be issued through various iterations until the mid-1990s. They have become both collectible and iconic in the world of dive and military watches. Marine Nationale Pelagos FXD “Two-Line” Pelagos FXD on a special dive strap used to connect swimming pairs. The original blue Pelagos FXD was developed in partnership with the French Commando Hubert, featuring a bidirectional countdown bezel, strap slots cut into the titanium case, and a specialized dive strap with a D-ring to connect swimming pairs. The blue dial and bezel were practical choices for underwater visibility but also a nod to the blue snowflake Marine Nationale-issued watches of the 1970s.  The main difference between the civilian and French SOF versions is the limited “two line” text on the dial of the unit versions and the unit versions are available in an LHD, or left-hand drive format.  Of note, these watches are not issued, but purchased by each operator individually. Commando Hubert Marine Nationale FXD paired with a Commando strap prototype. To mark the 100th graduation of the French Navy’s Diving School, Commando Hubert commissioned 100 Tudor watches outfitted with a special version of the Commando Strap produced using vintage material. Each of these straps is crafted from historical new old stock parachute webbing and presented in a box designed to mimic the look of a rebreather unit, paying homage to the diving equipment used by the Marine Nationale both then and now. Development Of The Commando Strap The Commando Strap utilizes a reproduction webbing and a special quick-release buckle made in France. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) The unit expressed a need for a durable strap that incorporated a robust buckle system capable of quick release, crucial for the high-stakes scenarios faced by navy divers. A French-made buckle leveraged for other gear items by French SOF became central to the design. Used in a number of applications by French SOF, these buckles were the perfect utilitarian way to fasten the new straps while offering quick-release functionality. The buckles, sourced directly from France as directed by the Commanding Officer of Commando Hubert, are very secure and have been tried and tested for many years in arduous environments. They are extremely dependable but will chip and patina with use, creating a unique and worn look. The open gate slider buckle that allows the Commando Strap to be used with fixed lugs was also sourced from the UK and executed in stainless steel at the Commando Hubert’s request. The Commando Hubert requested we source a specific French-made buckle familiar to the unit from their load-bearing equipment. The development process involved extensive prototyping to ensure the strap could be seamlessly affixed to watches with fixed lug bars, such as the Pelagos FXD, and adjustable so that they can be extended to fit over wetsuits for operations and training. The Commando Strap was rigorously field-tested by divers in extreme conditions to guarantee its long-term performance. Similar to the vintage straps used by the Marine Nationale, the Commando Strap is 21mm in width, capable of working well with both 20mm and 22mm lugs as well as fixed lugs without looking out of place. 21mm is the width of the traditional parachute straps. A diver from the Commando Hubert tests a prototype of the Commando Strap on his two-line Tudor Pelagos FXD. Aesthetic Appeal The Commando strap features elastic parachute webbing paired with French-made buckles, joined in a design that is both historically rich and functionally superior. The strap’s registered design system allows for easy adjustment and secure fastening, crucial for maintaining performance in the unpredictable environments encountered by military divers. The aesthetic of the strap complements the rugged functionality with a nod to its historical origins. Two versions of the strap were made, one with vintage French Navy parachute webbing and a reproduction version using new custom elastic webbing produced in the UK. The Commando Strap available now is constructed with reproduction webbing while a highly-limited drop utilizing vintage French parachute webbing will be announced at a later date. A diver from the Commando Hubert during prototyping for the Commando Strap. The webbing for the regular production straps was replicated meticulously by Darren at Z.A. Straps in collaboration with a UK-based mill, ensuring that each piece is a faithful homage to the original material used by the French Navy. A Rich Legacy The Commando Hubert Strap is set to become a true collectible item among collectors and enthusiasts alike, bridging the gap between the past and the present, and forging a new chapter in the storied history of military use of wristwatches. Beyond its historical value, the strap is an embodiment of the “Use Your Tools” ethos, designed from the ground up in collaboration with elite military divers to create a useful tool to pair with any capable watch. The Commando Strap is made from UK-made reproduction webbing. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) The Commando Strap is more than an accessory—it is a piece of history crafted into a form that meets the modern-day demands of navy divers. As this strap wraps around the wrists of today's adventurers, it carries with it the legacy of innovation, a spirit of endurance, and a continuous commitment to excellence. This strap is not just a part of a watch; it is a vital instrument for those who believe in using their tools and honoring the legacy of those who came before us. BUY HERE: Z.A. Straps x W.O.E. Commando Strap If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.

Affordable Yet Capable Digital Watches Favored By SEALs, Special Forces, & Intelligence Officers It’s hard to believe we’re already on our third video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel. There’s been a steep learning curve in adapting to the new platform, but the response has been surprising and humbling. THANK YOU for your support and stay tuned. We have a lot of great stuff in the pipeline. While W.O.E. often focuses on analog mechanical tool watches, the reality today is that the majority of special operators utilize affordable digital watches including the G-Shock, which has also been widely issued across the US Military in particular. Our third video provides an in-depth look at G-Shock, affordable digital watches from Japan that have earned a place on the wrists of elite military operators and intelligence officers since the 1980s. Whether you’re a seasoned luxury watch snob or a G-Shock fanboy, you can’t argue with the utility and unmatched durability offered by even the most inexpensive G-Shock models. -W.O.E.

Share Your Military-Issued Watches, Custom Unit Projects, & Operationally Worn Watches To Be Included In Our Upcoming Book We have big news. Watches of Espionage is in the early stages of working on a coffee table book that will offer a closer look at some of your favorite stories from the Dispatch as well as completely new content, all supported by brand-new professional photography from our regular photographic contributor and publisher, James Rupley. A US Navy UDT-issue Tudor Submariner 7928 from W.O.E.'s personal collection. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) As always, everything we do is for, with, and through the community. Our book will be no different, and we are looking for individuals with interesting watches to feature in our first printed publication. If you’re in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area or willing to travel there and have an interesting watch you wore operationally in the military, special operations, or intelligence, we’d love to hear from you. Here’s what we’re looking for: Military-issued watches. Unit watches i.e. custom Tudor, Omega, Bremont, Breitling, etc… Mechanical timepieces that were worn in an operational capacity. If any of these apply to any of the watches in your collection, please let us know by completing this brief survey HERE. As always, thank you for your support. -W.O.E.

Ukrainian Intelligence Services used smartwatch data to assassinate a Russian naval commander during his morning jog. The US Army released a Counterintelligence warning to the US Military. Last week, the US Army issued a warning to Department of Defense (DOD) personnel on the counterintelligence (CI) risks of smartwatches with a social media campaign entitled, “What’s wrong with this picture?” with a photo of a soldier typing on a computer wearing an Apple Watch. It reads: “Smartwatches can transmit sensitive information. Don’t be an insider threat - Think before you use a smartwatch in the field or on deployment.” If you are a regular reader of W.O.E., this should come as no surprise. We have written about “CIA Officers and Apple Watches” (Read HERE) including the 2017 Strava fitness app heatmaps and threats from “Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance” or UTS—the collection and long-term storage of data to analyze and connect individuals with other people, activities, and organizations. The campaign appears to highlight hostile services leveraging smartwatches to access computer networks as well as the sensitivities of wearing them “in the field.” A former Russian submariner commander, Stanislav Rzhitsky was killed after assailants learned his movements from the Strava fitness app. Smartwatch Assassination As a real-world example of a hostile service leveraging smartwatch data to enable a kinetic operation, in June 2023, Russian submarine commander Stanislav Rzhitsky was shot to death while on an early morning jog in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar.  According to Russian state-owned media, the assailant reportedly used Strava fitness tracker data to carry out the attack. Surprisingly, Rzhitsky maintained a public profile with the fitness tracker Strava tied to his real name, using data from his GPS-enabled Garmin Fenix 6X smartwatch to catalog running and cycling routes which regularly passed through a park where an unknown assailant ultimately shot him. The profile even contained publicly accessible pictures of Rzhitsky before and after workouts and even his shoe type, providing a valuable resource to the assassin for positive identification. While Ukrainian services denied involvement in the hit, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence did make a suspiciously detailed statement over Telegram shortly after the assassination: “The submariner was jogging in the ’30th Anniversary of Victory’ park in Krasnodar. Around 6 a.m., he was shot seven times with a Makarov pistol. As a result of the gunshot wounds, Rzhitsky died on the spot, Due to heavy rain, the park was deserted, so there were no witnesses who could provide details or identify the attacker.” According to press reporting, Rzhitsky was followed on his morning run by an individual on a bike into the 30th Anniversary of Victory Park. He was killed in a secluded area of the park in the early morning hours. Rzhitsky’s Garmin Fenix smartwatch was recovered at the scene. The submarine Krasnodar—commanded by Rzhitsky—was allegedly responsible for a 2022 missile strike killing Ukrainian civilians. (Photo Credit: USNI) If the attack was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence, the motive likely stems from a missile attack on the city of Vinnytsia in July 2022, which killed 28 people, including three children. Ukrainian media indicated the missiles were fired by a submarine called the Krasnodar which Rzhitsky commanded at the time. Of course, we have to be skeptical of all narratives from the Russian and Ukrainian press given the covert influence in this conflict. (Photo Credit: Strava) US Military & Smartwatches In recent years, there has been an explosion of US uniformed personnel wearing Apple Watches and other “wearables,” with many servicemen purchasing them on the open market and wearing them while in uniform. The health and physical fitness benefits are legitimate and can result in a more effective warfighter. The DOD has even gone as far as to issue Garmin Fenix 6S and other smartwatches in an “effort to help future leaders be better, faster.” (Ironically, this is the same watch worn by the Russian commander.) But the risks are real and according to an Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) bulletin from June 2023, service members across the military received unsolicited smartwatches in the mail, devices that auto-connected to wifi and other nearby devices. According to the report, the devices included malware that “accesses both voice and cameras, enabling actors to access conversations and accounts tied to smartwatches.” A report from Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, suggests that the accelerometer data that tracks the movement of your wrist can be analyzed to determine passwords and credit card numbers. June 2023 Army CID Bulletin New Apple Watch Series 10 The timing of the more recent statement is fortuitous. Apple just unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10 the same week, on the 10th anniversary of the original Apple Watch. While we won't rehash the updates, suffice it to say the device still has a microphone, cellular and Bluetooth capabilities, and updated software to collect biometrics and track your every move.  Intelligence services around the globe were likely analyzing this release closely, in an effort to identify vulnerabilities for exploitation. According to publicly available data, an estimated 1.3 million Americans maintain a Top Secret security clearance and a total of 4.2 million people have access to classified information. Industry estimates suggest 10 to 20% of all Americans use a smartwatch or fitness tracker, which—if this percentage holds for members of the intelligence community and military—creates significant attack vectors to be exploited for pattern-of-life tracking and to attempt to access classified and Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) networks. A Delta Force operator wearing an Apple Watch in Afghanistan in 2019. But I Am Not A Spy, Why Should I Care? Of course, most people will say, “I am not a super spy, why do I care if someone tracks me?” The 2023 Army CID report indicated the malware could access credit card information and potentially report that back to a home base to be exploited. Further, it doesn't matter if you are a Russian submarine commander or just a regular person. In 2022, Moriah Wilson, a 25-year-old elite cyclist, was tracked using Strava data and murdered in Texas by another woman who was involved with the same man as Wilson. After Wilson’s death, Strava reportedly added functionality obscuring start and end locations for fitness activities and further privacy-enhancing features, but the app still risks sharing significant information about a person’s location and routes that could be exploited by bad actors. What Can I Do About It? The simplest solution is to go analog. Don’t be a fool, use a real tool. Even the best state hackers (APTs) can’t hack a Seiko. Save the smartwatches for fitness-only activity and ensure your settings on the data are as restricted and “private” as possible. That said, we understand some W.O.E. professions require a GPS-enabled timepiece to effectively carry out specific tasks. In this case, we encourage you to explore some of the privacy-conscious models like Garmin that contain a “Stealth Mode” that (supposedly) disables tracking technology and a “kill switch” to delete all of your data. However, these functions are only as good as the provider, and Garmin has been the subject of several targeted attacks, including a 2020 ransomware hack where the company reportedly paid Russian cyber criminals $10 million to regain access to systems. If you work for an elite unit, make sure you pass this watch to your tech specialists to see if it really does what it claims to do. Given my background, I am always skeptical of technical solutions for technical problems… sometimes it's best to do things the old-fashioned way. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: CIA Officers and Apple Watches

The World Needs Watchmakers & A Unique Organization Aims To Help Fill The Gap With Veterans Bolstered by the rise of social media and a slew of watch-related platforms, the internet has made the age-old art and science of horology cool once again. Ironically, as more people enter the hobby, the global watch industry faces a labor crisis. Becoming a skilled watchmaker is no joke, and there are simply not enough qualified watchmakers to go around. In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss the watchmaker shortage, including how we got here, what the industry is doing about it, and a unique opportunity for veterans who want to get involved. It may not feel like an obvious choice, but if you’re a disabled veteran in search of a new career, watchmaking may be one to consider. An organization called the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative provides all but completely free initial watchmaker training, credentialing, and even help with job placement. What Is A Watchmaker? (Photo Credit: VWI) Watches date back to the 16th Century, and watchmakers were artisans who hand-fabricated every component of every single watch they produced. By the early 1900s, standardization took over, with watch companies focusing on mass production using interchangeable components. A watchmaker from the Swiss Vallée de Joux. (Photo Credit: Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne) Watchmaking changed from a largely European artisanal cottage industry to a broader technical field where budding watchmakers could learn the ways of assembling, maintaining, and repairing watches and “calibers”, which is what watch nerds and the French call the movement. Until the 1960s, watches were virtually all powered by mechanical means. That, coupled with the fact that almost everyone used to wear a watch, meant watchmaking was a small but legitimate career field supported by trade schools, apprenticeship programs, and infrastructure providing aftermarket components for servicing or repair. The Quartz Crisis To Today The release of the Seiko Astron spurred the Quartz Crisis, the effects of which directly influenced the current watchmaker shortage. (Photo Credit: Seiko) While there were numerous earlier efforts with electronic timekeeping, Seiko’s 1969 release of the Astron launched what came to be known as the “Quartz Crisis”, a major contributor to today’s watchmaker shortage. Bad news for watchmakers, quartz calibers were easier to mass produce and would quickly become far less expensive than their mechanical counterparts. Some estimates indicate the number of watchmakers employed just in Switzerland dropped by over 60% during the 1970s while the Swiss watch industry as a whole saw its employment decline from 90,000 at its peak to just 28,000 during the same period. Inexpensive digital quartz watches from Japan like the Casio Casiotron of 1974 emperiled the Swiss industry like never before. (Photo Credit: Casio USA) As the need for watchmaking declined with the rise of quartz, the once-proud trade of watchmaking became less profitable and attractive and the watchmaking needs of those who still preferred mechanical timekeeping were increasingly met by an aging population of watchmakers, a trend that continues into modern times. The numbers are staggering. A watchmaker at work at Patek Philippe's "The Art Of Watches" exhibition in 2017. (Photo Credit: CNN/Getty) According to Jordan Ficklin, the executive director of the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute (AWCI), today there are an estimated 4,000 watchmakers in the United States, a decrease of as much as 90% compared to the 1960s. Of course, there are fewer mechanical watches out and about compared to that period, but the shortage still means backlogs for watch repairs stretch into the years in some instances. Becoming A Watchmaker In 2024 (Photo Credit: VWI) As internet-based watch enthusiasm has spurred a modern renaissance for mechanical watches at virtually all levels of the industry, the supply of newly minted watchmakers has failed to keep pace. Every year, hundreds of watchmakers who were trained before the Quartz Crisis retire with only a handful of qualified replacements stepping up to take up the reins. But let’s say you’re interested in watches and seriously considering taking up watchmaking as a career choice, how does one become a watchmaker in the first place? At least in the United States, there are essentially two options. A budding watchmaker can either attend a formal school—and there are only a few in the US—or complete an apprenticeship program. There are only a handful of certified watchmaking schools in the United States including Gem City College School of Horology in Quincy, Illinois (Photo Credit: AWCI) With a formal watchmaking school, students pay to attend a program lasting from two to four years. The schools also typically work with brands and other entities to employ newly minted watchmakers, which is the easy part given the shortage. With an eye towards self-preservation more than altruism, many watchmaking schools are subsidized by the brands. Apprenticeships, the old-school way of becoming a watchmaker, still exist but are rare in the United States today. In most cases, apprentices don’t get paid, making this a challenging route. (Photo Credit: VWI) In either case, if you can get yourself trained or experienced or both to a solid level, there is no shortage of jobs out there waiting for qualified watchmakers, some of which pay surprisingly well compared to a traditional college education for non-binary art history or whatever kids are studying these days. If you’re a veteran, there is another unique opportunity out there that is so good, we almost didn’t think it was real. Veterans Watchmaker Initiative Sam Cannan founded VWI in 2017. (Photo Credit: VWI) Starting in 2015, Sam Cannan, a retired Baltimore police officer turned watchmaker, set out on a unique journey, to create a school for disabled veterans to learn watchmaking. Even more challenging, Cannan aimed to make the school completely free of charge, providing a pathway for veterans to learn a skilled trade and earn gainful employment in a high-demand career field. It took a couple of years, but Cannan eventually found a building in Odessa, Delaware where he set up shop, donated by the New Castle County government for $1 a year. The Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking was founded after the Second World War and provided no-cost watchmaker training to disabled veterans. (Photo Credit: Bulova) Calling back to the Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking founded in WWII to provide veterans of the wars in Europe and the Pacific with free watchmaker training, Bulova came on board as a founding sponsor. In return, VWI is also an authorized Bulova service center, and students finishing the school’s full 16-month watchmaker training course attend a further three-month internship repairing watches within the service center. While studying, students also have the option to live in a nearby house owned by the school, providing an opportunity for students to obtain an almost completely free education in watchmaking. (Photo Credit: VWI) The program’s graduates are in high demand and have been placed—with the program’s assistance—within the Richemont and Swatch Groups as well as brands like Patek Philippe, with a near 100% placement rate for students graduating from the full watchmaker course. Staring into a watch movement wearing a loupe may seem like a far cry from the realities of military service, but many program attendees and particularly those diagnosed with PTSD as a service-connected disability describe the trade as therapeutic, providing a level of mental health support in addition to promising career implications. If you’re a disabled veteran and interested in attending one of VWI’s courses, which also include a shorter six-week watch technician program, click HERE to learn more. Watchmaking In 2024 (Photo Credit: VWI) Thus far, a renewed interest in mechanical watches has failed to spur a new generation of watchmakers. However, with the help of programs like VWI, hope is on the horizon. As is often the case with the so-called “Skills Gap”, awareness is at the core of the issue. If watch brands both big and small hope to persevere, qualified watchmakers must exist at all levels, ready to handle assembly at the production level as well as after-sales service whether handled by an authorized dealer or an independent watch repair business. As we’ve described, brands including Bulova are stepping up to help—in its interest as much as anything—but we would argue a broader effort from the largest players is necessary to keep pace with a majority retirement-age watchmaking workforce. Especially for disabled veterans searching for a skilled career field that is also in high demand, watchmaking might be a great place to look. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Advice for Buying a Watch

Timepieces Recovered From The Rubble Serve As Reminders Of The 2,977 Victims Of The Terrorist Attacks On 9/11 The world changed forever on September 11th, 2001. For my generation, this day would change our life trajectory, launching us on a path to seek retribution for those who attacked us. Following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon, the United States Military and numerous three-letter intelligence agencies served in the Global War On Terror, a new kind of conflict conducted in a novel digital age. But before the US found itself embroiled in a war that would stretch across two decades, September 11th saw a massive loss of life among civilians and first responders, creating secondary and tertiary ripple effects that will affect generations to come. Many of the victims wore watches on the last day of their lives which were later recovered during the unprecedented forensic effort in the weeks following 9/11. As is often the case on W.O.E., the watches worn by the people killed on 9/11 are insignificant in comparison to the magnitude of the events. This isn't about watches, it's about people. The watches are simply the medium through which we experience the human element, physical representations of the lives lost that day. In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss the watches worn by some of the survivors as well as the 2,977 victims who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Our thanks go out to the 9/11 Memorial Museum which provided the majority of images and information included in this Dispatch. If you’ve never had the chance to visit the museum, it is a moving and special place every American should visit at least once. Thomas Canavan’s Quartz Milan Field Watch Canavan and his quartz Milan Field Watch, which is forever frozen at 8:49 AM on the 11th. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee & 9/11 Memorial Museum) Covered in greater detail in a beautifully written story on Hodinkee, Thomas Canavan is a 9/11 survivor who was on the 47th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 11. Making his way down an interior stairwell as smoke filled the building, Canavan was assisting an elderly couple when the building collapsed around him, burying him in the rubble. Tunneling his way some 40 feet across and four stories up, Canavan reached the surface with a host of injuries, totally unaware the quartz Milan watch on his wrist had stopped ticking. Months later, he picked up the watch he wore that day, its hands frozen in time at 8:49 AM—three minutes after Flight 11 plowed into the North Tower. The date was also stuck on 11. Later, Canavan donated the watch to the 9/11 Memorial Museum where he has also worked as a volunteer, telling his harrowing story firsthand to thousands of visitors. Todd Beamer’s Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph (Watch Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) On the morning of September 11th, Todd Beamer, a 32-year-old Account Manager at Oracle, rose early to catch United Airlines Flight 93, leaving his pregnant wife, Lisa, and their two children at home. After the plane was hijacked, Beamer acted quickly, placing a call to authorities: "If I don't make it, please call my family and let them know how much I love them… Are you ready? Okay, Let's roll." Beamer then led other passengers in a charge on the cockpit, causing the plane to crash in rural Pennsylvania and thwarting the terrorists’ plans. Incredibly, Beamer’s gold and steel Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph was found among the debris from Flight 93. While the hands are disfigured and the sapphire crystal is gone, the date window—frozen in time—still reads “11”, a solemn reminder of the heroic actions of Todd Beamer and the other passengers onboard Flight 93 on 9/11. Beamer is survived by his wife Lisa and their three children. For more on Todd Beamer’s Rolex and his heroic actions on 9/11 check out our new YouTube video HERE. FDNY Lieutenant Michael T. Quilty’s Casio 3298 W-86 (Watch Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) Lieutenant Michael T. Quilty was 42 years old and had just celebrated his 20th anniversary working for the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) on September 5th when he responded to the Twin Towers on 9/11. An avid pilot, carpenter, and recreational scuba diver, Quilty wore a simple black Casio digital watch on his wrist when on duty, including on 9/11 when he lost his life in the line of service. Later recovered in the wreckage, Quilty’s Casio 3298 W-86 Alarm watch was in decent condition but the strap was shredded to pieces, a demonstration of the force of the falling skyscrapers. While we are quick to romanticize the use of luxury mechanical watches among military and first responders, the truth is that most in these austere lines of work trust inexpensive digital watches as timekeeping tools. Quilty is remembered by his wife Susan, their two children, and by his brothers and sisters in the FDNY. Calvin J. Gooding’s Pulsar (Watch Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) A stock trader working in the North Tower, Calvin Joseph Gooding slept on the floor of his baby daughter’s room the night before the morning of September 11th to help his wife, LaChanze, a Tony Award-winning actress who was also pregnant, get some sleep. Gooding earned an MBA from New York University and was on the 104th floor of the North Tower when it fell. His watch, a quartz Pulsar with day and date sub-registers, was later recovered from the wreckage at Ground Zero. Gooding is remembered by his wife, who has spoken at numerous 9/11 memorial events, and his two daughters, one of whom he never got to meet. Lourdes J. Galletti’s Bulova (Watch Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) Lourdes Galletti lived in the Bronx and was working as an executive secretary for Cantor Fitzgerald’s vice chairman, Stuart Fraser, on the 105th floor of the North Tower on the morning of 9/11. According to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, those who knew her said Galletti’s determination and character helped her overcome a tough childhood, earn a high school equivalency degree, and ultimately earn a position working with a prestigious firm in the World Trade Center. In the rubble, authorities discovered Galletti’s vintage mechanical ladies Bulova, a watch that was likely older than she was. 33 years old at the time of her death, Galletti is remembered by her mother, friends, and siblings. Yamel J. Merino’s Quartz Field Watch (Watch Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) Another young victim, Yamel Josefina Merino was only 24 years old and was working as an emergency medical technician when the call came in that aircraft were flying into the World Trade Center. Merino was among the first EMS responders providing medical assistance to evacuees outside the South Tower when it collapsed at 9:59 AM. Having risen from the transport division to become an EMT at MetroCare and even being named the company’s EMT of the Year in 1999, Merino aspired to one day become a nurse to better support her eight-year-old son Kevin. Merino’s son, Kevin, cries over his mother’s casket at her funeral, a solemn reminder of the last impact for those who lost their loved ones on September 11th. Her watch is a straightforward quartz-powered field watch that either is or is meant to resemble a Victorinox, a subsidiary of the Swiss Army brand so often associated with pocket knives. Like many field watches, the watch has secondary 24-hour markings which are useful in medical settings. Merino is remembered by her son, Kevin, as well as her parents and siblings. Rosemary A. Smith’s Quartz Dress Watch (Watch Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) A survivor of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Rosemary A. Smith was a switchboard operator for Sidley, Austin, Brown, and Wood on the 57th floor of the North Tower. Beyond her job, Smith was a passionate chocolate maker who was often asked by friends, family, and coworkers to provide custom chocolates for events. Considered among the missing, Smith’s generic quartz dress watch, which has a light blue dial and strap, was recovered among the rubble. 61 years old at the time of her death on 9/11, Smith is remembered by her daughter who said: “I lost my heart when I lost my mother. She was very happy, very happy with her life, adored her grandchildren, and always wanted to be with them." A US Navy Skilcraft Clock From The Pentagon (Clock Photo Credit: 9/11 Memorial Museum) Often overshadowed by the events at Ground Zero and the heroic efforts of the passengers onboard United Flight 93, the Pentagon was also attacked on 9/11 when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 77. This Skilcraft clock from the US Navy’s Command Center inside the Pentagon was—like some of the watches mentioned previously—frozen in time at 9:37, the precise moment of impact. Skilcraft clocks are manufactured in the United States by Chicago Lighthouse Industries by workers who are legally blind. Anyone who has served in the military or worked in government recognizes this humble quartz-powered clock that now serves as a lasting reminder of a day that would change the course of American and world history. It’s Never “Just A Watch” Watches as physical objects offer little meaning in their own right. However, as a timekeeping tool that is often thoughtfully selected by an individual and then worn throughout a lifetime, watches take on a sort of emotional resonance, transcending their physical value to represent their wearers long after they are gone. On 9/11, a day where so many were killed often without a trace of their physical being to bury and mourn, watches and other personal belongings are more than the sum of their components, carrying forward a solemn reminder of those we lost as well as the incredible sacrifices of EMS and first responders on that Tuesday in September.     If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.  For additional reading on the US response to the September 2001 attacks, check out the following articles: Digital Watches of Espionage, The Role Watches Played in the Early Days of the CIA's War in Afghanistan CIA’s JAWBREAKER Team and a Rolex Submariner A Navy SEAL’s Rolex Submariner on the Osama Bin Laden Raid

The Incredible Story Of Todd Beamer, A Rolex, & United Flight 93 It has been two weeks since we launched the W.O.E. YouTube channel with our first video, “Sketchy Dudes Wear Breitling - We Don’t Make The Rules”. The response has been humbling, THANK YOU! While the first one was more of a lighthearted look at the relationship between a brand and its sketchy end-users, our second video tackles a more serious topic, sharing the incredible story of Todd Beamer, an ordinary man who rose to the occasion when United Flight 93 was hijacked on September 11th, 2001. After terrorists took control of the aircraft on the morning of 9/11, Beamer quickly contacted authorities: "If I don't make it, please call my family and let them know how much I love them… Are you ready? Okay, Let's roll." Incredibly, Beamer’s gold and steel Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph was found among the debris from Flight 93, serving as a solemn reminder of the brave sacrifice of the passengers onboard United Flight 93 on 9/11. This video was created in honor of the 2,977 people who died on September 11th, 2001 as well as Todd Beamer’s wife, Lisa, and their three children. -W.O.E.

How A Spiritual Leader Became A Watch-Collecting Icon - It All Started With The Office Of Strategic Services We have discussed the operational role of timepieces in espionage and how they can be tools in the agent recruitment cycle—the transition of an individual from a target to a recruited asset (aka spy). Espionage is a human business and watches are transferable stores of value that have personal meaning, traits that make them effective tools of intelligence tradecraft. One of the earliest documented examples of this is with an unlikely figure, His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama.  While there is no indication that the Dalai Lama was a recruited asset of the OSS or CIA, he was provided a watch as a tool to build a relationship and gain influence.  OSS Officers Ilia Tolstoy and Brooke Dolan may have inadvertently spurred the Dalai Lama's love of watches. In 1943, Ilia Tolstoy and Brooke Dolan, both members of CIA’s predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), presented the Dalai Lama with a Patek Philippe reference 658 on behalf of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Reportedly, the purpose of the gift was to win the Dalai Lama’s support for a potential road through Tibet into China to assist the Chinese in fighting the Japanese. The watch clearly had meaning for the Dalai Lama and is something he still carries today. In contrast to the agent recruitment cycle, this operational gift was more of a rapport builder between “liaison,” a colloquial term to capture third-country intelligence services that work jointly with CIA. The Dalai Lama’s Patek Philippe reference 658, gifted to him by FDR via a pair of OSS officers during WWII. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) Tenzin Gyatso was born in 1935, ascending to his position as the Dalai Lama when he was only four years old. Having served as the Dalai Lama—the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism—for 84 years, the 14th Dalai Lama has lived what would by any standard be called an interesting life, with a common thread being his continued advocacy for the welfare and autonomy of Tibetan citizens. Part of a global effort to undermine communism, the US Government reportedly had a close relationship with the Dalai Lama and his brothers since the days of the OSS, providing a whole lot of money in return for the Dalai Lama’s continued maintenance of at least the idea of Tibetan sovereignty. Despite the covert influence of the United States on the region, Tibet’s whole sovereignty thing didn’t work out, and the Dalai Lama was ultimately exiled by the Chinese government in 1959 to India, where he still lives today and continues to serve as a seminal figure for Buddhists around the world. In more recent years, the Dalai Lama has also become a person of interest for watch enthusiasts, boasting a small but intriguing collection including some of the most storied names in Swiss watchmaking. In this Dispatch, we’ll take a closer look at the Dalai Lama’s history with horology including a watch closely tied to the world of international espionage. You can’t make this stuff up. A Rare Patek Philippe Reference & The OSS The Dalai Lama with his Patek Philippe 658 at an event in Washington, DC in 2016. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) Presented in greater detail by Eric Wind over on Hodinkee, the abridged version of the story of the Dalai Lama receiving a rare Patek Philippe goes that a pair of Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Officers, Captain Brooke Dolan and Major Ilia Tolstoy, trekked across India, China, and Tibet on a diplomatic mission to meet the Dalai Lama and present him with gifts in an apparent effort to recognize Tibet’s autonomy within the region. OSS Officers Captain Brooke Dolan and Major Ilia Tolstoy during their 100-day trek to Lhasa, Tibet’s capital city. (Photo Credit: US National Archives) The impetus behind the mission was more complicated than simply meeting the Dalai Lama. The United States, embroiled in World War II, was also desperate to create an overland route connecting China and India to outfit the Chinese in their war against Japan. This path would have no choice but to pass through Tibet, and so Captain Brooke Dolan II, a soldier and explorer, and Major Ilya Tolstoy, a naturalist, explorer, and the grandson of Leo Tolstoy, ventured some 100 days by horseback through rugged terrain to Lhasa, Tibet’s remote capital. The Dalai Lama’s Patek Philippe Reference 658 is one of only 15 ever made. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) When the OSS officers finally reached the spiritual leader, among their gifts was a Patek Philippe reference 658, one of only 15 ever made, and including a perpetual calendar chronograph, a minute repeater, and a split-seconds chronograph. What led FDR to select such an expensive Swiss watch remains a mystery, but what is certain is that the overly complicated gold pocket watch was intended to win favor with the Dalai Lama and receive his blessing for a road through the region. It was a tool of diplomacy and espionage. While there are numerous examples of intelligence officers using watches to influence or recruit sources, FDR’s gift of a Patek Philippe to the Dalai Lama has to be among the most high profile. It’s unclear whether the Patek Philippe served to foster the Dalai Lama’s well-established love of horology, but it probably didn’t hurt. Even more surprisingly, the Dalai Lama has been seen carrying the watch as recently as 2016, which is a flex of the highest level. The Dalai Lama & The Crown His Holiness wearing a Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 on an elastic metal strap. In addition to his celebrated Patek Philippe, the Dalai Lama also has several Rolex models in his collection with a tendency to wear them on simple elastic metal bracelets like many other men in their 80s tended to do. One of His Holiness’s most worn Rolex models appears to be his Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038, a watch we are also willing to go out on a limb and say was probably a gift. Given the oversized elasticated metal bracelet and the Dalai Lama’s slender wrists, the watch almost always sits inside his wrist, making the otherwise ostentatious look of the gold Rolex more subtle. It’s less often seen, but there is also photographic evidence to suggest the Dalai Lama owns at least one other Rolex, a two-tone Datejust on its signature Jubilee bracelet. In Tibetan Buddhism, letting go of material possessions and excess in a quest for spiritual enlightenment is a core tenet, making the Dalai Lama’s penchant for luxury watches from Switzerland a bit surprising (contradictory?). However, considering the high probability His Holiness was gifted the watches, we are prepared to let it slide. Further, the Dalai Lama’s interest in watches appears to be deeper than the trappings of European luxury as His Holiness is also known to tinker with and repair watches for personal enjoyment. It’s hard to know the specific reference without a better shot of the dial, but the Dalai Lama’s other Rolex appears to be a two-tone Datejust. His Holiness The Watchmaker Various unconfirmed sources claim the Dalai Lama owns as many as 15 watches, with many of them products of his love for mechanical tinkering and watchmaking in particular. Despite his interest, the Dalai Lama does not appear to be an expert, however. In his book, Ethics for the New Millennium, His Holiness says: “I have always enjoyed repairing watches. But I can remember a number of occasions as a boy when, completely losing my patience with those tiny, intricate parts, I picked up the mechanism and smashed it down on the table. Of course, later I felt very sorry and ashamed of my behavior—especially when, as on one occasion, I had to return the watch to its owner in a condition worse than it was before!" An as-yet unidentified Valjoux 7751-powered chronograph on the Dalai Lama’s wrist. In addition to the Patek Philippe and Rolex models we mentioned, the Dalai Lama has also been spotted wearing a couple of different chronographs that appear to be powered by the Valjoux 7751 and therefore could have come from a variety of different brands. It could be this is a caliber he enjoys tinkering with, but that is pure speculation. A Love Of Watches Spawned By The OSS? It would be a leap to argue that the gift of a rare Patek Philippe reference to the young Dalai Lama in 1943 galvanized his apparent lifelong love of watches, but we'd like to believe the OSS played a role in creating one of history's most unexpected watch enthusiasts. In any case, the tie-in between His Holiness, horology, and espionage is intriguing, showing once again that no matter where you go, whether we’re talking about an elite special operator, a politician, an intelligence officer, or the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, passion for timepieces runs deep and across virtually all demographic qualifiers. It’s unclear whether the Dalai Lama reads the Dispatch or subscribes to the “Use Your Tools” ethos, but his enthusiasm for watchmaking is real. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: CIA Analysis of Foreign Leaders’ Timepieces

The Olympics, Swiss Industry Challenges, & Watch-Related Crime By Benjamin Lowry In general, the daily watch media news cycle doesn’t interest us. Numerous websites are hanging their collective hat on being up-to-the-minute, covering new releases and other watch industry shenanigans, and doing a far better job than we ever could. That said, we are often asked for our opinions on current watch events, and there are certain stories from the world of watch media and beyond that are interesting for our community. To keep you updated on the intriguing trends, military-adjacent developments, or current events you might actually care about, we decided to test a watch industry “SITREP” or situation report, a quick snapshot of the previous month’s news coupled with our commentary. To start, we’ll take a look at the news from August when all eyes were on the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games In Paris Daniel Craig wearing an as-yet-unreleased no-date Omega Seamaster in Paris during the Olympic Games. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve been beaten over the head with content from the Olympic Games this past month. As important for marketing as it is for sports, the watch industry also played its part, with Olympic sponsor Omega garnering the majority of the headlines with a carefully orchestrated campaign. In addition to the obvious celebrity watch spotting and a slew of athletes including pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis competing while wearing the newly-released Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Ultra Light, Daniel Craig “accidentally” unveiled what appears to be an as-yet-unreleased no-date version of the Seamaster Diver 300 so often associated with James Bond. Keen observers will note that this no-date version is close to the Seamaster currently available as a unit watch solely to SpecOps personnel. An Omega Seamaster Diver 300 “Unit Watch” celebrating elite French law enforcement units tasked with security at the Olympics. While the Bond connection is always interesting, even if carefully curated by Omega’s marketing department, a more intriguing W.O.E.-related development occurred at the Olympics with Omega’s unit watch program. Omega is producing a Seamaster “unit watch” for the three elite French law enforcement units tasked with security for the event: GIGN, RAID, and BRI. The marketing stuff is fun, but a GIGN/RAID/BRI unit Seamaster is what really gets us going. Beyond the insignia on the case back, this is effectively the same watch as the one utilized by US Secret Service officers during the recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump and a unit-specific model created for the Danish Frogman Corps. Unit watches appear to be having something of a moment, one industry trend we can get behind. We are told that this picture is actually a prototype and the final versions are expected to be delivered in the fall of 2024. Astronauts Stranded In Space Also Wearing Omega Watches A planned week-long space flight was extended for a pair of American astronauts because of doubts surrounding a potential return in a troubled Boeing space capsule, confirming once again that one of the world’s hardest jobs is working with Boeing PR. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both retired US Navy Captains, will extend their stay until February of 2025 when they can be safely brought back to Earth on a more proven SpaceX capsule. The only element we have to add is that in the photo being circulated along with the headline, Wilmore is seen wearing an Omega X-33, a seldom-seen ana-digi titanium watch developed specifically for astronauts and introduced in 1998. Where the mechanical Speedmaster Professional continues to be the only watch qualified for space walks, the X-33 is issued to astronauts for use inside the International Space Station (ISS), offering a suite of digital timing functions specific to the needs of astronauts. Swiss Watch Market In Decline It may not be good for the industry, but secondary market pricing for brands like Rolex continue to fall in 2024. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) As has been the case for a couple of years now, Forbes reported a further decline in Swiss secondary market prices for virtually all of the major Swiss luxury brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet. Falling secondary market prices also impact perceived value among consumers, leading to broader challenges for the industry at large, with the Swatch Group conglomerate—which owns Omega—posting an over 10% drop in sales in the first six months of 2024 led by Asian markets where the fall-off was closer to 30%. Ouch. Richemont, one of the other biggest luxury conglomerates and the owner of IWC, Cartier, Panerai, and others also reported double-digit declines in sales once again led by Asian markets including China. What does all of this mean for you and me? Again reported by Forbes, the wait time for treasured Rolex models including the Submariner is going down, now estimated at 68 days as opposed to 105 days only one year ago. While we don’t think it’s as bad as some of the trolls on Reddit, Bremont’s latest releases left much to be desired for the brand’s biggest fans. Perhaps more impactful to our community, Bremont, a brand known for working closely with military organizations, appears in serious distress, reporting a loss of 14M GBP earlier this year. This news comes after American billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman purchased a minority stake in the brand in early 2023 and following a few releases that were not warmly received at Watches and Wonders in 2024. We’re big fans of Bremont’s earlier efforts and penchant for military collaboration under the aptly-named English brothers and would welcome a return to form that does not include many of the newest designs from the brand. Fingers crossed. Rolex To End Sponsorship Of F1 More of a quick hit here, but Rolex is set to end its 11-year partnership with F1 in 2025, with LVMH stepping in to the tune of an estimated $150M per year, according to Coronet. There are a few ways to look at this, but whatever it is, it isn’t a money problem for Rolex, which according to Morgan Stanley posted earnings of over $10Bn in 2023, more than its five biggest competitors combined. What is perhaps more likely is that LVMH hopes to align TAG Heuer with F1, cementing the brand’s hopeful perceived position as the premier watch brand of motorsports. Rolex, which was reportedly paying closer to $50M per year, may simply have felt the investment was too large for the return in consumer influence, especially when the Crown is already raking in the cash hand over fist. Watches & Crime London has become a hotbed for watch-related muggings in recent years, a trend that is leading billionaires to mild discomfort. (Photo Credit: Sky News) Always a favorite subject of ours, luxury watches continue to be in the news associated with crime, whether that’s street-level mugging as has become so prevalent in London and other European capitals or more elaborate robberies of retail locations. According to Fortune, at least one British billionaire, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, says he will no longer wear his Rolex watches in London for fear of having his watch stripped off by scooter-riding hoodlums (our language). What is the world coming to when billionaires no longer feel safe wearing their luxury watches? According to police, this gentleman approached victims from behind before choking them out and relieving them of their Orient and Rolex watches. (Photo Credit: NYPD Crimestoppers) On a more serious note, a man is wanted in New York City after a trio of robberies in which he placed his victims in a choke hold until they lost consciousness before stealing their watches. Two of the stolen watches were from Rolex while the other was an Orient valued at $300, not the sort of thing you expect to get choked out over. And finally, while his DUI arrest took place on June 18th, the keen journalists at the NY Post released a story a few weeks back saying Justin Timberlake—who single-handedly brought sexy back in 2006—had a “...vape, a Rolex, a gold ring, and a wallet with $306 in cash when he was placed in handcuffs in Sag Harbor”. We wish we knew the Rolex model in question, but Timberlake has clearly read our EDC article where we explain the value of not only a watch but also keeping a few crisp Benjamins on your person at all times, even when you’re hammered. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Is Now Available In Blue While Tudor’s divers including the Black Bay and Pelagos and especially unit-specific variants (T.O.E.) of those models tend to garner the majority of our attention, the Black Bay Chrono is another excellent luxury sports watch from the brand. A few days ago, Tudor unveiled a blue version of the Black Bay Chrono, the appropriately named Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue. We know this isn’t much of a breaking news story. We love Tudors, and the new variant looks cool, but if you are looking for in-depth watch reviews on new releases, you won't find them here. Is Watch News Even News? To be clear, a post like this is as close as we ever intend to get to “the news”, which is soon to become an even more off-putting cesspool as the election looms. Still, knowledge is power, and while some months are spicier than ever, we mostly enjoyed putting together this quick and hopefully easy-to-digest look at events and releases that are related to or interesting for members of our community. Were there any other watch-related events or news you think is worthy of sharing this past month or so? If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Criminal Rolex Gangs and Traveling with Watches

How A Tier One Cold War Operator Evolved Into A Watch Collector James Stejskal had a long and storied career in Army Special Forces, Detachment A in Berlin, and with the Central Intelligence Agency, In this Dispatch, he shares some of his stories and the tools he used. Late October 1980 - Operation Storm Cloud (Iran II) Rehearsal I checked my watch. We were an hour into the flight, and I hoped the pilot knew where the hell we were because I had no clue. Somewhere over the panhandle of Florida at about 500’ AGL (Above Ground Level) was all I knew because it was black outside. I could see lights from small towns and occasionally the glow of some city far away to the south. We were flying a complex course, or at least the pilot was, wearing his NVGs. I had no intention of bothering him as there was no co-pilot—the port side controls had been removed from the OH-6 “Little Bird” to make room for my partner, Jon, with his collection of guns: a M-16, a M-79 grenade launcher, at least two pistols, and a bunch of ammo. In the back, there was just me and my HK21, a thousand rounds of linked 7.62, two LAWs (Light Anti-tank Weapons), and two Claymores on a rucksack frame, along with a 9mm Walther P-5 and my trusty CZ-75 as back-up. There were only three of us on board—we needed room for at least one passenger on the way out. A General Issue (GI) Hamilton similar to the one worn by the author during training for Operation Stormcloud. I looked at my Hamilton again, the glowing numbers and hands told me it had been exactly two minutes since the last time I checked. The ride was smooth. I watched the pilot, his face barely illuminated with the green light from the goggles, and imagined how tense he must be flying in formation with 11 other helicopters. I knew the others were close as I could occasionally see the sweep of their blades disturbing the air just beyond our own rotors. I was tense, but as a passenger, there’s nothing you can do but trust these guys, the best pilots in the world. This was our final, live-fire rehearsal. If we got the go-ahead, we’d soon be heading for the Middle East on a C-5A loaded with all of us and our Little Birds. The pilot came over the intercom, “Stand by. We’re going in.” Safeties came off as I quickly checked the issued Hamilton once more. It told me what I wanted to know. “On time, On target.” Task Force 158 Helos (OH-6) practicing for Operation Stormcloud in 1980. (Photo Credit: James Stejskal) The helo shuddered as it flared into a hover some 50 feet above the ground. The clouds parted and our target was illuminated by the full moon. I picked out my targets, and pulled the trigger. To the right and left I saw the sky light up as orange strings of tracer fire descended from each bird in line as we settled to the ground. Operation Stormcloud had been unleashed. — I never much cared about watches growing up. It was only at the age of 16, after I had earned my civilian SCUBA diver rating, that I started considering what kind of watch I needed. The dive instructor made us understand that divers had to have a good timepiece—accurate, waterproof, and pressure-resistant instruments—to time their dives. My first dive watch was a Swiss-made Doxa, and the only way I paid for it was with an employee discount from the dive shop where I worked plus a lot of overtime. A vintage Doxa Sub 300 similar to the one worn by the author. (Photo Credit: Analog:Shift) I managed to lose that watch not on a dive per se but testing my bravery by jumping into the spillway of a dam. Kingsley Dam on Lake McConaughy in Nebraska was the second largest hydraulic-fill dam in the world when it was completed in 1941. When one of the Park Rangers told us the water comes out below the dam at over 100 miles per hour, I was prompted to say, “Hold my beer,” and test it by leaping in. I survived but on my third jump, the Doxa decided we would part ways and it disappeared into the tumultuous waters. I suspect it’s still down there with the catfish somewhere. The Death of a Doxa. (Photo Credit: James Stejskal) Moving along, I evidently either failed to learn from my experiences or I just needed more adventures. I signed up for Army Special Forces after I convinced myself that a college education wasn’t getting me anywhere. During selection and training, I continuously heard the mantra that to be truly Special Forces you had to have a Randall Knife, a star-sapphire ring, and a Rolex. But as a “Spec 4” Light Weapons Leader on my first A-Team, the only thing I could manage was the Randall Knife and that was only because my Dad gave his to me—the same one my Mom gave him before he went to Europe in 1944 to visit Adolf. So I went without the Rolex. Most of my old photographs show me without any watch at all. Members of the 39th Special Forces Detachment or “Det A” during ski training in the Alps. Then I was posted to a classified unit in Berlin, Germany. Called “Detachment A” or “Det A,” it was in reality the 39th Special Forces Detachment. We had some interesting missions back then. Urban unconventional warfare (UW) was one, which was essentially getting ready for World War III and conducting stay-behind operations in Berlin and the DDR (East Germany) much like what the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) did in the last World War. Our other mission was Counter-Terrorism (CT), which we picked up in 1975 as the U.S. European Command’s CT Force. You need to remember this was in the nascent stages of America’s war on terror, and we were developing what would become the tactics, techniques, and procedures that seem so common today. A Seiko 6105-8110 similar to the one purchased by the author after attending Special Forces Underwater Operations School. (Photo Credit: Analog:Shift) With access to the Post Exchange now and having completed the rather arduous Special Forces Underwater Operations School, I decided a new dive watch was in order. I considered a Rolex but it cost around $400 in the PX. So, on the recommendation of a teammate, I decided to buy a Seiko. It was a Model 6105-8110. I seem to remember it cost me around $150—still a pretty hefty sum when you’re only earning around $600 a month, with jump pay, and after taxes and buying a lot of beer downtown. But I was a sergeant and could almost afford it. I know the Rolex would have been a good investment but with my luck… well, read on. And, in retrospect, the Rolex might have attracted too much attention. Even so, my Seiko got more use ensuring I was inside the 4-minute window for an asset meeting on a dark street, making a split-second car pick-up, maybe figuring out the burn rate for a demolition fuse, or synchronizing operations when a radio couldn’t be used. Monitoring my dive time was more of a secondary role. The author preparing a steel cutting charge on the range with his Seiko on the wrist. (Photo Credit: Bob Hopkins) From time to time, Det A operators would ride on what were called “Tours” with the U.S. Military Liaison Mission (USMLM). Essentially, it was a monitoring organization that kept tabs on the Warsaw Pact in East Germany while the Soviets (SOXMIS) kept tabs on us in West Germany. The Brits and the French had their own versions of the mission (BRIXMIS and MMFL, respectively). Keeping accurate time and knowing your location was paramount on what could be a dangerous mission in the enemy’s backyard. Artist’s rendering of Major Arthur D. "Nick" Nicholson, Jr, who was killed while conducting intelligence operations with the U.S. Military Liaison Mission (USMLM) in the DDR. One American and one French officer were killed while on tours in the DDR, and several others were badly injured. The photo shows one of my comrades on a tour in East Germany. He was a MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group) veteran, had good taste in watches, and was incidentally also the guy who told me to buy a Seiko. I wore the watch everywhere, in training, on jumps, and on all our missions except one. In late 1979, we were put on alert for a mission that would come to be known as Operation Eagle Claw. For that mission, we were all issued olive-green Hamiltons, the watch I wore in the above rehearsal. Det A soldier on a USMLM Tour near the Polish Border wearing a Seiko 6105 and a Waltham (WCC) wrist compass. (Photo Credit: A USMLM Member) Throughout the rest of 1979 and most of 1980, our training was almost completely oriented around direct action operations—the tactics we would need to enter Iran and bring out the American hostages being held there. We were working in concert with another, perhaps more famous unit from Fort Bragg that I won’t mention here other than to say that they outnumbered us 8:1. The “other outfit” had responsibility for freeing over 50 hostages at the American Embassy in Tehran, while our smaller force was to take down the Iranian Foreign Ministry and exfiltrate three senior American diplomats being held there. Hard doesn’t describe the preparation for the mission. But it was intense and it was fun. Day and night Close Quarter Battle (CQB) training, helicopter and vehicle ops, and explosive entries. With no guardrails and an open budget, in a very short time period, our 40-some soldiers used more small-arms ammunition than the yearly allotment for the entire Berlin Brigade. The author wearing his Seiko during CQB training. (Photo Credit: James Stejskal) When Eagle Claw went down on the 24th and 25th of April in 1980, only 13 members of “Det A” participated. The rest of us got to sit it out in Berlin, waiting interminably for what turned out very badly when helicopter after helicopter failed and the op was scrubbed. In the withdrawal, eight Americans died, but as a group of British soldiers said, “At least [they] had the guts to try.” For the rest of that year, we rehearsed an up-gunned version of “Eagle Claw” called “Stormcloud” but it was ultimately scrubbed just before Ronald Reagan was inaugurated. I think my GI Hamilton went back to the S-4. The author wearing his General Issue Hamilton at Elgin Air Force Base in 1980. (Photo Credit: James Stejskal) Diving wasn’t in the cards much after that, but I was still traveling extensively overseas. One thing I learned was that wearing an expensive watch in “Third World” countries can lead to some undesired attention, not from the authorities, but from the criminal elements. I would often swap out my “good” watch for my field watch when “going downtown.” Losing a simple Timex Expedition was preferable to losing my treasured Seiko. I went through several Expeditions because they made great gifts for admiring locals who might prove helpful at a later point in time. I failed to follow that rule just once and it was curtains for the watch. My Seiko met the end of its days in Somalia when I had the unfortunate experience of being in an Isuzu Trooper when we rolled over a Soviet anti-tank mine. I lost a good friend that day but three of us survived. When I awoke on board the USS Tripoli, I found I had also lost my Seiko. I served a while longer and then punched out with 23 years after I got married. Not too long after that, I was recruited by what we in the military euphemistically called the “Other Government Agency” or OGA. For the next 15 years, I was practicing what some call “God’s Work” doing interesting things in interesting places around the world. The author wearing his Timex Expedition in the Bush. (Photo Credit: WLN) All the while, I admired the upper-echelon watches but couldn’t commit to buying one. Instead, I relied on my Timex Expeditions, which changed as often as I gave them away. That is until one day, my wife gave me a TAG. Officially it’s a TAG Heuer Link WAT1111, and it’s special because it’s the only retirement gift I received—plus it was for my birthday. It’s my “EDC/go-to” watch, although I have a couple of stand-ins for rough duty days. The author’s TAG Heuer Link is now his go-to everyday watch. Once I retired, I moved on to different pastures; consulting a bit, delivering talks to active duty folks on everything from Cold War history to a bit of spook stuff. I still do that but I also have become an author. Now I put my love of history and adventure to good use by telling the true and almost true stories of special operators like T.E. Lawrence of Arabia (who wore an Omega Chronograph, by the way) all the way up to my comrades who participated in Operation Eagle Claw as I do in my history MISSION IRAN. My fiction, or faction as I call it, tells the stories of Special Forces operators during the Cold War and after in my novels The Snake Eater Chronicles. Timing is often critical in these tales and interesting watches come into play quite often. Senator Ted Kennedy speaks with Medal of Honor recipient and then-Major Paris Davis during a visit to Vietnam in the late 1960s. Davis was a Rolex guy. (Photo Credit: Davis Family) The last picture is an important memory for me. One day last year, I was at the National Museum of the U.S. Army with a friend and found one of the displays closed. A docent told me the museum was interviewing a recent Medal of Honor winner, Colonel Paris Davis. I decided to wait until he was finished because Davis had been my commander when I served in the 10th Special Forces Group in the mid-1970s. I wasn’t sure if he’d remember me—I had changed a bit—but as he departed the exhibit hall, I met him with a salute. I told him who I was and a smile appeared on his face as he said my nickname. He had remembered. We had a nice chat and as you can see, he knows what watch to wear. He has his Rolex while I have my TAG. The author reuniting with his commander, Medal of Honor Awardee Colonel Paris Davis, at the National Museum of the US Army. The author wears his TAG Heuer while Colonel Davis wears a Rolex GMT Master. (Photo Credit: R. Pierce Reid) Sometimes, I find myself thinking about my old time-pieces. I’ve considered finding a vintage Seiko 6150 or even a GI-issue watch to replace them, but then I realized they wouldn’t have the same meaning as my originals. The one watch I’m closest to now—and really, the only one I need—is the TAG my wife gifted me. A couple of the author's books, some mementos from his service, and his TAG Heuer watch. (Photo Credit: James Stejskal) About The Author: James Stejskal is a uniquely qualified novelist and historian backed by 35 years of service with US Army Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency. He is the author of Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956-1990 and Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Vietnam MACV-SOG Seikos: Setting the Record Straight *As a disclaimer, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. When you click on links to various books in this article and make a purchase, this can result in Watches of Espionage earning a commission. If you’re interested in these books and want to make a purchase using these links, we appreciate your support.

We are excited to announce the establishment of the Watches of Espionage YouTube channel with our first video “Sketchy Dudes Wear Breitling - We Don’t Make the Rules”. At Watches of Espionage, we are dedicated to exploring the intersection of military, intelligence, national security, and the world of horology. Whether we like it or not, many people can’t or won’t read in 2024, meaning video is an important platform for creating independent content without significant investments and subjective input from brands or other impartial players. There are now hundreds of watch-related creators on YouTube doing a great job influencing the masses with perfect hair, tailored hipster jackets, and ironic glasses, but we are here to do something different. The stories we tell in the W.O.E. Dispatch are produced for, by, and about our community. Our videos will follow suit, taking some of our favorite topics and presenting them in a novel and engaging way for the space. We’ve been interested in video for some time but were methodical to ensure we got it (mostly) right. Our first video delves into one of our favorite subjects, exploring the significant overlap between sketchy dudes and Breitling watches. While it sounds douchey, video-savvy friends of ours have informed us it’s important for y’all to like, subscribe, make comments, and hit the bell icon to receive notifications when we release new videos, which we hope to do every two weeks or so. We’ve been blown away by your support since starting W.O.E. and truly hope you enjoy our new YouTube channel. If you have any ideas for future videos or general comments, we are confident you’ll express yourself in the comments. If you're not into video, don't worry, our weekly Dispatch content will continue to be at the core of what we do.  Thank you for the support, we are 100% community-funded and could not have done this without you. Happy Hunting, -W.O.E.

American Mercenary details the movie-like career of a SEAL Team Six assaulter turned gun for hire. The one constant throughout his career was a Rolex Submariner on his wrist.   Belgrade, Serbia - 2017 Working as a private intelligence collector, former Navy SEAL Daniel Corbett found himself in an unenviable situation. While visiting a source to collect information on a terrorist financier, the door flew open, and in walked plain-clothes Serbian police officers, one of which pointed a shaking pistol at his head. Corbett would spend the next 18 months in a Serbian jail, charged with possession and trafficking of explosives and illegal firearms, and even accused in the press of attempting to assassinate the Serbian President. But this was not Corbett’s first rodeo, a former SEAL Team Six assaulter who later became a “mercenary,” Corbett’s career began at a young age.  He completed the arduous Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) selection process at 18 years old and screened for Naval Special Warfare’s Development Group (SEAL Team Six) at 23. Corbett conducted multiple combat deployments with DEVGRU’s famed Red Squadron and participated in the highly publicized rescue of Captain Phillips off the coast of Somalia in 2009. A gifted linguist, Corbett then departed the relative comfort of the Teams for the murky world of private military contracting, spending years conducting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Africa, mercenary train-advise-assist operations in Yemen, and collecting private intelligence for unspecified clients in unspecified locations. A Rolex Submariner Reference 16610 From the SEAL Teams to private military contracting, one constant throughout his career was the presence of a Rolex Submariner on his wrist. Corbett is a self-described non-materialist, but the timepiece has deep meaning and operational utility. Initially acquired as a nod to the old school Frogmen who were issued Tudor and Rolex Submariners, the role of the timepiece would evolve during Corbett’s time as a contractor, serving as a tool to build relationships and to potentially use for escape and evasion. When he was arrested in 2017, Corbett signed for his Rolex and other possessions before being held in a Serbian jail, awaiting his fate. The pro-Russian press reported he was sent to Serbia to assassinate Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a convenient narrative in an election year.  Remarkably, Corbett’s Submariner was returned to him when his case was unceremoniously dismissed. Corbett in Korean language school. Mercenary vs Contractor The term “mercenary” is overused to the point it’s almost meaningless.  Generally agreed to describe “a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army,” mercenary is used by commentators to degrade private military contractors and by contractors to inflate their role as… well, just contractors. That said, mercenaries certainly exist and play a significant role in the world of gray zone conflict. While Corbett’s anti-piracy work is more accurately described as that of a contractor, the transition to Yemen and intelligence collection in Serbia arguably places him in the murky world of true mercenary work on behalf of a foreign government or non-state entity. Corbett details his experience as both a contractor and mercenary in the newly released book, American Mercenary, The Riveting, High-Risk World of an Elite SEAL Team Operator Turned Hired Gun. We spoke with Corbett to learn more about his career and the role of the Rolex Submariner. San Diego, California - May 2007 After returning from a deployment to the Philippines with SEAL Team 5, Corbett attended a West Coast SEAL Reunion along with some older frogmen, many of whom were wearing their issued Tudor and Rolex Submariners. Corbett wasn’t a “watch guy” and previously had no idea about the SEAL-Rolex connection. He was enamored with the timepiece and the subtle but important meaning it had for his community. In our conversation, Corbett recalled, “I have always liked the culture of a symbol or object that if you are a part of that group, you know.” Like the patches he would later wear at SEAL Team Six, Submariner dive watches were part of the culture of his tribe. When shown the beat-up Subs on the wrists of veteran frogmen, the young SEAL thought to himself, “That’s fucking cool.” He needed one of his own. Shortly thereafter, Corbett visited the Fourtane Rolex Boutique at Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego. Walking in wearing board shorts and flip-flops, the sales associate skeptically agreed to let him try on a pre-ceramic Rolex Submariner reference 16610. When he held the Rolex, he quickly said “I am leaving the store today with this,” producing his Navy Federal Debit Card, flush with cash saved up from his last deployment. Green Team & SEAL Team Six Shortly after acquiring the Submariner, Corbett was invited to attend “Green Team,” Naval Special Warfare’s selection course for SEAL Team Six. While he doesn't recall wearing the Submariner during selection, he remarked that he rarely took it off for a simple reason—he hated winding it. The watch was an extension of himself and a part of his persona. After passing selection and arriving at Red Squadron, his eyes were opened to the broader world of watches. In the “regular” SEAL Teams, Corbett rarely encountered other Team Guys with high-end timepieces but at DEVGRU, watches were deeply ingrained in the unit’s culture. Corbett remembered, “I started seeing guys with Explorers, Pepsi GMTs, Submariners, and of course Panerais at Red Squadron. I started actually learning about watches, and there was a strong watch culture at the command.” Corbett explained that most of these timepieces were reserved for home or training, but others did wear them on operations. It was at this point that Corbett met fellow Red Squadron assaulter and dog handler, Will Chesney, who wore a Rolex Submariner on the Usama Bin Laden raid (read HERE). Afghanistan - 2009 For Corbett, the Rolex rarely left his wrist. During a 2009 vehicle interdiction operation in Afghanistan, a piece of shrapnel damaged the crystal after he shot a suspected suicide bomber at close range, causing the militant to drop a primed grenade. Let that sink in for a moment. In the midst of combat, Corbett used the green glow of his night vision goggles to check his Rolex, recognizing a deep scratch on the crystal. He was pissed, and he would have rather the shrapnel go into his arm instead of his sole prized possession. When he returned from deployment, he had the crystal replaced in Virginia Beach.   Maersk Alabama - Indian Ocean - April 2009 On April 8th, 2009, four Somali pirates hijacked the US-flagged Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia, eventually taking Captain Richard Phillips hostage on the ship’s lifeboat. Corbett’s squadron was activated as a part of a rescue operation, jumping out of planes into the ocean before positioning themselves on the USS Bainbridge. Corbett’s Submariner also made the trip. While gearing up for the combat jump, another SEAL jokingly remarked, “You must be single!”, a comment that implied only a single SEAL would bring a Rolex on a combat jump. Corbett thought to himself that it was pretty cool he was wearing his Rolex on a combat jump into the Indian Ocean, but it wasn’t a conscious decision, he simply wore the watch everywhere. Within 4 days of the hijacking, snipers in Corbett’s squadron shot and killed the three Somali pirates, rescuing Captain Phillips and inspiring the 2013 film of the same name. SEAL wearing a Rolex Submariner during aerial training op out of the back of a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, Aug 2011. (Photo Credit: Department of Defense) American Mercenary After a falling out with members of his command, Corbett made the difficult decision to leave SEAL Team Six and return to NSW, spending two years instructing junior SEALs in Close Quarters Combat, a skill set in which Corbett excelled. But he missed the action and after a chance encounter with a former SEAL Team guy, he was recruited into the gray world of private military contracting, initially conducting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, an assignment he found relatively mundane.   Aden, Yemen - 2016 After returning to reserve SEAL Team 17 and completing sniper school, Corbett was offered another contract with Trident Group, initially working in Abu Dhabi training an Emirati Special Unit before deploying with them to a base in Yemen. At this point, Corbet arguably transitioned from contractor to mercenary, working for a foreign government conducting counterterrorism operations jointly with a third country, the United Arab Emirates partner force.   Tradecraft - Cigarettes, Cash, & A Rolex Corbett completed intelligence training in the Navy, but his new calling required an adaptation in mindset —a transition from a member of an elite unit with all the resources and protection of the US government to a contractor operating as a singleton with no diplomatic protection. An early mentor explained the benefit of wearing a Rolex in nonpermissive environments as a potential bargaining chip and a store of value. It was a principle that Corbett summed up as “Marlboro Reds, Cash, and a Rolex.”  If stuck at a checkpoint, he would initially offer a pack of cigarettes to smooth things over. If that didn't work, then cash. The Rolex was a last resort, but something he was willing to give up if his life were on the line.  Describing this mindset, Corbett stated matter-of-factly: “My Rolex is my currency.”    Belgrade, Serbia - 2017 In 2017, Corbett agreed to travel to Serbia as a singleton to collect information on a suspected terrorist financier for later use as blackmail. Corbet focused on “wiring the AOR,” building relationships with individuals close to the target. He developed a network of individuals in Belgrade, many of which had questionable associations. In this case, Corbett’s Rolex served as a tool to establish credibility and build relationships. Many of the social brokers he developed had access to significant funds and displayed their wealth through timepieces. Spending his nights at bars and clubs, the Rolex gave him a basic form of legitimacy and assisted in his relationship-building efforts. Corbett explained, “I could not have established legitimacy wearing a Casio, the Rolex was just enough to give me legitimacy when others wore AP (Audemars Piguet)” and other luxury watches. The Rolex was a tool. (Photo Credit: Buzzfeed) The operation was short-lived. Corbett’s 2017 arrest launched him on another mission, to gain his freedom from charges for crimes he claims he never committed. Corbett spent the next 18 months in jail, facing a 12-year sentence for trumped-up charges. The police seized Corbett’s few belongings including his cellphone, passport, Rolex, and cuff links, all of which he signed for. He was placed in a cell with a state-sponsored assassin, drug addicts, and various other individuals with questionable backgrounds. Without his Rolex, Corbett felt naked, experiencing a phenomenon over the first few months of his imprisonment that he called “phantom Rolex,” often shaking his wrist expecting to feel the reassuring weight of the watch that never came. Local Tabloid: “SEAL is ready to settle. To discover whom I came to kill. Just save my head” For months Corbett had little insight into his fate, with periodic court visits separated by months with limited contact with the outside world. In July 2018, his lawyer was killed in a gang-style shooting, something that Corbett insists was unrelated to his case. Throughout his confinement, he was confident that the government had no case but concerned that he was caught up in inescapable political intrigue. Fully prepared to spend 12 years in jail, Corbett developed friendships with many of the inmates.  Corbett leaving the courthouse post-trial. On June 19th, 2019, Corbett was acquitted of all charges and unceremoniously told to leave the country. He returned to the jail to get his belongings and during out-processing, he was handed a zip-lock bag with his passport and—unbelievably—his Rolex Submariner. He was skeptical that it may have been replaced with a fake but was able to confirm it was indeed his Rolex, recognizing the scratches from over a decade of wear. He immediately slipped the watch back on his wrist and after a short stop at the Customs Police Station was free to leave. Falling back on his network of contacts, he spent a night in a hotel owned by the Hells Angels and left the country the next day. Arizona - 2024 After being released from prison, Corbett returned to the US without fanfare but with an extensive list of bills and expenses from being off the grid for 18 months. Corbett quickly returned to contracting, taking an unspecified gig in South America (he refused to elaborate). The Rolex remains one of his sole prized possessions and remains on his wrist not only as a tool but also as a reminder of his incredible Hollywood-like experiences to date.  American Mercenary Corbett has channeled his experience into instructing weapons and tactics for the Sentient Shooting Group. After much consideration, Corbett decided to document his experiences in the newly released book, American Mercenary, The Riveting, High-Risk World of an Elite SEAL Team Operator Turned Hired Gun. While we like to make fun of SEALs writing books as much as the next guy, Corbett’s story is not another SEAL book. American Mercenary provides a first-hand look into the murky world of Private Military Contracting, private intelligence collection, and mercenaries. Whatever is next for Corbett, we can be confident his Rolex Submariner will be on his wrist. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Trading a Rolex to Get out of a Sticky Situation - Myth or Reality?

From G-Shock To Garmin, Digital Watches Have Served At The Forefront Of Modern Warfare Whether watch nerds like it or not, digital tool watches (D.T.W.) have usurped their analog and mechanical siblings in the vast majority of military, law enforcement, and intelligence scenarios. Looking beyond the prominent subset of watch enthusiasts in our community who embody the “Use Your Tools” ethos by way of any number of “luxury” timepieces, most regular humans in need of a capable watch look to attainable digital watches from a few prominent brands including G-Shock, Garmin, Suunto, and others For watches associated with the military, no crucible provides better proof of utility than sustained service in combat, with some of history’s most legendary designs influenced by their use in global conflicts. Where the Vietnam War served as a proving ground for legends including the Rolex and Tudor Submariner, certain Seiko models, and the Tornek-Rayville TR-660, modern digital watches in many ways came into their own during the Global War On Terror (GWOT), a period spanning two decades after the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. A US Army Special Forces operator wearing a Suunto Vector in Afghanistan during the GWOT. During combat and intelligence operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and numerous other theaters, digital tool watches evolved from the basic G-Shock models that were in many respects unchanged from the original 1983 DW-5000C to the full suite of modern tactical and outdoor-oriented smartwatches from brands like Garmin and Suunto. In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss some of the most impactful digital watches utilized by SpecOps, military, and intelligence professionals during the Global War On Terror, leaning into photographic evidence, anecdotal examples from members of the community, and records detailing military and government purchase orders. If you’re into LARPing—you know who you are—or just solid digital watches, most of these models are still readily available and impressively inexpensive. Casio F91W - $23 A model we once called “The Preferred Watch Of Terrorists”, the legendary Casio F91W is among the most successful watches of all time, having sold over 120 million units since its debut in 1993, typically for well under $20 a pop. In contrast to many of the watches to follow, the F91W is known for its use on both sides of the GWOT including not only US and coalition forces but also insurgents and terrorists including none other than Usama bin Laden right up until his brief meeting with SEAL Team Six in 2011. A female TEO operator of Germany’s Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) wearing a Casio F91W in 2021. In addition to its use on the wrist, the F91W also served as what is known in national security circles as “dual-use technology,” something that at an initial glance has a legitimate civilian utility but can also be used for military or paramilitary applications, i.e. as a timer for an IED, pipe bomb, or shaped charge. Perhaps held back by its smaller 35.2mm wide by 38.2mm long case, poor backlight, and limited water resistance, the F91W never became a popular option for official military procurement but has still served as the cheapest thing that works, easily purchased at the PX or on the economy by countless service members—and terrorists—over the years. Casio Pro-Trek - $280-500 A USAF Pararescueman of the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron wears a Casio Pro-Trek while conducting in-water training in 2012. Technically unrelated to the G-Shock beyond having the same parent organization in Casio, Pro-Trek also has one of the most impressive service records of any digital watch during the Global War On Terror. Having been selected by countless special operators and conventional troops, the Pro-Trek takes a small step from being just a basic timepiece to something more with integrated “ABC” or altimeter, barometer, and compass functions that—at least in a pinch—assist with way-finding in austere combat situations without requiring Bluetooth or other network connectivity that could compromise the wearer. Retired US Navy SEAL Dave Hall wearing a Casio Pro-Trek in Afghanistan. (Photo Credit: Dave Hall) Despite only being rated to 100 meters of water resistance in most instances, the Pro-Trek was still often the watch of choice for amphibious military members including retired US Navy SEAL Dave Hall who often wore a Pro-Trek on his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Digging into government records, Pro-Trek references PAW 1500-1V, PAG240-1, PRW2500-1A, and 130-1T were all purchased through government channels during the GWOT, mostly by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which is a major testing and supply hub for the broader US Air Force. G-Shock From left to right, the DW5600-1V, DW6600-1V, and DE6900-1V are some of the most commonly purchased G-Shock models by military organizations. There was, as you’d expect, no shortage of G-Shocks used by service members during the GWOT. Dating back to 1983, the G-Shock revolutionized the watch industry by presenting a level of durability that was previously unthinkable for watches. With a basic case concept conceived by iconic Casio designer Kikuo Ibe after seeing a child bouncing a rubber ball, the original parameters for the G-Shock called for “Triple 10” resistance, meaning the watch needed to be able to survive a fall from 10 meters, resist water pressure to 10 atmospheres (100 meters), and provide 10 years of battery life. SOCCOM purchased 1000 units of G-Shock model G9000-1V in 2014 despite the reference’s lack of an NSN. (Photo Credit: US Navy) Catching on with military, law enforcement, and emergency professionals, the G-Shock has evolved over the years to include a wide variety of smartwatch-style functions. Still, while other more complicated G-Shock models have been purchased on a unit basis, only four basic references have been awarded an NSN or NATO Stock Number, making them readily available for military procurement and issue. All four also saw active service during the GWOT, as did non-NSN models including the Mudman (G9000-1V), which was ordered by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in 2014 in separate orders of 400 and 600 units. DW5600-1V - $75 A USAF Combat Controller wearing a DW5600-1V in Afghanistan. A direct descendant of the original G-Shock, the DW5000C, the DW5600-1V was introduced in 1996. Often the least expensive G-Shock on the market at around $40, the 5600 provides one of the smallest and least obtrusive wearing experiences of any Shock, coming in at 48.9 by 42.8mm wide by 48.9mm long by 13.4mm thick. Given its entry-level price point, the suite of functions is simple by modern digital standards but does provide just about everything the basic military member could ever need while also offering G-Shock’s legendary durability. In the GWOT’s early years, this was the most commonly spotted watch on members of the military and intelligence services, even playing a role in CIA’s early anti-terror efforts in Afghanistan. DW6600-1V - Discontinued A young Chris Kyle on deployment wearing the Casio G-Shock DW6600-1V. Commonly associated with Chris Kyle, the US Navy SEAL who inspired 2014’s American Sniper, the DW6600-1V will always be considered the GWOT Navy SEAL watch. Beyond the utility, the DW6600 also became part of Team Guy culture. According to former SEAL Rob Huberty, “One of my proudest days at BUDS was when I went from a naked wrist to an issued G-Shock. In SEAL training, you aren’t allowed to wear a watch until you earn it. We weren’t allowed to wear our uniforms in town, but when I saw Team Guys in Coronado, their sleeve tattoos and G-Shocks were a dead giveaway.” Former US Navy SEAL, Harvard-educated medical doctor, and current astronaut Jonny Kim wearing a DW6600-1V on deployment in Iraq. From a use-case perspective, the DW6600-1V was a near-perfect choice for the SEALs, with the watch’s stopwatch feature working as a dive timer, a powerful backlight with a large button, and more durability than most could ever need. Some even say the little fin-shaped indices on the display could be used to time fin kicks during underwater navigational scenarios. Surprisingly, the classic version of the DW6600-1V has been discontinued since 2010, with Naval Special Warfare Command placing what was likely its final order for this specific reference in 2009 referencing a SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) supply list. The similarly styled DW6900-1V has largely taken its place, but we would argue a reissue is in order. DW6900-1V - $85 A DW6900-1V in its military-specific packaging shows the NSN for “Watch, Wrist” at the top. (Photo Credit: Reddit) The successor to the DW6600, the 6900-series swapped the fin-shaped elements on its display for a trio of tiny circles visually indicating the passing seconds while maintaining the proven case and strap format. Another commonly purchased item across the US Military, the basic DW6900 now seems to be one of the defacto purchase orders for any unit or organization looking for a solid digital watch including members of the SpecOps community. A USAF Pararescuemen wears a DW6900-1V in 2015. (Photo Credit: US Air Force) DW9052-1V - $75 A Force Recon Marine wearing a DW9052-1V in 2013. (Photo Credit: US Marine Corps) A G-Shock more commonly spotted during the second half of the GWOT is the DW9052-1V, which provides several key differences compared to the aforementioned models. For one, the 9052 utilizes larger square plastic buttons that are significantly easier to operate with gloves while also having hinged lugs more like a traditional watch, meaning the interface between the case and strap isn’t as stiff as other G-Shocks. Like the 6600 and 6900, the 9052 provides an easily accessed front light button. Despite being initially launched in 1995 and relaunched in 2011, the 9052 series does not appear to have found widespread military use until the tail end of the GWOT on terror, now being commonly spotted on the wrist of select military divers in particular, which stands to reason as the 9052 was a standard issue gear item for students attending a variety of diving courses at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) for years. For a complete look at the US Military’s history with G-Shock, click HERE. Other Brands: Beneath the long shadow cast by Casio and the G-Shock collection in particular, several other brands made inroads into the digital tool watch space during the GWOT, first with brands like Timex and Suunto and later with Garmin as smartwatches entered the tactical fold. Timex Ironman Classic - $63 The humble Timex Ironman was issued by CIA to partner forces during the GWOT. Often playing second fiddle to celebrated G-Shock models, the Timex Ironman deserves its place in any discussion of digital timing during the GWOT, having been used not only by conventional military forces but also by US intelligence agencies, including CIA, which issued the Ironman to Afghan partner forces. Dating back to 1984 and the Timex Triathlon, the Ironman name was officially introduced in 1986 after Timex obtained the rights to the growing Ironman franchise. Designed to be rugged enough for swimming, biking, and running in the ridiculous sport of Ironman-distance triathlons, the Timex Ironman found its place among military and NatSec circles by virtue of its attainable price point, legible display, useful timing functions, and stout build. Former US Navy SEAL Jocko Willink is known for wearing Timex Ironman watches before, during, and after the GWOT. We have spotted Ironman watches on the wrists of US Navy SEALs and other members of the SpecOps community including former SEAL Jocko Willink who wore a Timex Ironman before and during the GWOT and continues to wear the humble digital watch despite his success as an author, podcaster, and leadership guru. We assume Jocko thinks the watch is “GOOD”. Suunto Vector - Discontinued A US Army soldier calls in an airstrike while wearing a Suunto Vector in Afghanistan in 2009. (Photo Credit: US Army) Another outdoors-oriented watch with ABC functionality that saw no shortage of action in Iraq and Afghanistan was the Suunto Vector, which was produced between 1998 and 2015 almost without change, a testament to the original design. With an Achilles heel of only 30 meters of water resistance, the Vector was still a great choice for urban and desert warfare, with its integrated altimeter being especially useful for mountain operations. Recognizing the trend, Suunto, a Finland-based brand, leaned into the watch’s popularity among US military members, creating an olive green variant that nails the early 2000s “tacticool” look on the head. Multiple orders for the Vector were placed by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 2014 and 2015, with another interesting order coming from the FBI in 2021 (Presumably for SWAT Teams). Suunto Core Classic - $219 A US Navy SEAL wearing a Suunto Core on deployment. Where the Suunto Vector was in all ways intended as a mountaineering watch for REI nerds that grew to become a military favorite, it felt like Suunto knew what they were doing when they introduced the Core in 2007. While the new watch still technically only provided 30 meters of water resistance, Suunto obviously felt strongly enough about the watch’s amphibious ability to engineer a depth gauge function in addition to the standard ABC capabilities the brand is known for. Intriguingly, the depth gauge was only rated to 33 feet (10 meters), which happens to be the maximum operating depth of a pure oxygen rebreather such as the LAR V used by US Navy SEALs. A coincidence? Perhaps, but conspiracy theories are a lot more fun. What is for sure is the Core’s appeal among SpecOps units, with multiple orders placed for the model by Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and USSOCOM starting in 2010. 5.11 H.R.T. Titanium - Discontinued A young Chris Craighead wearing the seldom-seen 5.11 H.R.T. Titanium watch. (Photo Credit: Chris Craighead) Despite making a bunch of quality tactical gear, 5.11 is not known for its watches. That said, the analog-digital HRT model did have its day during the Global War On Terror, even issued to and worn by “Obi-Wan Nairobi” AKA Chris Craighead who wore the watch on deployment in his SAS days (but not his famed single-handed efforts in Kenya). That said, from what we can tell, 5.11’s watches were not formally purchased by the US Government and they aren’t commonly spotted in our research, which also indicates the watches did not obtain the reputation for durability possessed by G-Shock and other names on this list. Garmin A US Navy SEAL conducts training with a Garmin Fenix on the wrist. (Photo Credit: US Navy) When it comes to modern military watches, the new elephant in the room is Garmin, though the brand is not without its complications when it comes to modern warfare. Garmin also has a long-standing history with the US Military, having provided a wide variety of GPS-related equipment throughout the GWOT and today. An evolution of the “smartwatch” genre kicked off by Apple’s Apple Watch in 2015, Garmin’s outdoors and tactical-oriented collection of watches provides more functionality than a Timex or G-Shock could ever dream of, including active heart rate monitoring, GPS, an incredible array of sport and fitness specific functions, and in some cases, even parachuting and ballistics-specific capabilities. The suite of tech is no doubt compelling, but also Bluetooth or otherwise “connected” watches run the risk of being utilized to track or monitor troops in a theater of war or intelligence officers. Still, Garmin’s fitness and tactical smartwatches have been widely ordered through government channels over the last 10 years or so including much of the end of the GWOT. Garmin Instinct - $300-500 Pictured on an Indian Marine Commando Force (MARCOS) operator during training with an East Coast-based SEAL Team, the Garmin Instinct has become popular with military members around the world since its inception in the closing years of the GWOT. (Photo Credit: US Navy) Now in its second iteration, the Instinct, originally released in 2018, is where Garmin’s GPS-enabled smartwatch collection kicks off. The case, strap, user interface, and display are simpler compared to more premium models, but you still get GPS capabilities that sync with multiple satellite systems, all of the ABC functions you could ever want, solar charging on some models, and apps for sports, with the watch also conforming to the 810 Military Standard for shock and water resistance. While it was only around at the tail end of the GWOT and does not appear to have been purchased en masse through official channels, the Instinct often appears on the wrist of military members during the final years of the conflict. Garmin Fenix - $640-1,000 A Garmin Fenix on the wrist of a US Air Force Pararescueman in 2019. (Photo Credit: US Air Force) The most widely purchased wrist-worn Garmin during the GWOT and now in its seventh iteration, the Fenix was launched in 2012 as an outdoors smartwatch with an impressive array of fitness functions in addition to GPS capabilities. A search of government records reveals dozens of orders for Garmin Fenix models starting with an AFSOC order in 2015 with continuous follow-up orders from the Air Force’s SpecOps community ever since. Further orders for Fenix models have come from the US Army’s Air Combat Command, 855th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Beyond these official orders, many other small-scale orders were likely placed through civilian channels with government funds. Garmin Tactix - $1,000-1,600 A US Navy SEAL wears a Garmin Fenix or Tactix during training operations. (Photo Credit: US Navy) Essentially a special version of the Fenix, the Garmin Tactix takes the GPS and fitness functions and adds features specific to use in tactical or military environments including a display mode intended for use with night vision, ballistics calculators, and a jumpmaster mode for parachuting. As you’d expect, the Tactix is popular among military organizations, having been ordered by AFSOC as early as 2015, certain US Marine Corps units including Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) over the years. Whether Digital Or Analog, Use Your Tools Whether we like it or not, most modern operators trust digital tool watches—even Apple Watches—over Swiss luxury brands. While we often profile Intelligence Officers and Special Operators wearing Seikos and fine Swiss timepieces, the fact is that the majority of practitioners leverage DTWs to complete their tasks. From G-Shock to Suunto to Timex to Garmin or even the Apple Watch, digital watches served as tools on every front of the Global War On Terror, the most impactful global conflict in modern times, evolving along the way to include smartwatch-style capabilities that, while challenging in some respects, provide a modern soldier or intelligence asset with an unprecedented level of technical capability. As watch enthusiasts, we would perhaps like to see more analog mechanical watches on the wrists of modern military members. Still, in many cases, digital watches are simply a better tool for the job. Whether you’re wearing an Omega Seamaster or a Casio F91W, as long as you live the “Use Your Tools” ethos, we’re here for you. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: DARPA’s Take on the Next Generation of Military Watches

Top Picks From A CIA Case Officer’s Bookshelf One of the most common requests we receive is for a reading list on intelligence, special operations, and national security. While this is a little outside our scope of Watches of Espionage, we are encouraged by this question because it demonstrates a desire to learn more about impactful topics within our community. With that in mind, I took a hard look at my library and queried other friends on their favorite books on intelligence and SpecOps to create an incomplete but workable list. There are a lot of great books out there on these subjects. For brevity’s sake, we elected to make this a series, with the first installment focused on books covering the Global War On Terror that raged for 20 years in the aftermath of the attacks on September 11th, 2001. We encourage you to add your favorite reads to the comments.  CIA’s Team Alpha Prior to Insertion into Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11. While the purpose of this platform isn’t to inspire the next generation of public servants, we are quickly learning this is a byproduct of W.O.E., which is great. So whether you are a student interested in a career at CIA or a washed-up dad wanting to relive the glory days, here are some great books to keep you entertained, informed, and educated. *We have added affiliate Amazon links for each book if you want to purchase directly from Amazon and support the site. If not, that's cool too. The Global War On Terror (GWOT) In Books Kill Bin Laden: A Delta Force Commander's Account of the Hunt for the World's Most Wanted Man, Dalton Fury In Kill Bin Laden, retired US Army Major Thomas Greer, whose action movie-style pen name is Dalton Fury, describes his firsthand experiences as a senior Delta Force officer during the hunt for Osama Bin Laden including a riveting eyewitness account of the Battle Of Tora Bora in 2001. Of note, he also has some great fiction reads similar to Jack Carr. The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth, Mark Mazzetti While we’re typically hard on reporters, Mark Mazzetti, a Pulitzer Prize winner, provides an excellent multi-faceted look at modern warfare by sharing the stories of intelligence officers, special operators, and CIA assets including at least one socialite. There is some great detail in this book that would never pass the CIA’s Publication Review Board. Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror, Robert Young Pelton A closer look at the world of private military contractors (PMC), Licensed to Kill details CIA’s “Dirty Wars”, contractor training, and some of the most prominent successes and failures of private military contractors, often operating without oversight or repercussions when they cross the line. If you want to learn more about the Blackwater Breitling, this is a good place to start and about as unbiased as it gets on this controversial topic. Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander, Gary Berntsen & Ralph Pezzullo This time coming from the Agency’s perspective, Jawbreaker is career CIA Case Officer Gary Berntsten’s first-hand experience coordinating the CIA's fight against the Taliban while searching for Usama bin Laden in the war’s early years. First In: An Insider's Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan, Gary Schroen Gary Schroen was a legendary CIA Case Officer who led the initial Northern Alliance Liaison Team—codenamed “Jawbreaker”—into Afghanistan, in late 2001. First In is his account of some of the first boots on the ground belonging to a team of CIA Officers tasked with linking up with the Northern Alliance in the Panjshir Valley. We profiled Schroen and his Rolex Submariner in a previous Dispatch, read HERE. First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, Toby Harnden One of the best-researched accounts of the first phase of the war in the aftermath of 9/11, Toby Harnden’s book, First Casualty, should be required reading for anyone looking for a 10,000-foot overview of the CIA and US Army Special Forces’ efforts in Afghanistan in the Fall of 2001. Of note, Harnden also wrote a Dispatch on Israeli Spy Eli Cohen’s Eterna-Matic Centenaire Recovered by Mossad, read HERE. The Triple Agent: The al-Qaeda Mole who Infiltrated the CIA, Joby Warrick Coming from another Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, Joby Warrick’s The Triple Agent is the harrowing narrative of Humam Khalil al-Balawi, a Jordanian double agent who claimed the lives of seven CIA Case Officers and Paramilitary Officers at a secret outpost in Afghanistan in 2009.  This was required reading for several courses at CIA and an important study of counterintelligence in counterterrorism operations. Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Ground Soldier's Fifty-Year Career Hunting America's Enemies, Billy Waugh & Tim Keown A legend among SpecOps and the Agency, Billy Waugh fought in Vietnam with US Army Special Forces and worked as a contractor for CIA in Khartoum, Sudan in the early 90s keeping tabs on a certain bad actor named Usama bin Laden. When the GWOT kicked off, Waugh, who was then 71, deployed to Afghanistan to continue his lifelong service to our country. Waugh is also a W.O.E. Dispatch profile alum, having worn some of history’s great tool watches throughout his adventure-filled life including a Rolex GMT-Master, Seiko 6409, and numerous Digital Tool Watches (D.T.W.) throughout his career. Click HERE to read more. Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001, Steve Coll Where many of the books we’ve mentioned thus far cover the events immediately following 9/11, Steve Coll’s Ghost Wars concentrates on the intelligence efforts before September 11th including CIA’s clandestine efforts to subvert Soviet action in Afghanistan in the 1980s. I read and reread this book every time I went to Afghanistan, and it is one of the most comprehensive histories of the US Government's involvement in the region. Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Steve Coll Another Steve Coll piece, Directorate S covers the intelligence challenges faced by CIA in Afghanistan caused by Pakistani ISI’s "Directorate S", a highly secretive wing of the country’s intelligence service charged with arming, training, and attempting to legitimize the Taliban’s role in the region. This is a great follow-on reading to Ghost Wars. Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins, Annie Jacobsen Another text looking at CIA’s Paramilitary operations, Surprise, Kill, Vanish provides a high-level overview of the history of CIA's Special Activities Division (SAD / SAC) interwoven with firsthand accounts of the secretive unit’s actions during the Cold War and the GWOT. I will note, while this is a good read with lots of great information, several sections are over-Hollywoodized and not as accurate as they appear. 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi, Mitchell Zuckoff with the Annex Security Team 13 Hours is a detailed account of the events of September 11th, 2012, when a six-man team of GRS security contractors working for the US Government defended a CIA annex and a State Department Special Mission Compound from armed militants in Benghazi, Libya. Also having been made into a feature film of the same name starring the dreamy John Krasinski, 13 Hours also offers some premium Rolex Submariner content on the wrist of Ty "Rone" Woods, a CIA Global Response Staff contractor played by James Badge Dale. The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, Lawrence Wright Another prequel to the events of 9/11 and the GWOT to follow, The Looming Tower is a Pulitzer Prize-winning narrative describing Usama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri’s ascent to the heights of global terrorism as well as the FBI’s efforts to track and understand the emerging threat presented by al-Qaeda in the 1990s. This is the best read on helping understand the events that led to the attacks on September 11th and an easy read. Send Me: The True Story of a Mother at War, Marty Skovlund Jr. & Joe Kent Authored by our good friend Marty Skovlund Jr. and former CIA Joe Kent, the subject’s widower, Send Me is the incredible story of Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a trailblazing female special operator, gifted linguist, and mother of two who served with Naval Special Warfare and CIA during the Global War On Terror, ultimately losing her life in a suicide bombing in Syria in 2019. Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command, Sean Naylor Relentless Strike is one of the best overviews of Joint Special Operations Command or JSOC, the parent organization that serves as operational control for Delta Force, the 75th Ranger Regiment, SEAL Team Six, and other secretive intelligence and aviation assets. From its humble beginnings in the 80s to its exponentially larger role in the GWOT, JSOC became one of the United States’ most impactful weapons in the fight against terrorism. There is some great CIA content also in this book that is scarily accurate. Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda, Sean Naylor An in-depth account of Operation Anaconda, Not a Good Day to Die is intelligence and counterterrorism reporter Sean Naylor’s beautifully researched description of one of the United States’ bloodiest battles in the Global War On Terror. This work details the early actions of SOF, JSOC, and CIA in the early days of the conflict in Afghanistan. No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden, Mark Owen & Kevin Maurer Where 9/11 is the event that caused the GWOT, the killing of Usama Bin Laden in 2011 is perhaps the second-most crucial event marking the culmination of an unprecedented intelligence effort by CIA and a harrowing raid by SEAL Team Six, which is described in detail in No Easy Day by Mark Owen, a veteran SEAL operator who was on the mission. While we generally roll our eyes at SEAL books, this is an incredible insight into SEAL Team Six and a first-hand account of this historic operation. See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War Against Terrorism, Robert Baer Another account from a CIA Officer serving before and in the opening phases of the GWOT, See No Evil is an incendiary look at what the author sees as the Agency’s intelligence failures as well as a description of the roots of modern terrorism. Bob Baer is a controversial figure at CIA and many say his reputation is less than stellar. That said, this book inspired an entire generation of CIA officers, coming out shortly after September 11th. Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan, Doug Stanton One of the GWOT’s most iconic images is that of US Army Special Forces riding horses into battle in Afghanistan shortly after September 11th. Horse Soldiers tells the story of how these American special operators blended old-school cavalry tactics with modern warfare to fight the earliest battles of the early GWOT. This book sets a good foundation for our follow-on piece by former senior CIA Case Officer J.R. Seeger writes about the role his watches played in the early days of the conflict in Afghanistan (read HERE). The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One, David Kilcullen Providing a global perspective on the Global War On Terror, David Kilcullen’s The Accidental Gorilla contextualizes the importance of smaller conflicts and intelligence operations in Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, the Horn of Africa, and East Timor and their role in the more prominent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The More You Know Beyond their entertainment value, these books provide detailed history and incredible firsthand accounts of how modern warfare, special operations, and intelligence collection unfolded over 20 years of war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe. Setting politics aside, the GWOT presents myriad cases of true heroism displayed by regular soldiers, intelligence officers, and SpecOps personnel at all levels of the war. There are, of course, numerous other books detailing the events of the Global War On Terror including thousands written by Navy SEALs, but this list is a great place to start. As they say, the more you know... If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Israeli Spy Eli Cohen’s Eterna-Matic Centenaire Recovered by Mossad   *As a disclaimer, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. When you click on links to various books in this article and make a purchase, this can result in Watches of Espionage earning a commission. If you’re interested in these books and want to make a purchase using these links, we appreciate your support.

Is an Obscure Islamic Digital Watch The New Choice Of Terrorists & Non-State Actors? We once called the Casio F91W the “Preferred Watch Of Terrorists” based largely on its associations with Usama bin Laden who was often photographed wearing the attainable Japanese digital watch before his impromptu meeting with SEAL Team Six in 2011. However, recent photographs of leaders of prominent terrorist organizations may indicate a changing tide in the arena of tool watches of terror. The watches are produced by a brand called Al-Fajr, which is based in Saudi Arabia and known for its collection of what it calls “Islamic” watches and clocks that have functions specific to Islam including prayer time alarms and the ability to determine Qibla direction. We have written extensively about politicians and world leaders using timepieces as subtle communicative objects, and terrorist leaders are no different. The price is modest, ranging from sub-$100 to $300, marking an affordable option for the supposed pious individuals, many of which have access to extensive sums of money. Siraj Haqqani, seen here wearing an Al-Fajr watch, is the Taliban’s Interior Minister in Afghanistan’s post-2021 government. While the associations are likely unintended, the brand’s roots and Islamic functions have made the brand the new watch of choice for several leaders of prominent terror organizations including but not limited to Hamas, the Islamic State, and the Taliban. *To be very clear, this article is not a condemnation of Al-Fajr or Islam, just an observation of the tools worn by those at the tip of the (terrorism) spear.  Also, coverage does not equal endorsement, each of these groups is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the US Department of State. Hamas Assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh wearing an intriguing digital Al-Fajr Islamic watch. The impetus for this article stems from the events of July 31st, 2024, when the political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in the Iranian capital of Tehran. In recent photographs preceding his assassination, which was reportedly carried out by Israeli assets who placed an explosive device in a guesthouse in which he was supposed to stay, Haniyeh wore an Al-Fajr Islamic watch, marking one of our first interactions with the brand. As with all politicians or world leaders, it is safe to assume this Islam-specific watch was also worn to convey a message, one that is not exclusive to the departed Hamas leader. Read about watches worn in the Israel-Palestine conflict HERE. ISIS ISIS Emir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi wearing an Al-Fajr watch in 2014. Former Islamic State Emir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made one of his few public appearances in 2014 when he delivered a sermon at the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, Iraq. Press reporting was quick to note the steel watch on his right hand, speculating that it was potentially an expensive Rolex or Omega “Seafarer.” (Of note, there is no Omega “Seafarer”.) This would have been notable in itself; however, it appears the watch is another example of an Al-Fajr Islamic watch being worn by a prominent terrorist. Further, he was also wearing the watch on his right hand, which some believe is in line with Islamic tradition. ISIS maintained a sophisticated PR and media wing that could rival any nation-state, so it stands to reason that significant thought was put into al-Baghdadi’s watch before this recording of one of his few public appearances, but of course, this is simply speculation. Taliban Mullah Yaqoob, the Taliban’s Defense Minster, photographed in 2024 wearing a general’s military uniform and a gold-tone Al-Fajr Islamic watch. Anointed the Taliban’s Defense Minister in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Mullah Yaqoob was recently photographed wearing a military uniform complete with the rank of general and another, slightly different watch from Al-Fajr with a gold-tone case. As was the case for Ismail Haniyeh, choosing a watch produced by a brand based in the Middle East with Islam-centric functionality serves two-fold, first acting as a legitimate tool for a practitioner of Islam and second as an element of propaganda intended to showcase the ingenuity and technical manufacturing capabilities of the broader Islamic world. When A Watch Is More Than Just A Watch As we’ve often discussed with political leaders and other globally impactful individuals, a watch often serves as far more than its core timekeeping functionality may suggest, instead acting as a symbol of power, ingenuity, and/or unity within certain communities. For leaders of terrorist organizations to wear watches designed with Islam in mind especially when in the public eye demonstrates an awareness of the importance of media, propaganda, and influence, once again demonstrating that it’s never just a watch. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: CIA Analysis of Foreign Leaders’ Timepieces *Featured Image Credit: Claire Harbage/NPR

From the Cold War To The War In Ukraine, Watches Are Used As A Propaganda Tool, But Are They Effective? In June 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the frontline troops on Ukraine's Armed Forces Day and presented soldiers with Ukrainian-produced Kleynold watches. The tradition of presenting watches to military personnel as commemorative gifts is long, but these watches served another purpose. With a government photographer on hand to capture the moment, the Ukrainian-produced Kleynold KFS-820s were tools of propaganda, a public demonstration of unity, patriotism, and Ukrainian ingenuity. This is just the latest example of watches used as tools of influence by Ukraine, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Cold War Of Covert Influence During the Cold War, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) competed on several “battlefields.” These included “hot wars” like Korea and Vietnam, “near-miss Armageddons” such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, and shadowy proxy wars around the world. One of the lesser-known battlefields involved influence operations. Both superpowers used overt, clandestine, and covert resources to influence non-aligned populations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In the United States, the lead agency was the US State Department and, specifically, the Policy Planning Staff (PPS). George Kennan, the State Department senior official responsible for the PPS, served in Moscow and realized that in the case of the USSR, the United States faced an implacable foe under Joseph Stalin determined to control the world either by force of arms or by political warfare. George F. Kennan pictured in Geneva, Switzerland. To counter that threat, Kennan prepared a series of papers at State addressing political warfare's challenges. Kennan understood that a successful program would have to include every possible tool in the national security tool kit. This included public diplomacy, economic and military support to neutrals as well as allies, and clandestine and covert influence programs run by the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency.  The diverse set of CIA operations supporting this strategic plan included clandestine publishing and delivery of books banned in the USSR such as Boris Paternak’s Doctor Zhivago, smuggling news and music radio broadcasts into the Warsaw Pact countries and the USSR, and effective use of “agents of influence” to deliver a US-orchestrated message. Traditional Propaganda To counter this effort, the USSR used similar techniques. In the case of strategic communications, the USSR offered foreign journalists tours of “Potemkin villages” presenting the power of the communist economy. The May Day celebrations included displays of the Soviet military might, and in 1960, they created an international university in Moscow, Patrice Lumumba University, to train future non-aligned leaders. The KGB conducted “active measures” propaganda using their own agents of influence designed to portray the West and most especially the US as a poverty-stricken, depraved nation. The greatest tool in the Soviet propaganda tool kit was their space program. While US rockets were blowing up on the launch pad, the Soviets launched a small satellite, SPUTNIK, in October 1957 which broadcasted a radio signal as it orbited the Earth. In April 1961, the Soviets put the first man, Yuri Gagarin, into orbit, providing rocket fuel for the USSR’s propaganda program. The Soviet Union & Watches The Soviet Union had a basic watch industry before the start of World War II, but it was after the war that their watchmaking endeavors shifted from producing watches for the war effort to a blend of military and civilian programs. Two of the best-known of these 20th-century watch factories were VOSTOK (“East” in Russian) and the Petrodvorets Watch Factory (later renamed RAKETA, Russian for “rocket” after Yuri Gagarin’s epic flight). Both companies produced basic, easy-to-service, reliable hand-wound watches. Both RAKETA and VOSTOK watches were worn by Soviet political and military leaders as well as Soviet astronauts, pilots, and polar explorers. Soviet watch designs were also distinctive (for example the “Big Zero” Raketa). They also offered creative designs for water resistance including the legendary Vostok Amphibia that relied on increasing water pressure at depth to secure its water resistance. Raketa “Big Zero” in a chrome-plated cushion case with short, curved lugs (Photo Credit: Vintage Watch Inc) Beginning in the 1960s, both factories began to produce watches that advertised Soviet successes in military operations, space, and exploration. These watches had dial designs including Gagarin’s face, Soviet tanks, Soviet ships, submarines, and Soviet aircraft. These designs were primarily focused on building solidarity within the Soviet Union, but they were also exported around the globe allowing citizens of non-aligned countries with weak economies to own a reliable watch marked in English as “MADE IN USSR”.  Vintage Raketa with Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin on the dial. The objective was clear: While the West produced watches for the elite, the Soviet Union made watches for the common man. While anyone familiar with the international watch industry of the 1960s knows that US, UK, and Japanese firms were producing high-quality watches at an affordable price, the marketing plans for these firms did not counter the Soviet argument. Simply put: The West ceded this particular piece of strategic communications to the Soviets. Did it matter? Probably not. The collapse of the USSR was a catastrophe for most command economy industries. However, both RAKETA and VOSTOK survived and began to export to the West. The oddest aspect of these export efforts was the importance of nostalgia for the Cold War. Soviet paraphernalia began to show up in kiosks throughout Europe and both RAKETA and VOSTOK found European partners willing to invest in their robust yet extremely inexpensive watches. The War In Ukraine Long after the collapse of the USSR and the creation of the modern state of Ukraine, the country had a nascent watch industry in Kyiv founded in 1997 and focused on simple quartz and mechanical watches. None of these watches appeared on the market in the West and they certainly didn’t hold the status of popular VOSTOK models including the  Komandirskie and the Amphibia, both of which have cult followings among enthusiasts.  A KLEYNOD watch from the brand’s military-oriented “Forces” collection. However, following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory in 2022, the Ukrainian Kyiv watch company changed its name to KLEYNOD (Ukrainian for “treasure”) and began to impress a historic Ukrainian battle insignia on their watches. Their marketing tool was simple: The KLEYNOD watches symbolized the Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion. In a previous W.O.E. Dispatch, we showed President Zelensky giving KLEYNOD watches to front-line troops. At present, KLEYNOD offers over a dozen different military-related watches, clearly keeping the ongoing war effort in mind. Colonel Oleksandr “Grey Wolf” Oksanchenko, an early casualty of the War in Ukraine wearing a Ukrainian-made watch, Kleynod "Independence Insignia" edition. When Ukrainian Su-27 Flanker fighter pilot Colonel Oleksandr “Grey Wolf” Oksanchenko was killed on 25 February by a Russian S-400 missile during the Battle of Kyiv, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Gold Star. Oksanchenko was a legendary Ukrainian pilot who retired in 2018 but like many Ukrainians returned to service to defend his nation. To celebrate this national hero and create unity, the Ukrainian government and press circulated pictures of the Grey Wolf, with a Kleynod "Independence Insignia" edition watch clearly visible on his wrist. The watch was developed on the 15th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence. Russia, Putin, & Timepieces Similarly, Russia continues to tout its watch industry as a source of national pride. President Putin, known for his extensive watch collection including an 18k yellow gold Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Sohne, Blancpain, and IWC, is now seen regularly wearing a Russian made, Imperial Peterhof Factory (Raketa) watch. Putin and affiliated Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) officials similarly have presented Russian-made watches to forces as honorary gifts. Conclusion: In the West, we often see watches as timekeeping tools or status symbols. Certainly, both points are true around the world with world leaders wearing valuable timepieces. Cases in point include the new Danish King Frederik’s Omega Seamaster “Unit Watch” or Donald Trump’s many Rolex models. However, in the case of the USSR or today’s Russia and Ukraine, watches made locally serve as small but impactful propaganda tools that remind both the wearer and the observer alike that indigenous industries make reliable tools that are robust and meant to be used. Both countries export these timepieces to sustain their industries, but also to send a small message to the world: We are industrial powers. -- This piece was jointly written by W.O.E. and J.R. Seeger who served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and as a CIA officer for a total of 27 years of federal service. Seeger led multiple, small unit teams during his service, including leading one of the CIA teams that infiltrated Afghanistan after 9/11. This newsletter has been reviewed by the CIA’s Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.  Read Next: Double Wristing Stormin' Norman

Istanbul is one of the espionage capitals of the world, so it’s no surprise you can find spy artifacts for sale in the world's most famous bazaar. It’s difficult to write about Istanbul without falling into cliches, but there is a palpable romantic mystique and energy in the city on the Bosphorus. This is especially true in the Grand Bazaar where culture, both genuine and contrived, is on full display. That said, when I visit covered markets in the Middle East, rarely am I buying, maybe a trinket to bring back to the kids, but that’s it. Aren’t these just overpriced shops geared towards tourists? But this trip was different, I spent hours exploring the deepest corners of the Grand Bazaar and discovered a unique vintage Tudor Oyster Prince, two Minox “spy” Cameras, and a Cold War era Protona Minifon watch, which contains a microphone to surreptitiously record conversations. Istanbul, July 2024 Earlier this month, I visited the Grand Bazaar on a mission to acquire a “super-clone” counterfeit Rolex, the subject of a previous Dispatch (read HERE). Walking through the vast covered market, a local friend could tell I had the “been here, done this” look and offered to show me the Antique Market, situated in the hall of Cevahir Bedestan. What I found was a series of stores with vintage collectibles, real watches, and a surprising amount of military and intelligence memorabilia—all things I like. The Old Bazaar is by no means a hidden secret, but in an area stretching 64 streets and over 4,000 stalls, it’s not exactly a place you stumble on. I visited the Bazaar numerous times over 20 years and never saw it. It’s a far cry from the more trinket-focused main avenues most tourists pass through. Istanbul - A City Of Espionage Istanbul is a remarkable tourist destination, complete with rich culture, tasty cuisine, and historical sites from centuries of different ruling empires. But, below the surface of the 15-17 million tourists visiting the city each year are more sinister travelers: spies, assassins, and individuals who traffic in arms and illicit antiquities. “If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.” – attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte For the same reasons this quote rings true, the city formerly known as Constantinople could also be described as the espionage capital of the world. Strategically located at the intersection of Asia and Europe, Istanbul is a short flight from London, Moscow, and Tehran. Turkey borders many hotspots including Iraq, Syria, and Iran, and is in direct proximity to the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. While Ankara is the capital, many nations, including the US, maintain robust diplomatic missions (i.e. embassies and consulates) along the Bosphorus. Embassies and consulates mean spies. A History Lesson You can’t mention espionage and Istanbul without discussing James Bond. In From Russia with Love, 007 works to retrieve a Soviet cipher machine from Tatiana Romanova, and in Skyfall, Daniel Craig’s Bond conducts a high-speed chase through the Grand Bazaar. The backdrop of Istanbul makes for an exciting setting, but this connection is rooted in real espionage. Ian Fleming himself was a real intelligence officer and reportedly traveled to Istanbul in 1955 to attend an Interpol conference as a member of the Scotland Yard delegation. More recent examples of Istanbul serving as the front lines for the Great Game are numerous, and many of them have ended up on the front pages of newspapers. This past year Turkey arrested a network of individuals with reported ties to Mossad who were tasked with collecting information on Palestinians in Turkey. In 2018, Saudi intelligence officers murdered a critic of the Kingdom Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Iranians have gotten in on the action, with a MOIS assassination of former Iranian cybersecurity official turned regime critic Mas’ud Vardanjani in 2019. These are just the publicly available incidents. MQ-1B Predator from the 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron 2012, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (DOD) The United States In Turkey The United States maintains a significant overt security presence in the country. According to Wikipedia, Incirlik Air Base Air Base houses over 1,400 US DOD personnel, 39th Air Base Wing (39 ABW), and "up to'' 50 B61 nuclear bombs, ie tactical nuclear weapons. According to press reporting, Turkey was used as a base for the “Syrian Train and Equip Program” that supported Syrian opposition forces, a program acknowledged by former President Barack Obama. Turkey was a part of the F-35 joint strike fighter program until it was removed in 2020 after the acceptance of the S-400 Russian-made air defense system. “The Great Game” is often used to describe the intelligence war fought between nation-states and using this analogy, Istanbul is the playing field. Turkey itself maintains a robust intelligence service, MIT/TNIO, that is considered on par with many Western services. ISIS member looting artifacts and heritage sites in Syria/Iraq, 2015. Illegal Antiquities Trade In 1983, Turkey passed a law prohibiting the trade and export of antiquities, but that hasn’t prevented the country from becoming a hub for illicit antiquities trade, most notably artifacts looted and sold by the Islamic State during the caliphate in Iraq and Syria in the 2010s. Far from the tourist shops in Istanbul, the southern city of Gaziantep is widely understood as the hub for this activity, the initial sale point before entering the wider antiquities market. All this to say, it’s no surprise that one can find interesting and highly collectible espionage artifacts in Istanbul.   Spy Gear & Watches - Shopping In Istanbul Tudor Oyster Prince - Onder Vintage Watches - Stall No. 172 Walking into the Old Bazaar, my first stop was one of the few (legitimate) watch stores. In contrast to the fancy boutiques north of the old town, the windows are lined with hundreds of vintage timepieces, everything from Rolex and Omega to Doxa and Hamilton. For the most part, the vintage watches are “real” although many of them had significant replacement parts and refinished dials, likely a product of shotty service vs an attempt to deceive the buyer. Several stores had Arabic-branded dials, but without clear documentation or provenance, a purchase would be reckless.  I started sending pictures to my friend Ross Povey of Tudor Collector and he provided feedback on each watch in real time. Many were a hard pass due to condition, but then I came across a vintage mid-1970s Tudor Prince Oysterdate with an integrated bracelet and a two-tone dial and chapter ring. There was something about the watch that spoke to me because it wasn’t within my wheelhouse. Yes, I love Tudors of Espionage (T.O.E.s), but that is generally synonymous with tool watches. The dainty 38mm dress watch with an integrated bracelet just isn’t typically my style.   Mid-1970s Tudor Oyster Prince The condition was mediocre, with a bent bracelet link, but the price was right, about 1/3rd of the price in the UK according to Ross. The idea of spontaneously buying a watch, in one of the world's oldest bazaars was too good to pass up. It wasn’t without risk, but it was a risk worth taking.   The first rule of negotiating at a bazaar is don't be thirsty. I thanked the shop owners and left, but I returned a couple of hours later and bartered the price down a few hundred dollars, paying in crisp $100 bills for the final push. Minox Spy Cameras - Minyatür - Stall No. 240-241 Next Stop was Minyatür, the most interesting antique store I found during my time in Istanbul. The small store is packed wall to wall with vintage oddities, including a significant selection of militaria and nautical items. But what caught my attention were the Minox subminiature cameras in the window, labeled “Spy Cameras.” Developed in Germany in the late 1930s, the various evolutions of the Minox camera were used by several intelligence services, including the CIA and the KGB during the Cold War. The miniature size, 50+ image capacity, and high-resolution lens made it ideal for clandestine photography, most notably to photograph documents. Minox was issued to and used by several notable spies, including convicted KGB spy John A. Walker, Jr. I spoke with the owner, Haluk Yedek, a second-generation merchant. His father opened up the shop in 1962 with Haluk taking the reins in the mid-1990s. The cameras themselves were more expensive than what could be found online, and while Haluk was willing to come down some, it was clear we had reached his lowest point. I made a final cash offer on a Minox B from 1958-1969 and a Minox C from 1969-1978. The condition was overall good. It wasn’t quite new old stock, but not far off.  Haluk Yedek, a second-generation antique dealer. As I left the shop, I couldn't help but wonder about the path these items took over the past half-decade from Germany to Istanbul.  Unfortunately, Haluk couldn't recall where he purchased them, saying that most items came from locals and estate sales. Hanhart Protana “Spy Watch” - Takara Vintage Watches - Stall No. 191/191 The final stop was Takara Vintage Watches at stall No. 191/192. As I entered the market, I noticed a beat-up Protona Minifon “spy watch” in one window. Probably one of the greatest examples of “spy gear,” the “watch” contained a microphone to surreptitiously record conversations during the Cold War era. The case is perforated and a cord runs out of the 9 o’clock up the wearer's arm to the tape recorder. The “watch” itself does not keep time and the movement has been removed to make space for the microphone. The condition was poor, but I couldn't help myself.    Interestingly, a recent exhibition from Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) displaying espionage artifacts revealed that MIT indeed used several wristwatches with recording devices for “various operations.”  Had the watch been issued by MIT and somehow ended up in the souk? Probably not, but it was too intoxicating to pass up. Another small stack of crisp hundred dollar bills left my hand to the all too happy merchant. It was a pleasure doing business.  Istanbul Airport Arriving at the Istanbul airport departure terminal, I was a little nervous. In my carry-on were 5 watches (one with a microphone embedded) and two spy cameras. While not prohibited items, it would be awkward to explain during secondary customs or security questioning. “I am a former CIA Case Officer and I run an online journal about watches and espionage” would likely raise some eyebrows. Further, I knew that the Turkish intelligence services were well-respected and had capabilities that matched that of our peer adversaries (Russia and China). While I am generally not concerned about security while traveling, I did ask several friends for contacts in the US Embassy “just in case.” To my relief, the customs process was uneventful and the flight to London was a breeze. Richmond, Virginia - July 2024 Back home, the Minox cameras have been added to the shelf in my office and sit next to other oddities collected over decades of world travel. As I write this, the Tudor Oyster Prince taps on my laptop, keeping perfect time. These items are talismans, mementos of my time in Istanbul, and physical representations of the people I met and the experiences I had. Their value is not monetary but derived from the human element, the true source of intrigue behind timepieces, at least for me. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.  READ NEXT: The Real Spy Gadget Watches of the CIA, KGB, MIT and German Intelligence *This article has been reviewed by the CIA's Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

Going In-Depth With History’s Most Popular & Impactful Tool Watch Despite the relative lack of popularity of scuba diving, the dive watch prevails as one of the most popular categories in watchmaking while also claiming several of history’s most recognizable designs including the Rolex Submariner, Omega Seamaster, and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Watches intended for diving have also been worn by a variety of sketchy individuals at the forefront of history-shaping events including the pioneering Panerai models utilized by the commando frogmen of the Italian Decima Flottiglia MAS in WWII, Doxa Subs on the wrists of Jacques Cousteau and his team as they pioneered underwater filmmaking, and even a modern Rolex Submariner worn by a US Navy SEAL on the raid that killed Usama bin Laden back in 2011. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) What Is A Dive Watch? With all of that being said, we all have a general idea of what a dive watch is and does, but what exactly constitutes a dive watch? Which functions, formats, or capabilities are essential, and which are marketing fluff? In this Dispatch, backed by my experience as a commercial diver and professional watch nerd, we’ll go in-depth with the anatomy of a dive watch, presenting the key elements that add up to a competent dive timer whether or not you intend to use the watch for its intended purpose. An elapsed time bezel is also great for grilling steaks. What Is Water Resistance? In 2019, a custom Omega Ultra Deep descended to Challenger Deep, the ocean’s deepest point, strapped to the outside of Victor Vescovo’s submersible, Limiting Factor. (Photo Credit: Omega) Let’s get the obvious out of the way. A dive watch is only as good as its ability to resist the sometimes massive pressures and constant risk of flooding encountered in the undersea environment. Most dive watches achieve their water resistance with screwed sealing surfaces and gaskets which are necessary because the pressure at depth can be enormous. For every foot of depth encountered by a watch in seawater, .445 pounds of pressure is applied per square inch. Divers are historically bad at math so the equation for calculating pressure on the fly is typically expressed as “half the depth” meaning that if you’re diving to a relatively pedestrian 100 feet, your watch will encounter approximately 50 (or exactly 44.5) pounds per square inch of pressure, enough to make the water really want to get inside your watch. The deeper you go, the tougher it gets for your watch’s tender insides to stay dry. Therefore, the vast majority of watches intended for diving are rated to at least 200 meters, but many are rated to more extreme depths including 3,900 meters (12,800 feet) for the Rolex Deepsea or an even more obnoxious 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) for the Omega Planet Ocean Ultra Deep. A 100-meter-rated watch like the Casio AE1200WH World Time is typically fine for casual scuba diving. (Photo Credit: Benjamin Lowry) Can I Wear My Watch Underwater? While we’re here, let’s quickly dispel a couple of common myths. I wouldn’t take a 30 or 50-meter-rated watch diving on purpose, but a watch rated to 100 meters is often fine for casual scuba diving assuming it’s relatively new and/or has been pressure tested recently. As a disclaimer, there is still an element of risk. 100 meters is a rating, not a promise of a watch's ability to dive to that depth, and the majority of 100-meter-rated watches haven't been tested in water during production. That said, modern watches are generally more capable than you'd think, and I’ve worn several 100-meter watches including the Seiko 5 Sports SSK001 and Casio AE1200WH for shallow diving profiles without issues. For what it’s worth, the ISO 6425 standard for a “professional” dive watch that we’ll get to in a bit only requires 100 meters of water resistance. In most cases, 200 meters of water resistance is more than you could ever need. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley)   For whoever is already typing something in all caps about “dynamic” pressure saying you need a watch rated to 200 meters to go to the pool because more pressure is applied as you move your arm and watch through the water, stop. It is technically true that a watch in motion underwater experiences more pressure than it would if it were static, but many nerds who are good at math have calculated the change as minute, the equivalent of a fraction of a foot to a few feet of depth in many instances, and functionally insignificant as it relates to the water resistance rating of your watch. Measuring Elapsed Time (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) Another crucial element of any good dive watch is its ability to manage elapsed time, a function typically utilized to track “bottom time” (defined by the US Navy as the elapsed time from when you leave the surface until you begin your ascent) but also shorter periods including safety or decompression stops. In the days before diving computers, this capability  was the single most important job carried out by the dive watch, with the bottom time being used in conjunction with a diver’s maximum depth in calculating a diver’s decompression profile. Today, this important work is usually carried out by a diving computer, but being able to measure elapsed time is still a core aspect of what constitutes a dive watch. Typically, managing elapsed time is carried out with a rotating bezel measuring from zero to 60 minutes that is typically unidirectional, meaning it can only be accidentally rotated to express less bottom time as opposed to more, which could land a diver in proverbial hot water concerning their gas supply or profile. In many cases, dive bezels are also marked with finer one-minute intervals for the first fifteen minutes. You’ll hear different theories as to why, but I have always understood it was to precisely measure smaller amounts of time whether for decompression stops or individual legs of underwater swims in navigation scenarios. A U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician wearing a G-Shock DW6900. (Photo Credit: US Navy) To be clear, elapsed time measurement by no means needs to take place by way of an external bezel. Still standard issue for US Navy Divers and amphibious special operators, a G-Shock’s stopwatch function is amazing for this task, as are certain internal bezels as long as they don’t utilize a screw-down crown in their operation. Diving chronographs can also be used, but the additional pushers often increase the potential water ingress and wouldn’t be my first choice. There are exceptions to every rule, but generally speaking, fewer case openings in your dive watch is a good thing. Legibility For great dive watch dials less is often more. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) After water resistance and being able to track elapsed time, another central pillar in any good dive watch design is a dial and handset that is legible in all conditions including total darkness. For the dial and hands, high contrast and simple geometric shapes seem to work best. Examples like the Rolex Submariner, Seiko 6309, Benrus Type I, Tudor Snowflake, Omega Seamaster 300, and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms all have designs that have stood the test of time utilizing white luminescent indices and hands in simple geometric forms over a black or navy blue primary dial surface. The best dive watch dials are equally visible day or night. (Photo Credit: James Rupley) In the arena of legibility, being straightforward and even leaning into minimalism is a good thing. Lasting bright luminescent material is also important as is the ability to quickly orient the dial in total darkness or murky underwater environments. Having luminescent material on the bezel at least at twelve but preferably also elsewhere is also key as the importance of measuring elapsed time doesn’t disappear in the dark. Despite breaking some of the design guidelines listed here, some dial designs just work. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) There are exceptions to the monochromatic less-is-more rule including the orange “Professional” dial on Doxa Sub models as well as the busier display on the Marathon GSAR, both of which are excellent and highly legible underwater, but the concepts of simple geometric forms and high contrast are great places to start. For further proof of capability, always look to military dive watch designs for a trustworthy indicator of subsea utility. Military supply officers don’t care how cool you look at Red Bar, they just want the cheapest thing that will get the job done. Straps & Bracelets (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) While it may seem secondary compared to the watch itself, any great dive watch is only as good as its ability to stay on the wrist. To start, the idea that any dive watch not secured by a pull-through strap is destined for total loss following spring bar failure is overblown, but straightforward nylon straps do provide an additional measure of security while also being inexpensive and convenient for use over a wide range of different exposure suits. After pull-through straps, I would argue a bracelet with solid end links is the next most secure method of attachment but here, we have to take into consideration the potential need for or quality of the clasp or extension system required to fit over your diving suit of choice. Rolex’s Glidelock and Tudor’s T-Fit are among the most refined, but more attainable folding extensions from brands like Seiko get the job done just as well. Many rubber straps are also great but are at least theoretically less secure compared to the aforementioned options. For the ultimate in security, it’s tough to beat fixed lugs and a nylon pull-through strap. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) Different types of spring bars and lug formats also make a difference where security is concerned. Watches like the Tudor Pelagos FXD or CWC’s collection of military watches utilize fixed lug bars that add a heightened level of peace of mind. If your watch has drilled lugs, you can use shoulderless spring bars that also decrease the likelihood of an underwater “oh shit” moment no matter what type of strap is being used. In any case, the decision about what kind of strap to pair with your dive watch should be taken almost as seriously as the watch itself, as it’s mighty hard to tell the time on a watch that’s rapidly sinking away from you into the ocean’s murky depths. ISO 6425 Standard The ISO 6425-rated Citizen Aqualand on a recent dive in Lake Michigan. (Photo Credit: Matt Ludvigson) It’s not a be-all-end-all, but it’s important to also recognize the ISO 6425 standard, a benchmark for dive watches and an informative set of specifications and testing procedures laid out by the International Organization for Standardization starting in 1982. At its core, ISO 6425 describes, “…watches designed to withstand diving in water at depths of at least 100 m and equipped with a secured measuring system to indicate the diving time, which is visible in darkness.” While that sounds simple enough, the complete standard is incredibly long and detailed, covering everything from pressure testing to shock resistance to legibility in the dark to corrosion and magnetic field resistance. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) Many dive watches from brands like Seiko and Citizen closely conform to this standard but many others—from the luxury tier especially—do not, and here I’m talking about many of the original gangsters including the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster and more modern legends like the Tudor Pelagos FXD. With that in mind, we should never limit our search for the perfect dive timer to timepieces claiming certification or compliance with the ISO standard. Helium Escape Valves (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) One of the most misunderstood watch functions of all time, the concept of the helium escape valve is often thrown around in the professional dive watch conversation. In the briefest terms, a helium escape (or release) valve allows expanding helium atoms that have—because they are super tiny—sneaked past the gaskets in a watch case over the course of an extended period spent living in a dry, helium-rich saturation diving chamber to safely escape during the days-long decompression process without making the watch explode. Unlike many dive watch features, the helium escape valve does its thing in the dry. (Photo Credit: Gavan Hennigan) There are automatic valves like you find with the Rolex Sea-Dweller and manual valves like in the Omega Seamaster Diver 300. Both work more or less like a burp. As internal pressure within the watch case increases while external pressure, in the decompressing saturation system, decreases, the valve actuates, allowing the watch to equalize with its surroundings. If you are a commercial saturation diver who needs this functionality, you are most likely already aware. The rest of you do not and will not ever need such a valve no matter how extreme your scuba diving adventures at Sandals resort may become. Final Thoughts There are, of course, other aspects of dive watches that are important including a generally stout and durable build and a robust movement that can handle the knocks and bangs associated with diving and dive boats. That said, for this Dispatch, we decided to concentrate on the traits that are more specific to watches produced for the undersea environment. To summarize, we’re talking about appropriate water resistance, a method of measuring elapsed time, legibility in all conditions, and a strap or bracelet that will keep your dive watch right where it belongs. You don’t need one, but we also highlighted the helium escape valve’s incredibly rare but important work. If dive watches can survive a wide range of underwater hazards, chances are they can take on your daily life. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) Whether you intend to go diving or not, it’s important to understand the reasoning behind the basic dive design format that has become one of the most recognizable and popular watch silhouettes in horological history. Scuba diving remains relatively unpopular, but dive watches have transcended their intended use case and category to become the most popular overall sports watch type in part because of the capabilities they developed over decades on the wrists of military, professional, and recreational divers. And hey, even if you’re not going diving anytime soon, the bezel is great for timing whatever you have on the Big Green Egg in the backyard.  If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.  Read Next: The Dive Watch - How The Military Helped To Shape History’s Greatest Tool Watch

Asking Watch Nerds & Experts from Special Operations, Intelligence, & NatSec For Their Picks We’ve often argued the best place to start with watch collecting is under $1,000. With the rise of watch enthusiasm bolstered by the internet over the last couple of decades, there are more great options than ever to consider on the more attainable end of affairs, many of which we discussed in a previous “Ask The Experts” Under $1,000 Dispatch. We stand by our statements about starting with an affordable watch, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a day when you’re interested in ascending to a more luxurious tier of watchmaking. Whether we like it or not, so-called “luxury” watches bring a lot to the table, more commonly offering in-house calibers, better finishing standards, and more premium materials while also tapping into the history and heritage behind some of horology’s most legendary names. As many of our Dispatch articles have illustrated, using a more expensive watch doesn’t have to impede upon the “Use Your Tools” ethos with numerous documented cases of individuals from the military and intelligence communities reaching for luxury watches in the performance of their missions and to honor their culture. For further guidance on where to look in the crowded $1,000 to $5,000 tier, we asked a handful of our friends from both the traditional watch media and NatSec communities for their choices. There are a few returning guests from our previous look at watches under $1,000 (read HERE) as well as some new blood. Despite the diversity of our experts, the one thing they all have in common is a shared love of timepieces. These watches are not inexpensive by any means, and the idea that not everyone can afford to play in this space isn’t something we take lightly. Tudor Pelagos FXD Black - $4,150 Jason Heaton (@jasonheaton) is an author, freelance writer, and co-host of the podcast, The Grey NATO. The field of “Use Your Tools” watches is a crowded one, but in my mind, the Pelagos FXD stands above the rest. Forged from the ethos of vaunted historic military divers from the houses of Rolex and Tudor, it is modernized through its use of titanium, ceramic, and, in the case of the movement’s escapement, silicon. Fixed strap bars aren’t for everybody, but their use on the FXD is delightfully uncompromising and will appeal to those who like to use their blunt instruments at the sharp end. CWC Mutineer ≈ $2,000 Chris Craighead (@christian_craighead) former British Special Air Service (SAS). Founder of The Ministry of Defence. To start, I have to apologize for the tease, but this article with W.O.E is too good an opportunity to miss mentioning my upcoming collaboration with my brand, Ministry of Defence, and CWC, a legendary British watchmaker known for supplying UKSF units since the 70s. Building upon an existing CWC case design, the Mutineer will offer a Swiss automatic movement and a few other subtle elements speaking directly to my experiences in the military. I used a number of different analog and digital watches during my service, but if I could have designed the perfect watch for my needs then, it would have looked something like this. The tentative release date is Fall 2024. Sinn U2 - $3,160 Dave Hall (@davehall1911) is a retired SEAL Senior Chief, Strategic Advisor, and President of the Silent Warrior Foundation. The Sinn U2 has been my daily wear and tool watch for over a decade and it is as at home in a pool or ocean as it is in a subterranean environment. I love the simple style and brute ruggedness of this watch. I use the dual time zone feature daily. The watch has many more useful features such as the comfortable four o’clock crown placement, an Argon-filled case, a water compromise indicator, a clasp expansion system to wear over rubber, hacking seconds, and a luminous blue bezel indicator which easily differentiates it from the greenish dial and hand colors in darkness. These features combined with the price point make it a tool watch worthy of consideration in the W.O.E. community. Sangin Hydra DLC - $1,999 Brock Stevens (@deepsea.edc) is an active-duty US Navy Diver and watch photographer. The Sangin Instruments Hydra is my first Sangin and definitely will not be my last. With a 43mm case, 49.5mm lug to lug, and a case thickness of 12.5mm, the Hydra wears great on my 7-inch wrist. The stand out here is the thinness of the case (while offering 300m of water resistance), which allows for a very comfortable, low-profile wearing experience. The Hydra is offered in both 12-hour and elapsed time bezel variants, and the case options include a DLC or beautifully brushed 316L stainless steel. As you can see, I chose the DLC diver’s version and never looked back. The Hydra immediately drew me in with its rugged, mid-century compressor design with that tool watch or tactical element that I love to see in my collection. The build quality and operation of the internal bezel are excellent for the price and stand up to larger Swiss and German brands. The dial is extremely legible and in low-light conditions, the lume is fantastic. With a name like “Hydra,” you would expect the watch to excel in an amphibious environment. However, it’s hard to know if you have a proper diver’s watch until you take it underwater. After testing the Hydra on-wrist on many dives, I am happy to report that it lives up to its name. Vertex M100A - $3,300 Darren is the owner Z.A. Straps and a veteran of the British Royal Navy. The Vertex M100A is a must for every military watch enthusiast. Based on the Cal 59 which formed part of the original Dirty Dozen issued by the British Ministry of Defence in WW2. The M100A connects you to the story that brought us all into the fold, the origins of where watches and the military intersect. Tudor Black Bay GMT - $4,375 James Rupley (@jamesrupleyphoto) is a co-founder of small arms reference publishing companies, Vickers Guide and Headstamp Publishing, and a regular photographic contributor to W.O.E. A properly built GMT is a do-anything watch, and the OG 41mm Tudor Black Bay GMT with “Pepsi” bezel is my go-to timepiece. One of my pleasures when traveling is “jumping” the hour hand to the local time zone of my destination as I settle into the seat of my flight for departure. Its versatility is evidenced by the fact that I have worn it straight to the beach after landing, to formal business dinners, and to photo shoots hauling more Pelican cases than I have hands for across cobble-stoned European streets. Its satin-finished anodized aluminum red/blue bezel hits differently than the ceramic bezel inserts in use by Rolex today—part of the reason I consider it the spiritual successor to the iconic Rolex 16710 BLRO GMT Master II. I’ve got more miles under the belt of my Tudor Black Bay GMT than another other watch in my possession, and I have yet to see any contender capable of dethroning it of that title. Christopher Ward Twelve Ti - $1,895 Rob Huberty is a former SEAL and the COO and co-founder of ZeroEyes, an AI gun detection company. My first choice would be a Tudor Pelagos FXD, but others in the W.O.E. community chose it. Tudors are more rugged tool watches, and I am a washed-up Team Guy, so the Christopher Ward Twelve takes its place. Christopher Ward is starting to replace Seiko as my recommendation for the first “good” watch for enthusiasts. The Twelve is inspired by Gerald Genta’s (the most famous watch designer) integrated bracelet watches that cost 25 times more. (AP Royal Oak, Patek Phillipe Nautilus). The Twelve feels like it should cost much more, is COSC certified, and is watch nerd-approved. It comes with both a rubber strap and an awesome titanium bracelet that feels like an AP Royal Oak. The Twelve is less action and adventure than my Tudor, but it looks great when I am answering Slack messages, writing emails, or watching YouTube videos about watches. Bulgari Aluminum 40mm GMT - $3,700 Justin Hast (@justinhast) is a writer, producer, and watch lover. The Bulgari Aluminum 40mm GMT is criminally comfortable with a distinct vibe you either love or hate (the way great design should be). It was the watch of the Jet Set in the 90’s and even adorned the nose of an Alitalia. It’s a sub-$5k wild card for the curious. IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire - $4,900 Nic Barnes is an Australian military pilot & W.O.E. contributor. Given the industry’s relentless price increases over the past few years, finding a watch from a major luxury brand within this price range is now much more challenging than it would have been previously. That said, if I was given $5,000 to spend on a watch tomorrow, I’d go straight to this one. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire combines exceptional Swiss craftsmanship with rich aviation heritage and versatile style. The clean dial is incredibly legible, with a distinct military-inspired aesthetic that gives it a classic appearance reminiscent of IWC’s mid-20th century pilot’s watches. In terms of robust functionality, the 6-bar water resistance is sufficient for any aviation activity I’d be willing to undertake, while the movement has recently been upgraded to the 32111 Calibre, giving it an impressive 5-day power reserve. At 39mm, the Spitfire is subtle enough to avoid unwanted attention but strikes a rare balance of sophistication and practicality. CWC RN Automatic Divers Watch 'MK. 2' - $1,370 Henry Black (@onhenryswrist) is a WOE contributor and a writer for Fratello. He's passionate about the power of the hobby to forge friendships and a sense of community, as well as sharing stories about the hobby from across the globe. The CWC RN Automatic Divers combines actual military heritage, with the original watches being issued to Royal Navy divers in the early 1980s (and iterative versions also being issued to the UK's Special Boat Service members). The specifications are modern: Fixed spring bars and a rugged stainless steel case with 300m of water resistance and a flat sapphire crystal, inside is a trusty Sellita SW200-1. The CWC is a fantastic strap-on-and-go watch. CWC watches continue to see action with journalists reporting from the front lines of conflicts around the world. I wear mine in the ocean regularly, and the practical visibility and the quality of the luminescent material are good, too. For that reason alone, it is a solid choice for the W.O.E. community, and epitomizes the idea of "everything you might need, and nothing else." There are versions available in quartz, too. Doxa Sub 300T - $1,990 Sketchy Boyz Watch Club (@sketchyboyzwatchclub) is an online community of professional end-users sharing our takes on all things horological. A modern reinterpretation of the original 1968 Doxa 300T "Conquistador", the contemporary Sub 300T is a purpose-built tool packed with functionality and historical provenance. Historically used by military, scientific, and professional divers across the world, Doxa has earned its place on this list. Those who wear them certainly understand the meaning of "use your tools." One of the best parts about the Sub 300T is the wide array of colors and configurations available to users as well. While the enigmatic "Professional" model in Signal Orange is, dare I say, "Iconic", there are several variants that all have their own appeal and unique history behind them. It is because of all these reasons that the Sketchy Boyz Watch Club recommends the Doxa Sub 300T for this list. (And all the other ones we wanted to do were already taken). Tudor Pelagos FXD MN - $4,150 Asha Wagner (@wildlander6) is a Fire Captain, Hazardous Materials Specialist, & USAR Task Force team member. The FXD MN was the first watch in the FXD series and was built from the ground up to be a purpose-built tool watch. The watch has a bidirectional bezel, which goes against the ISO 6425 requirements but makes the watch more useful for its intended purpose as an underwater navigation tool. It is also the first watch in the Pelagos line to have a bezel that overhangs the case as well as having its namesake fixed lugs. The wider bezel makes the watch easier to operate, especially while wearing gloves. The fixed lugs ensure the watch will remain securely attached to my wrist no matter what I get up to (I’ve popped spring bars on a number of occasions and almost lost a few watches). The shade of blue Tudor picked for this watch looks great whether it’s paired with my work uniform or it’s worn while on a tropical vacation. For all the reasons mentioned above, the Tudor FXD is a pioneering purpose-built tool watch that’s hard to beat for under $5,000. Sinn T50 - $3,840 Nacho Conde (@nachoconde) is a writer, photographer, host of the Fratello Talks podcast, and the Head of Content/Managing Editor at Fratello. Few brands today take the creation of bona fide tool watches as seriously as Sinn. The Frankfurt-based brand prides itself on manufacturing some of the world's most overdesigned, overspecced, action-ready watches. The Sinn T50 is a pinnacle of the brand's efforts to create a perfect titanium dive watch with the brand's uniquely function-informed aesthetics. It's an uncompromising tool, obscenely legible, perfectly proportioned, and packed with special features such as its locking bezel, dehumidifying capsule, and hard-coated titanium case. For the price, it's damn near impossible to beat. The Sinn T50 is an unpretentious watch more than capable enough to take on anything you throw its way and look good doing it, whether it's daily life or the sketchiest of adventures. Tudor Black Bay Pro - $4,225 Soturi (@soturidesign) is a Marine veteran-owned business producing handmade watch straps inspired by military heritage. The Tudor Black Bay Pro is easily the best watch under $5,000 because it nails that perfect mix of vintage style and modern performance. With a 70-hour power reserve, you can leave it off for a couple of days and it’s still ticking strong. Its versatile design means it looks great whether you’re at the office or in the field. Plus, the build quality is top-notch, so you know it’s going to last. Tudor’s solid reputation in the watch world just seals the deal. Sinn T50 - $3,870 James Stacey (@jestacey) is the Lead Editor with Hodinkee, Co-Host of The Grey NATO Podcast, and a hopeless tool watch nerd. Given the $5000 limit meant that I couldn't pick my beloved Tudor Pelagos 39, the final choice was pretty easy for me as I'm a huge fan of the excellent Sinn T50. Essentially a titanium take on the already A+ Sinn U50, the T50 offers a 41mm grade 5 titanium case with a black dial and super-legible sword hands. Paired with either Sinn’s matching bracelet or the brand's recent addition of a two-piece nylon (or heck, one of W.O.E's excellent Five Eye nylon straps) it's a premium sport watch that looks the part and won't get you much in the way of unwanted attention if someone spots it on your wrist. Think of it like a modern Omega Seamaster 2254 but made of titanium and representing all of Sinn's skillset in crafting sporty, well-made, and entirely action-ready watches. Doxa Sub 1200T - $1,990 Benjamin Lowry (@submersiblewrist) is a member of the W.O.E. team, a former commercial diver, and a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. The predecessor to the modern Sub 300T that also made this list, I received my Doxa Sub 1200T as a gift from my wife when we got married in 2015. Heading to commercial diving school shortly thereafter, I decided I would wear the watch in all conditions above and below the water’s surface no matter the repercussions. Today, with a lot of dives under its bracelet, the old Doxa shows no shortage of wear and tear while feeling more like an old friend than any other watch in my collection. With 1200 meters of water resistance, an unused helium escape valve, and a chunky wearing experience, the Sub 1200T is way more capable than I ever was underwater while harkening back to the golden age of tool dive watches. The case back is also engraved with my anniversary so I don’t forget. Tudor Pelagos 39 - $4,700 Watches of Espionage is a former CIA Case Officer turned watch influencer. My pick-up-and-go watch is the Tudor Pelagos 39. While dubbed a smaller version of the 42mm Pelagos, in reality, this is more of a modernized titanium Tudor Submariner than a smaller Pelagos. Titanium is my favorite material for tool watches given its wearability which is, at 39mm, perfect. The bracelet is so comfortable I rarely wear straps with it and the micro adjustments make it comfortable during the summer months.  If the Black Bay 58 and FXD got together and had a baby, it would be the Pelagos 39. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.  Read Next: Advice for Buying a Watch

Sketchy Breitlings, A Vietnam-Era Rolex, & More Making fun of Navy SEALs writing books is a joke that will never get old.  That said, there have been some great authors to come out of the Teams and Jack Carr is at the top of the list. Carr’s series of novels detailing the adventures of James Reece has become a massive hit, transcending the boundaries of our community to find broader mainstream success including a 2022 television adaptation starring Chris Pratt, The Terminal List. We have discussed watch culture in the SEAL Teams at length and Carr is also a watch enthusiast, with an extensive collection that includes a Rolex Sea-Dweller he wore while serving in the Teams as well as a Tudor Pelagos FXD Black, several Vietnam-era Seikos, an Ares, and more (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) One of the key aspects that makes Carr’s writing compelling is the author’s incredible attention to detail, always doing additional research to describe firearms, gear, and watches in depth. Throughout the series, James Reece, Carr’s protagonist, wears a vintage Rolex Submariner gifted to him by his father, a Vietnam-era SEAL turned CIA Case Officer. In the television adaptation, Reece—portrayed by Chris Pratt—wears several watches including an Oris Aquis Pro Date Calibre 400, Resco Instruments BlackFrog Gen2 Black PVD (an insider told us he wanted to wear a military watch in specific scenes), a G-Shock GA-100-1A1, and a period correct 5.11 Military Tactical Field Ops Watch. Chris Pratt wearing a Resco Instruments BlackFrog Gen2 Black PVD in the television adaptation of The Terminal List. (Photo Credit: Justin Lubin) Carr’s seventh book in the James Reece series, Red Sky Mourning, was released last month. When I read it, I was truly surprised by the number of specific watches mentioned in the text, with one even playing a pivotal role in the plot. I knew Carr was a watch enthusiast, but this new novel shows how far down the rabbit hole the SEAL-turned-author has fallen. If you haven’t checked out the book, be advised: This text contains some spoilers. Elba Industries Breitling Emergency In Red Sky Mourning, at least one watch with a special complication plays an integral role in the plot. Andrew Hart, the dastardly fictional head of the fictional Elba Industries, wears a sketchy Breitling Emergency complete with a co-signed dial featuring Elba’s logo, a golden bee, an homage to co-signed “unit watches” from Breitling including the Blackwater Breitling we have discussed in great detail. Given Carr’s history in the SEAL Teams and working with CIA, it would be reasonable to assume the author has seen a few of these watches in his day. Former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince wearing a Blackwater-signed Breitling Emergency. An analog digital timepiece from Breitling’s golden era producing “watches for professionals”, the Emergency contains an antenna that broadcasts a signal on the 121.5 MHz aircraft emergency frequency when activated. Commercial and military aircraft monitored the frequency and were able to alert search and rescue teams of an individual's location, anywhere in the world. At Red Sky Mourning’s climax, the signal from Hart’s Emergency is used to locate the ne'er-do-well and James Reece, an old-school Rolex guy through and through. Vintage Rolex Submariner A Rolex Submariner reference 5513 from the same era as the Sub worn by James Reece throughout the books. (Photo Credit: Wind Vintage) In the Terminal List series, James Reece is a former US Navy SEAL who has also worked extensively with the Agency. Reece’s father, Tom, was also a SEAL turned CIA Case Officer, having served in the Teams in Vietnam where he purchased the Submariner that also features prominently throughout the series on his son’s wrist. In Red Sky Mourning, James Reece’s Rolex is taken from him by the Chinese intelligence officer Ba Jin who also asks what year the Sub is from. Reece says, “It’s a ’68. You guys had just kicked off your Cultural Revolution a couple of years earlier. How many people did Mao kill in his efforts to purify the Party?” As you’d expect, Reece ends up getting the watch back in a way that does not work out well for Ba Jin. US Navy SEALs in Vietnam wearing Rolex or Tudor Submariners. Given the 1968 timeframe, the Submariner in question is most likely either a non-date chronometer certified 5512 or potentially the non-COSC 5513, both models that are closely associated with Vietnam-era SEALs. It’s also conceivable the watch is a date model 1680 that also offered the red Submariner text at the time that is so coveted by collectors today. While arguably this should have been an issued Tudor Submariner, a classic Rolex Submariner is the perfect choice for a legacy SEAL like Reece that also once again demonstrates the author’s attention to detail and love for horology. Rhodesian Army Roamer Anfibio W.O.E.’s personal Rhodesian Roamer (Photo Credit: James Rupley) In Red Sky Mourning, as he often does, Reece visits the Hastings family, home of his best friend Raife Hastings, a South African-born former SEAL teammate, and his father, Jonathan, who served with the Special Air Service (SAS) and later the famed Rhodesian Selous Scouts. Reaching extremely deep into the annals of military watch history, Carr equips Jonathan with a Roamer Anfibio, a seldom-discussed Swiss watch whose claim to fame is having been issued to the Rhodesian military back in the 1970s. Rhodesian issued Roamer on a leather military "Bund" strap worn by Colonel David “King” Parker, Commanding Officer of the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI). Col. Parker is wearing the Roamer, which was common according to pictures from the Bush War. Jonathan Hasting’s history with the Selous Scouts, a special forces component of the Rhodesian Army, makes this watch an excellent and historically accurate choice for Hastings who serves as something of an additional father figure to Reece. What led Roamer, a Swiss brand founded in 1888, to supply the Rhodesian military is one of watch history’s mysteries, but you can’t fault the quality of Carr’s homework. If you have been following this page, you know I've spent a lot of my life living, working, and traveling in Africa, a country with a large number of unique and lesser-known military watches. Interestingly, Hasting’s trajectory closely follows that of a real individual, someone who is not widely known outside of the Intelligence Community. Tianjin Seagull 1963 Chang Zheng is a Chinese Jin-Class Type 094 Submarine featuring  prominently in a cat-and-mouse game with the USS Reagan in the early pages of Red Sky Mourning. In describing her captain, Commander Zhen, Carr says mentions the, “…Tianjin Seagull 1963 watch on his wrist.”, a reference that serves as perhaps the second deepest watch cut in the book after the aforementioned Roamer Anfibio. Known to enthusiasts as simply the “Seagull 1963”, the Chinese-made manual-winding chronograph serves as perhaps the least expensive mechanical chronograph available today, with an ST19 caliber produced in China at Tianjin’s factory with tooling purchased from Switzerland back in the 1950s. A Chinese Jin-Class Type 094 Submarine like the Chang Zheng mentioned in Red Sky Mourning. Initially produced for Chinese Air Force pilots, the Seagull 1963 is an enthusiast-favorite watch because of its attainable price point—typically less than $500—in relation to its complication coupled with a surprisingly well-decorated movement. For a Chinese submarine commander, it also makes a lot of sense given the watch’s military history. Captaining a Chinese submarine likely involves direct inclusion in the communist party. For Commander Zhen to demonstrate his pride in the party by wearing a mechanical watch produced in his country feels dead-on accurate. Rolex Yacht-Master A second watch from the Crown mentioned in the text is the Rolex Yacht-Master, worn by Dr. Lawrence Miles, an avid sailor, former CIA contractor, and the billionaire founder of the Delphi Corporation. Reece goes to Miles’ home in Marin, California to learn more about the motivations behind the nefarious Andrew Hart. During their conversation, Miles describes a meeting he had with Hart and two other sketchy individuals, saying, “I remember they all wore the same watch—Breitling Emergencies. As a sailor you notice things like that,” he said, tapping the white gold Rolex Yacht-Master on his wrist and pointing to the stainless Submariner worn by his guest.” While white gold and platinum are the materials that come to mind first for the Yacht-Master, the new titanium version would also be an interesting pick for Miles’ character. (Photo Credit: Hodinkee) Also describing his sailing history, the Yacht-Master is the perfect choice for the billionaire and passionate sailor who spends his days overlooking San Francisco Bay. Unlike many Rolex sport models, there is no full-steel Yacht-Master in the modern catalog, meaning you’re looking at either full-gold, some combination of steel and platinum or steel and gold, or the new titanium variant released earlier this year. Given Miles’ financial situation, we like to think we went full billionaire bling. (Photo Credit: W.O.E./James Rupley) Digital Tool Watches (D.T.W.) & Smartwatches In addition to the above-listed mechanical analog watches, Carr also mentions a Timex Ironman in the text, placing the legendary attainable digital watch on the wrist of retired US Army General and current CIA Director Marcus Howe. In the text, Carr writes, “Howe looked down at the Timex Ironman watch that had graced his wrist for most of his time in uniform…” With a thirty-year background in US Army Special Forces, the humble Ironman is an appropriate and pragmatic option for the Agency director. Adding another layer, the Timex Ironman was commonly issued to CIA Paramilitary Officers as well as partner forces including Afghan units. While less key to the plot, smartwatches are also mentioned several times in the text, usually in discussions regarding their vulnerability. We’ve detailed the role and counterintelligence vulnerabilities of the smartwatch in modern espionage, and we appreciate Carr for bringing this element of modern watch culture into the book. Read more about “CIA Officers and Apple Watches” HERE. More than many thriller writers from outside the community, Carr manages to capture both the essential essence and concrete details of life within intelligence and special operations. Viewed from any number of angles and by various enthusiast communities for knives, firearms, tactical equipment, and watches, Carr packs the James Reece sagas with layer upon layer of references and Easter eggs that some will grasp and some won’t, but that’s the fun of it. We often make fun of SEALs, most of whom are authors, and will continue to do so. But Jack Carr has done it the right way, avoiding repetitively rehashing his own GWOT adventures in favor of the larger-than-life story of James Reece that is bolstered by Carr’s personal experience in the field of special operations and espionage. For watch enthusiasts, this level of attention to detail and historical accuracy is the good stuff and only adds another level of intrigue to Carr’s work. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE.  Read Next: SOG Seikos - Vietnam MACV-SOG Watches, Part II     Featured Image Credits: Breitling Emergency (Photo Credit: Lunar Oyster), Rolex Submariner 5513 (Photo Credit: Wind Vintage), Roamer Anfibio (Photo Credit: James Rupley)

How A British Independent Watch Brand Created The Latest SBS Issue Watch The list of modern military-issued analog watches is short. The fact is, most forces have understandably transitioned to digital tool watches, arguably a more effective tool for modern warfare. That said, they do exist and one of the most interesting and least understood is the Elliot Brown Holton Professional. The Holton was designed from the ground up in partnership with and is currently issued to the British Special Boat Service (SBS), the United Kingdom’s “tier one” maritime special operations force unit, a loose equivalent to SEAL Team Six. Many of the stories we tell revolve around “unit watches” or private purchases used during an individual operator's career. This is the story of a purpose-built tool watch designed to satisfy a specific operational requirement. But it is also the story of the SBS’s culture and the role watches play. When newly badged operators arrive at Poole, the headquarters of the British Special Boat Service, they receive a green beret with the SBS insignia, a belt, a hardcover book on the history of their unit, and the standard-issue Elliot Brown Holton Professional. These are just things but are also intended to represent the accomplishment of each individual operator and honor the legacy of those who came before. The watch is a tool and the latest timepiece issued to the storied unit. Elliot Brown & The Holton Professional In the coastal city of Poole, England, we find Elliot Brown, a nascent brand producing a range of mostly tool watches including the Holton Professional. Despite the potentially massive marketing upside in celebrating the relationship between the Holton and the SBS, Elliot Brown doesn’t mention “The Service” by name, instead adopting the quiet professional approach of the operators who wear the Holton in performing their duties. In this Dispatch, we’ll shine a light on Elliot Brown and tell the story behind the development of the Holton Professional. RM Poole, the home base for the SBS, is conveniently located near the boatyard Elliot Brown calls home. Far from its current military associations, Elliot Brown was founded in 2013 as the brainchild of Ian Elliot and Alex Brown. At its outset, the brand’s goal was to produce durable, relatively inexpensive watches designed around the founders’ collective experience in outdoor sports, watch enthusiasm, and engineering. Location was important as well. Headquartered in a working boat yard near Poole Harbour on England’s south coast, Elliot Brown neighbors RM Poole, the home of the Special Boat Service. Among the world’s most elite maritime SpecOps units, the SBS also has an impressive history when it comes to horology. A Brief History Of The Special Boat Service & Watches Sergeant Paul “Scruff” McGough of the British SBS wearing an issued Cabot Watch Company (CWC) SBS during the battle for Qala-I Jangi Prison on 27 November 2001. (Photo Credit: First Casualty, Toby Harnden) With roots dating back to the Second World War including no shortage of heroic assaults on Axis shipping by way of specialized folding canoes called “folbots”, today’s SBS is a modern maritime assault force specializing in counterterrorism. Trained in diving, small boats, reconnaissance, parachuting, small unit tactics, explosives, and sabotage, the SBS serves as the Ministry of Defense’s equivalent to SEAL Team Six. For the watch enthusiast, the SBS is also closely linked to some of history’s most legendary dive watches including the Rolex Military Submariner or MilSub which was issued to British forces including the SBS starting in 1971. In 1980, CWC took over, first with an automatic and then quartz versions of its Royal Navy Diver, a far less expensive option compared to the Rolex Submariners that had a nasty habit of going “missing”. The Special Boat Service has impressive horological associations, having used the Rolex MilSub in the 1970s and CWC models including the SBS in the decades to follow. Photo Credit: Bonhams (Rolex) and James Rupley (CWC) In 1987, supposedly stemming from a special request from the Special Boat Service, CWC introduced its SBS, a blacked-out version of the RN Diver to reduce reflections for nighttime and maritime operations. CWC’s SBS is still issued to certain specialist diving units within the Ministry of Defense and worn by members of the Special Boat Service, however many have now transitioned to the standard issue Elliot Brown. A New British Watch Brand & One Of The World’s Premier Special Forces Units Former SBS operator and celebrated mountaineer Nims Purja MBE wearing a digital tool watch during training operations. (Photo Credit: Nirmal Purja MBE) When Elliot Brown launched in 2013 at the London Watch Show, the brand’s earliest models were capable but provided more of a civilian aesthetic. At the time, Special Boat Service operators wore a variety of digital and analog watches including CWC, early Suunto GPS watches, and the ubiquitous Casio G-Shock. Despite the utility offered by Digital Tool Watches (D.T.W.), SBS regulations specifically state an analog dive watch must be worn for all diving operations, with a diving supervisor individually checking each operator’s watch before they can enter the water. Of note, the analog watches are worn in combination with a dive computer. The SBSA Canford inspired the development of the Holton Professional. (Photo Credit: Elliot Brown) After creating a special version of its Canford model to raise funds for the Special Boat Service Association (SBSA), several active members of the unit began using the commemorative watch on actual operations. Wondering what might be possible with a watch designed from the ground up for the operators, a development process officially began for the watch that would become the Holton Professional in 2015. Specifically, the unit requested a watch that was indestructible and visible at night and in low light conditions underwater, with a rotating bezel that could easily be operated with all manner of gloved hands. Founders Alex and Ian worked closely with the unit, producing multiple rounds of prototypes that were each individually tested by various SBS squadrons. Specifically, the brand engineered a recessed four-o’clock crown with three seals, single-sided screw lug bars for ease of use and durability, and a novel bezel edge with an almost hobnail-like texture that was intended to be rotated with the palm of a gloved hand. The bezel insert was filled with luminescent material and made from hardened steel as opposed to aluminum on the CWC SBS, with Super-LumiNova also being utilized across the dial and hands. Tritium tubes were also considered but ultimately ruled out because they light up under night vision whereas printed luminescent material does not. Delivered to the unit on a fitted rubber strap, the watches also included a traditional nylon strap intended to work with the thick drysuits utilized by the divers in cooler waters. The dial design was straightforward and incorporated “sword” hands, a familiar trait from other British military dive watches. At 6 o’clock on the dial is a “broad arrow,” denoting it as official property of the MOD as a military-issued watch. Civilian versions, which are almost identical to issued examples, also have the broad arrow insignia. An Elliot Brown Holton Professional alongside a Rolex Submariner. (Photo Credit: James Rupley) Once the operators were happy with the design, the challenge of guiding the new watches through official channels into the hands of the operators began in earnest. First came the NSN or Nato Stock Number, issued to items in compliance with specific regulations for particular pieces of equipment including dive watches. Obtaining an NSN can be daunting, but the presence of an NSN doesn’t necessarily mean an item is officially issued but rather simply that it could be issued. For the Ministry of Defense, an item must be obtained by a unit through an approved intermediary supplier rather than the brand, just as CWC is supplied to the MoD through a supplier called Silvermans. With multiple layers of bureaucracy managed, the initial batch of the Holton Professional was delivered to the SBS in late 2017, first to Sabre Squadrons tasked with counterterrorism and then to other units in turn. While they are otherwise identical to civilian versions of the Holton, issued examples have a unique crown. Elliot Brown’s “Unit Watch” Program An Elliot Brown “unit watch” produced for a particular Special Air Service (SAS) squadron. (Photo Credit: Former SAS Melvyn Downes) In addition to the Holton Professional’s official connection to the SBS, Elliot Brown has also become a supplier of commemorative “unit watches” for various other military and civilian organizations including the SAS (pictured above), UK Counter Terrorism Police, the Royal Navy Submarine Service, and others. Rather than being issued and paid for with government funds, these watches are modified versions of existing designs within the brand’s catalog that are available for private purchase for vetted members of the organization. We have covered other brands known for producing “unit watches” including Tudor, OMEGA, Breitling, Bremont, and Christopher Ward, but it’s always nice to see a smaller brand getting into the space, especially with a price point that presents a less daunting boundary compared to traditional luxury brands. The Military-Issue Analog Dive Watch - Last Of A Dying Breed As we’ve established in many instances on the Dispatch, there is an established community within Intelligence, NatSec, and SpecOps with a passion for horology. That said, instances where government organizations deem it appropriate to spend taxpayer dollars on analog watches are becoming fewer and farther between, increasingly usurped by cheaper, more feature-rich digital options. Still, holdouts including Elliot Brown’s active issue to the Special Boat Service and Marathon’s use by various US SpecOps units prove the analog dive watch remains relevant today. The story of the Holton, a Tier One unit approaching a smaller watch brand with a list of requests that ends up becoming an issued watch, is rare, but the utility behind wearing watches for their intended purpose sentiment isn’t. The “Use Your Tools” ethos is alive and well. Typically, in an article like this one, we’d share “action shots” of members of the unit in question wearing the watches in question. However, in stark contrast to many US SpecOps units, the SBS remains incredibly secretive, meaning such photographs are essentially nonexistent. With that in mind, with operational security in mind, we’ve used either photos released by former members of the unit who are now in the public eye or photographs taken with unit members and approved for wider distribution. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: The Dive Watch - How The Military Helped To Shape History’s Greatest Tool Watch

A Special Unit-Specific Version Of An Iconic Watch Designed For The US Secret Service This past Saturday, a series of gunshots was heard around the world. Former US President Donald Trump was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania in support of his upcoming presidential bid when suddenly, he flinched and reached for his right ear as shots rang out. In seconds, the former president’s US Secret Service protective detail took him to the ground, shielding Trump with their bodies as a USSS Counter Sniper Team engaged and killed Thomas Matthew Crooks. As Secret Service agents rushed Trump offstage, a member of his detail was photographed wearing a special unit-specific version of the Omega Seamaster, another example of a member of our community wearing a serious watch in the line of fire. The USSS Omega Seamaster Diver 300 “Unit Watch” on the wrist of an agent on Trump’s protective detail. (Photo Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) As a disclaimer, our interest in the watch in no way diminishes the severity of the incident, the injured, or the tragic loss of firefighter Corey Comperatore. The Omega is relatively insignificant here, but timepieces are our prism to view history and current events. By any measurement, this assassination attempt was a security failure and will be investigated. Much of what transpired remains unclear and disinformation and misinformation are rampant. We will not opine on what we think happened and will wait for the details to come to light.  Regardless of the failures this past weekend, the Secret Service is an honorable profession with ranks filled with true professionals. Secret Service Agents are in harm’s way on a daily basis, regularly putting their lives on the line to protect the office of the President and those running for it. It is a zero-fail mission. The good guys have to get it right every single day, the bad guys only have to get it right once.   This article will likely be interpreted by some as political, but to be clear, it is not. On Saturday, July 13th, a timepiece—a special version of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300 designed for the US Secret Service—found itself at the center of a history-making event. We are here to talk about that watch. Omega Seamaster Diver 300 US Secret Service Unit Watch A community submission showing a USSS Omega Seamaster “Unit Watch”. In late 2023, US Secret Service Agents representing multiple field offices and units began taking delivery of a customized version of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300, a model family more closely associated with James Bond. Serving as the primary unit watch within Omega’s catalog, the Secret Service Seamaster differs from the standard version with a no-date format, beige luminescent material, and matte finishing throughout the case and bracelet. On the case back, the Secret Service star is engraved along with “Worthy of Trust and Confidence.” On the bottom of the case, agents can have their commission book number or something else unique to them printed in subtle text. While watches like this are sometimes purchased from a commemorative point of view, many are used as tools, with the pictured Special Agent in Trump’s protective detail providing further evidence. Importantly, this reference is available only to military and law enforcement units, including the US Navy SEALs, Danish Frogman Corps (Frømandskorpset), and other American and European units. Other individuals within the Secret Service including the Counter Assault Team (CAT aka HAWKEYE), which was also present during the assassination attempt, have also purchased the Omega. Of note, other USSS units have special versions of the Tudor LHD Pelagos and certain Breitling references. As is often the case in our community, the US Secret Service has a thriving watch culture. Again, the watch in question does not represent the most important aspect of the events that transpired over the weekend, instead serving as yet another example of how watches are utilized as tools in the daily lives of professionals in the military, intelligence, NatSec, and federal service communities. Thoughts and prayers for all involved in the events over the weekend. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: U.S. Presidents and Timepieces, The Last 40 Years

Fake Watch Shopping In Istanbul -  A Case Study As a CIA Case Officer operating overseas, you are exposed to the dark side of humanity. It is not a career for the faint-hearted and you learn some things they don’t teach in school. He who fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you. – Friedrich Nietzsche While the quote is dramatic, there is some merit to it. I didn’t fully realize how abnormal life at CIA was until I separated from the Agency. A byproduct of a career at CIA is a fascination with illicit activity; arms dealers, wildlife trafficking, organized crime, and, now that I am an aspiring watch nerd, counterfeit watches. Fake Watches - A Real-World Case Study Most articles on fake, or “replica” watches cover topics like “How to spot fake Rolex?”, “How much does a fake Rolex cost?”, or “Where to buy a fake Rolex?” These are all interesting topics, but we wanted to go deeper into the counterfeit luxury watch industry.  To do this, I went counterfeit watch shopping in Istanbul, Turkey. There’s nothing like first-hand experience. Counterfeit timepieces are a multi-billion-dollar industry, with shaky estimates indicating between 30 and 50 million fake watches entering the market each year. Contrast that figure with Rolex’s estimated annual production of approximately 1 million pieces per annum; It is reasonable to conclude that there are probably more fake Rolex watches on wrists than there are genuine examples throughout the world. This means that when you see someone wearing a Rolex, statistically speaking, it’s probably fake – a crazy thought. Istanbul - A Counterfeit Watch Mecca During a recent trip to Istanbul, I had a mission: to acquire a “super clone,” or ”superfake” a watch that is nearly indistinguishable from a real thing. Not only are cosmetic traits like the miniature laser-etched Rolex crown on the crystal present but if you take the watch apart, the movement itself is branded Rolex. Even for experienced watchmakers, some of these “super clones” are, all the way down to the movement components, virtually indistinguishable from genuine Rolex. There are differences, of course, but these “super clones” are astonishingly close to the genuine product to the untrained eye. I wanted to see for myself. Rolex crown laser-etched into the crystal, introduced in 2001 to deter counterfeiters. (Photo Credit: Bob’s Watches) Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is a covered market with over 4,000 shops selling everything from Turkish sweets to clothes and yes, of course, a large selection of counterfeit goods. Entering through the Nuruosmaniye Mosque gate, visitors are overwhelmed with a plethora of shops specifically targeting tourists. The presence of fake watches is immediately apparent and, in contrast to many markets around the world, completely in the open. The watch shopping experience varies depending on the shop but on the higher end is almost like a boutique experience, the only difference being the watches are fake and you can actually buy a “Rolex” rather than be put on a waiting list. They offer tea and coffee, a chair for your bored spouse to sit in, and customer service that exceeds the boutique experience presented by many luxury watchmakers. Interestingly, pictures are generally not discouraged and the sellers are relatively open about the sale of fakes. It isn’t just Rolex, either. Panerai, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and even counterfeit sketchy Breitlings are readily available, with starting (negotiable) prices of around $450. Most of the watches utilize Miyota movements and are, as you might expect, made in China. Pretty much any reference you can imagine is available including the Le Mans Daytona and Titanium Yachtmaster. 2024 Watches and Wonders releases? No worries, they should be available soon. What Is A “Fake” Rolex?  It is important to understand what a fake Rolex is. We have identified three categories of counterfeit Rolex watches to be aware of. Cheap Or Tourist Fakes: These cost somewhere between $50 and $300 and are generally picked up from street vendors in major tourist cities in Europe, South America, the Middle East, and even New York. You used to be able to spot them by their quartz movements which caused the second hand to “tick” instead of sweep, but now they tend to have automatic movements, more accurate details, and better finishing. But, in general, they are still sloppy fakes and you are not fooling anyone who owns a Rolex with this piece unless you are in a dark room. Super Clone or One For One: So-called replica watches, nearly identical to the genuine thing. They can cost over a thousand dollars and rumor has it that even when taken apart, it can be difficult to tell if the watch is genuine or a reproduction. In theory, one could wear a super clone to the local RedBar watch nerd meetup and fool everyone in the room. It’s been rumored that these have even been unknowingly sold by legitimate dealers as well, proving that the only way to know something is real is to buy it from the boutique. Frankenwatches:  A catch-all term used to describe watches that may be made up of parts that have been switched out and/or a real watch with fake parts (replaced bezel, dial, hands, etc…). Some are honest efforts to restore a watch, but more sinister versions are meant to fool prospective buyers. A recent notable example was the “Tropical” Omega Speedmaster Ref. 2915-1 ‘Broad Arrow’ auctioned by Phillips for over $3.4 million. As documented by popular watch blogger Perezcope, the watch itself was a frankenwatch, allegedly cobbled together by insiders with access to the Omega archives.   Tropical” Omega Speedmaster Ref. 2915-1 ‘Broad Arrow’ frankenwatch, sold Phillips for over $3.4 million (Photo Credit: Phillips) Why Are Fake Watches A Problem? At a minimum, fake watches are textbook examples of intellectual property (IP) theft, using the designs and logos that Swiss brands spent millions of dollars developing over decades. Some go as far as to link the sale of counterfeit watches to child labor, sweatshops, and even terrorism, human trafficking, and organized crime. While direct evidence of this is scarce, it is reasonable to assume that a link exists to some extent. That said, the vast majority of the counterfeit industry originates in China and it appears as though the Chinese government at least tacitly supports it and probably has some oversight and regulation. Are Fakes Substitutes For The Real Thing? According to Business Insider, 23.3 million counterfeit watches are circling the US, more than Rolex has sold worldwide in the past 15 years. The logical conclusion is that this hurts Rolex’s bottom line. But are fakes reasonable substitutes? Is Rolex losing potential customers to fake watches? Probably not. The fact is, the type of person that will buy and wear a fake, likely can’t afford the real thing. In other cases, some may buy a fake now and then the real thing as their financial circumstances change. UFC fighter Conor McGregor recently revealed during a GQ Sports interview that he used to wear fake watches to press conferences before he could afford a genuine Rolex. He is now a legitimate customer, owning millions of dollars in Rolex, AP, and Patek. One could argue that in McGregor’s case, the fake Rolex watches served as the “top of the funnel” for Swiss brands. Conor McGregor Wearing a (real?) Rolex Daytona “Eye of the Tiger” Should I Buy A Fake Rolex? We can think of very few legitimate reasons to purchase a fake Rolex, and yes, doing so does ultimately fuel the already insatiable market for these timepieces and potentially provide funding for organized crime syndicates. Further, in some places, it’s illegal to buy and transport fake watches. Our advice is simple, buy the (real) and best watch you can afford. There are plenty of great and legitimate watches on the market that cost less than your iPhone. Real Rolex Sub (Photo Credit: James Rupley) In response to “Trading A Rolex To Get Out Of A Sticky Situation - Myth Or Reality?”, many commenters suggested traveling with a fake Rolex for bartering. The logic may be sound, but if you are really at the point where you have decided to part with a watch worth thousands of dollars, your life is likely on the line and the cost is trivial. Further, whoever you are giving the watch to is presumably in a position of power and likely someone you do not want to piss off should they determine the watch is fake. The potential for this plan to backfire is simply too high. Le Mans Daytona and “Titanium” Yachtmaster - all fakes I have heard of some people with expensive watch collections that have “dummy” displays in their house, the idea being that if someone breaks in to steal their collection, they would take the fake watches without realizing the real collection is hidden in a safe. This is something that could potentially make sense but is not a practice I would advise. If someone goes the distance to specifically target you for your watch collection, they are likely going to be pissed to find out they stole fake watches and may come back for retribution. No watch is worth your life. All that said, I do have a fake Rolex Submariner that I received as a gag gift from a wealthy friend in Dubai. I have never worn it or even taken out the links to make it fit. Who knows, maybe it will come in handy one day. A real Rolex Daytona (Photo Credit: James Rupley) Should I Be Worried About Fake Watches? By some estimates 20-50% of art in museums is fake and even the largest auction houses with significant resources have been duped with fake watches. While the risk of unwittingly buying a modern watch that is fake is real, this is particularly real in the vintage market, where replacement parts and refinishing jobs can result in a “real” watch becoming a frankenwatch. As an individual buyer, you should not be responsible for identifying a fake.  The safest thing to do is to either buy new watches or build a relationship with a seller you not only trust but trust their expertise. The latter is difficult as it can be incredibly difficult to determine which parts are genuine and which are replacements.   Back In Istanbul Despite my best efforts, I was not able to track down a “super clone” in the Grand Bazaar. Many of the vendors claimed to have better quality watches and vigorously sent Whatsapp messages to their colleagues to bring one by, but they never appeared. The fakes in the souk were mediocre at best with loose bezels and crude finishing and claimed Miyota movements. Fun party gags? Maybe, but I didn’t buy one. W.O.E.’s personal fake watch, acquired in Dubai. I did pick up a set of (fake) boxes, papers, and a blank Rolex warranty card to match my gifted counterfeit Rolex. Similar to the watches themselves, the box was crudely crafted and isn't fooling anyone. While I do not advocate for anyone to purchase anything illicit, I did it in the name of science. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: The W.O.E. Tudor PVD Pelagos FXD

Unit Watches Of The UK’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Despite the rise of inexpensive Digital Tool Watches and feature-rich connected smartwatches, there is an ever-growing subset of the military, intelligence, and law enforcement communities with a passion for mechanical or otherwise more interesting timepieces. We’ve discussed so-called “unit watches” in detail many times. However, in this Dispatch, we’ll take a closer look at unit watches from the world of law enforcement, specifically the UK’s Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP), an intriguing unit from within the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Operations directorate. To date, there are three known unit watches from RaSP, a Casio G-Shock from the attainable tier as well as a Tudor and Omega from the world of Swiss luxury, all of which see active service as tools in the performance of the unit’s unique role. Protecting Royals, Politicians, & A Castle Or Two Officers stand guard outside Windsor Castle. (Photo Credit: Maureen McLean) Similar to the role played by the US Secret Service, who are also no strangers to unit watches, RaSP provides close protection services to the UK royal family including the king, the prime minister, various other politicians, ambassadors, and visiting heads of state. In addition, the unit also serves as specially trained armed security for royal residences including palaces in London, Windsor Castle, and other sites in Scotland. Unlike the United States, which has not been ruled by anyone wearing a crown since a kerfuffle ending in 1783, the average police officer in Great Britain doesn’t carry a firearm, making the armed and highly trained RaSP a higher level of protection and response in the event of terrorist attacks or assassination attempts on the Royal Family. Hired from the ranks of experienced frontline police officers as opposed to “off the street”, RaSP officers have been called into action on several prominent occasions. Royal Protection Officers tackle an attacker after an assassination attempt on then-Prince Charles (standing far right) in Sydney in 1994. (Photo Credit: Express UK) Far from idle threats, Royalty Protection Officers engaged in a dramatic shootout during an attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne in 1974 as well as when then-Prince Charles was attacked during a speech in 1994. In recent years, the Duke of Sussex (Netflix calls him Prince Harry) made headlines when he fought to continue his RaSP protection detail even after leaving his royal role and moving to California in 2020. In close protection scenarios, RaSP officers typically wear a suit with a concealed firearm, radio, and less-than-lethal weapons in certain instances. In contrast, officers don a more traditional uniform when providing overt armed protective security at royal residences. This operational duality is reflected in the unit’s choices for customized timepieces. A Custom Full-Metal G-Shock For Royalty Protection Officers The RaSP’s customized GM-B2100BD-1A. (Photo Credit: G-Central) The impetus for this article stems from G-Central, a leader in G-Shock news and information. A few weeks back, we noticed a post covering a unit-specific version of the GM-B2100BD-1A, a full-metal variant of the so-called “CasiOak” that debuted back in 2019. With an analog-digital display and an IP-coated black stainless steel case and bracelet, the RaSP unit variant was spotted on uniformed officers outside Windsor Castle and included a custom United Kingdom flag integrating a Thin Blue Line motif on the clasp as well as a special XIV engraving on the bracelet. The XIV references the SO14, the former name of the Royalty Protection Department that merged with SO1 or Specialist Protection to become the modern RaSP in 2015. On the case back, the watch offered an engraved image of Windsor Castle. Judging by the wear across the case and bracelet on the watches spotted by G-Central, the Royalty Protection Officers use these tools in performing their duties, with the G-Shock serving as an excellent pairing with the more utilitarian uniform worn by the unit in this instance. While we always hear about G-Shock in military and law enforcement scenarios, customized unit versions are rare and in this case, pretty cool. A custom caseback and clasp engraving for the RaSP G-Shock. (Photo Credit: G-Central) Rather than an officially sanctioned unit watch, these G-Shock models appear to have been a smaller unofficial unit purchase only for members of Windsor Castle’s protective detail. With that in mind, the G-Shocks do not expressly display “RaSP”, instead using XIV as a reference to the unit’s history. For more refined scenarios including providing close protection for royals during public events, RaSP also has a couple of interesting official watches from more luxurious brands in its stable. Omega Planet Ocean For Royalty Protection Officers Known for recently providing customized versions of the Seamaster Diver 300 to US Navy SEALs, Danish Frogmen, and the US Secret Service, Omega also produced a very rare unit version of its Seamaster Planet Ocean for RaSP, designing the piece with input from the unit in 2018 with delivery of approximately 60 units taking place in 2020. From the front, the watch looks identical to civilian market versions. On the case sides, the watches are engraved with the officer’s initials, warrant number, and watch issue number, marking the only time we’ve seen engravings on the case side of a unit-customized Omega. In addition, the sapphire exhibition case back is emblazoned with a two-part emblem consisting of a crown representing the royalty side of the branch as well as a portcullis signifying the specialist side tasked with protecting government ministers and other dignitaries. In addition, the caseback's outer perimeter references the previous unit designations used by those departments that merged to eventually become RaSP. SO14 and SO1 we've already touched on, which were in existence until 2015, however SO12(A) was an earlier forerunner on the ministerial side. The Shield Protects The Crown (Photo Credit: Bob’s Watches) The phenomenon of Tudors of Espionage (T.O.E.) is nothing new, with the shield having provided special unit versions of many of its core models to various military and governmental organizations. Around 2017 or 2018, the unit commissioned 75 Tudor Black Bay Blue for current and former members of the unit through Watches of Switzerland. A Tudor rose with a crown on top is on the dial, representing an intriguing mashup between Tudor the watch brand’s rose logo—seen on the crown on this reference—and the traditional heraldic rose that often serves as an emblem of England. The case back is engraved with “ROYALTY & SPECIALIST PROTECTION”, an individual's identification number, and serialized one through 75. Photo Credit: Bob’s Watches (Left) & Ross Povey (Right) Like other special watches commissioned for military or government units, several of these RaSP Tudor Black Bay have made their way into private civilian hands by way of prominent auction houses and aftermarket resellers asking for prices as high as $30,000. One special example produced for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 hammered for a staggering CHF 81,900, about $91k in today’s US dollars. These very public sales—one of which occurred around the time of The Queen's funeral—resulted in a change of policy from the department's senior leadership sometime in 2023, and there have been no newly developed official RaSP unit watches since. That’s why the above-mentioned G-Shock was produced on a smaller team-specific scale without RaSP markings. While we are not here to condemn unit members looking to turn a profit on personalized watches they likely never imagined would attain such value, we prefer to see these in the hands of the operators themselves, carrying forward the Use Your Tools ethos. Dual Purpose Tools While we typically concentrate on unit watches related to the military and intelligence community, there is clearly a significant community of watch enthusiasts in law enforcement and first responders. Unit watches like those produced for the UK’s Royalty Protection Officers serve a dual purpose role, acting as tools in the performance of their daily missions while also serving as keepsakes honoring their service both during and after the fact. Seeing such a wide swath of watchmaking within the Royalty Protection community, from a $500 G-Shock to luxury models from Omega and Tudor, further solidifies that our community is oriented around the capabilities and intrigue of the tool rather than flex culture. If you have other interesting unit watches to share, you know where to find us. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. READ NEXT: U.S. Presidents and Timepieces, The Last 40 Years

The Watch Journey Of A Vietnam Fighter Pilot & Astronaut  by Nick Ferrell NASA Astronaut and US Air Force Colonel Richard Covey recalls the first time he glimpsed the sunrise over the curvature of the Earth from 150 miles up in space, “I thought two things: First, ‘Holy Cow!’ This was followed by wonder at the thin protective film of the Earth’s atmosphere, the only thing differentiating it from millions of lifeless rocks floating throughout the universe.” On Covey’s wrist was not his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster Professional, but a 1970s Seiko 6139 chronograph, serving as the second now-confirmed instance of one of the world’s first automatic chronographs being used as a tool by NASA astronauts in space. Colonel Covey during the September 1985 Discovery Space Shuttle STS-51 mission with a 1971 Seiko 6139-6002 ”Cevert” on his right wrist and a 1980s Seiko A289-6019 on his left. (Photo Credit: NASA) Until recently, the legendary “Pogue” 6139 worn by Colonel William Pogue on 1973’s Skylab 4 was considered the only documented case of a 6139 in space. That is until I came across a photo of Colonel Covey during a space mission with what appeared to be a Seiko 6139 on one wrist with another then-unidentified watch on the other. Intrigued, I started my research. After some OSINT sleuthing and outreach, the Colonel himself agreed to speak with me. The Air Force, Becoming A Pilot, & Air Combat In Vietnam Covey’s path to becoming a NASA astronaut began in 1964 after attending the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and graduating with a degree in engineering. On his wrist upon arrival was cutting-edge watch tech for the day, an electronic Accutron 214 gifted by his family for high school graduation. Fascinated by all things rocketry, Covey was fortunate to find an Academy mentor to guide him toward his ultimate goal of flying in space as an astronaut. Colonel Richard Covey’s Accutron 214 Electric Watch (Photo Credit: Colonel Covey) In 1971, after graduating from the competitive USAFA-Purdue Aeronautics and Astronautics M.S. program as well as 18 months of jet pilot training in the F-100 Super Sabre supersonic fighter and A-37B Dragonfly subsonic light attack aircraft, Covey received orders to the Air Force’s 8th Special Operations Squadron (8th SOS). Following the Tet Offensive, the conflict in Vietnam continued to escalate. Covey knew he would be going to war. USAF A-37 Dragonfly, aka “Super Tweet” subsonic light attack jet (Photo Credit: Ken Hammond) After arriving at Bien Hoa AFB in South Vietnam, Covey primarily flew A-37B close-air support (CAS) sorties in support of the Cambodian Government against Khmer Rouge forces operating on the Ho Chi Minh trail. During his first tour, Covey purchased a Seiko 6139, the first automatic chronograph released only two years prior in 1969 alongside other pioneering automatic chronographs from brands like Heuer, Breitling, and Hamilton.  A Seiko 6139 “Cevert” similar to the one Covey purchased at a PX during his first deployment to Vietnam. (Photo Credit: DC Vintage Watches) When asked why he selected the watch — a blue-dialed Seiko 6139-6002 “Cevert” — he noted it was, “...an oversized watch that made it not only functional, but very distinctive.” He labeled the 6139 a go-to among fellow combat pilots during both Vietnam tours, because “It was wholly up to the pilots to pick what watches best served them.”  Covey, front row center wearing his 1971 Seiko 6139-6002 chronograph, poses with his 8th Special Operations Squadron, Bien Hoa Air Force Base, South Vietnam, 1971 (Photo Credit: Colonel Richard Covey) Also issued to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in the 1970s, the 6139’s appeal wasn’t limited to military pilots, finding favor with French auto racing legend François Cevert (the source of the blue-dialed 6139’s “Cevert” nickname), Tetsu Ikuzawa, one of Japan’s most successful racing drivers, and even Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason.  A 1972 Seiko 6139-6002 chronograph and a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force-issued 1973 Seiko 6139-7012, w/official JASDF engravings on case back, alongside a NASA STS-26 flight patch (Photo Credit: DC Vintage Watches) In 1973, Covey arrived in Vietnam for his second deployment, this time with the storied 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying CAS missions with the A-7D light attack jet. The Colonel noted this mission — which involved operating outside of Vietnam against Soviet and Chinese-supported allies in support of friendly governments — was held close to the chest and pilots were ordered not to speak about their missions.  USAAF A-7D Corsair light attack jets over Southeast Asia (Photo Credit: USAF) In total, Covey flew 339 combat missions, the majority being pre-planned strikes informed by all-source intelligence, including intel gathered by the highly secretive Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) that has its own prominent Seiko associations. Coincidentally, SOG operator and former Dispatch subject Michael “Magnet” O’Byrne and Covey, both of whom used Seiko watches, had overlapping tours, with a high likelihood some of Covey’s missions were informed by O’Byrne’s SOG team—small world.  Covey (standing) wearing his Seiko 6139-6002 at Bien Hoa AFB in South Vietnam alongside an A-37D Dragonfly. (Photo Credit: Colonel Richard Covey) Following his second tour in Vietnam, Covey, who still wore his 6139 every time he climbed into a cockpit, became a test pilot, flying F-4 Phantoms, A-7Ds, and F-15s until 1979 when he achieved his lifelong dream of joining NASA to become an astronaut.  NASA, Riding Explosions, & More Watches   Colonel Covey wearing his 1971 Seiko 6139-6002 chronograph, NASA flight line at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, 1978 (Photo Credit: NASA) After years of intensive training, Covey was assigned to his first space mission in 1985, serving as the pilot of Space Shuttle Discovery on Space Mission STS-51-I, tasked with deploying three communications satellites over seven days in space. Over 15 years including combat in Vietnam, flying as a test pilot, astronaut training, and his first space mission, Covey continued to reach for his Seiko 6139 — “I never took it off during that time.” This is all more impressive considering Covey was also the owner of an Omega Speedmaster Professional issued to him by NASA.  Intriguing, Covey’s Seiko 6139 had competition on his first space mission, with the astronaut also wearing a quartz-powered 1980s Seiko A829-6019, a watch he said was widely favored by numerous NASA astronauts at the time. One watch was for Houston time, the other for Mission Elapsed Time (MET). When I asked where his Omega was, Covey quipped astronauts of the day favored Seiko over other watches due to the exceptional capabilities offered by the venerable Japanese brand. As was the case with Air Force fighter pilots in Vietnam, astronauts were free to choose watches that best served the unique requirements of their mission. A 1970s Seiko 6139-6002 on a news article celebrating the successful 1988 Discovery STS-26 space mission. Covey is to the immediate right of VPOTUS George Bush. (Photo Credit: DC Vintage Watch)  Covey’s second space mission came in 1988 as the pilot of STS-26, again flying aboard the Discovery to deploy a TDRS-3 NASA space communications satellite. A somber mission crewed by space flight veterans, STS-26 was the first space flight following the Challenger disaster, an event that hit particularly close to home for Covey who served as the CAPCOM  – the astronaut on Earth who communicates with crew members in their spacecraft – for the astronauts who perished in the accident.  The crew of NASA’s STS-26 space mission, Colonel Covey front right wearing his 1980’s Seiko A289-6019, October 1988 (Photo Credit: NASA) Promoted to commander, Covey undertook two more space missions, STS-38 and STS-61, with some 16 days aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis (1990) and the Endeavour (1993). STS-38 caught my eye, given its classified payload for the Department of Defense. Aviation Week reported the mission was suspected of having launched an electronics intelligence (ELINT) satellite headed for geosynchronous orbit to monitor the Desert Shield and Desert Storm conflicts. Some speculated a second satellite was also deployed, with a stealthier mission to covertly inspect other nation's geostationary satellites (Covey – “no comment”). In 2004, NBC published more details about the second bird, seemingly confirming its secretive mission.  Actor Ed Harris playing NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz in the film Apollo 13, wearing a 1970s Seiko 6139 - this dial variant hadn’t debuted during the film’s timeline (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures) Were Apollo 13 (1995) film producers aware of Covey’s Seiko 6139? Ed Harris, as Flight Director Gene Kranz, wore one like Covey’s in the film. Who knows? After I joked the dark blue Seiko 6139 should be called “The Covey,” he noted he was aware of the gold-dialed Seiko 6139-6005 worn by astronaut Colonel William Pogue, aka “The Pogue” (also purchased at a PX) during his 1973 Skylab 4 space mission. Vintage advertisements for the Seiko 6139 and A829 favored by Covey and other astronauts. (Photo Credit: Seiko) While the Seiko 6139 accompanied Covey for his first space mission, his Seiko A829 served as his primary watch for all four of his space flights. (with his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster as backup to his Seiko - the horror). Following his final space mission in 1993, Covey retired from the USAF and NASA in 1994 to work in several senior defense sector positions, ultimately retiring in 2010. Throughout Covey’s USAF and NASA career, he would be awarded dozens of medals, foremost being the DoD Distinguished Service Medal, five USAF Distinguished Flying Crosses (four in Vietnam with the A-37 Dragonfly, one for the classified STS-38 space mission), and the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement for STS-38. During his career, Covey flew over 5,700 hours in 30 airframes and traveled 4,433,772 miles in 163 orbits of the Earth over nearly 27 days. Today, the retired Colonel’s everyday watch is an Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33 gifted to Covey by Omega when it debuted in 1998.  Colonel Covey receives the United States National Intelligence Medal of Achievement for his contributions to NASA’s classified STS-38 space mission. (Photo Credit: Colonel Richard Covey) But where are Covey’s space-flown watches Seiko watches today? Unfortunately, his Seiko A829 and NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster were stolen during a 1990’s break-in along with a two-tone Rolex Datejust. I also asked where his dark blue Seiko 6139 was now. “It wasn’t lost in the break-in, and I am certain I have it somewhere… My curiosity will lead me to look hard for it.” A few weeks later, Covey reached out to me, “Look what I found! If you hadn’t reminded me, I would not have remembered this is a space-flown watch.”  Colonel Covey’s February 1971 Seiko 6139-6002 chronograph, w/original “presidential” stainless-steel Seiko bracelet. (Photo Credit: Colonel Richard Covey) Despite the attention often falling on Omega where space travel is concerned, Covey’s story again illustrates the permeating influence of Seiko among military, intelligence professionals, and even astronauts. With an incredible career as a pilot as well as serving as a NASA astronaut and even making his mark on the world of espionage, Colonel Covey embodies the “Use Your Tools” ethos while reminding us that not every been-there-done-that watch has to cost an arm and a leg.  If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. READ NEXT: "Let's Roll" - A Hero's Rolex Frozen In Time - September 11, 2001 About The Author: Nick Ferrell is a vintage watch dealer and founder of Los Angeles-based DC Vintage Watches and the Sycamore watch line. He is a former U.S. diplomat and intelligence community member, and previously served on the National Security Council. When not obsessing over watches, he is an avid reader of, well, everything. DCVW’s Instagram account is @DCVintageWatches.

Picking More Reasonable Timepieces For History's Most Famous Secret Agent When it comes to Watches of Espionage, James Bond is the elephant in the room. While there is a significant gap between real-world intelligence operations and Hollywood's depiction, Ian Fleming’s character has had an indelible impact on our community’s watch culture. We know several real “spies” who purchased an Omega or Rolex because of the Bond connection. Even before the legendary films, 007 was already closely linked to the world of horology. Fleming, the legendary author behind Bond, even went so far as to name names, calling out a “Rolex Oyster Perpetual” in his 1954 novel, Live and Let Die while unfortunately failing to identify a specific model. Likely inspired by Fleming’s reference 1016 Explorer, many regard the James Bond of the literary world as an Explorer man as well. However, 1962’s Dr. No, the secret agent’s first foray into film, would forever alter Bond’s history with Rolex, with Sean Connery serving up a full-screen wrist shot of a Submariner reference 6538. Beyond a few abbreviated sojourns into other brands including Breitling, Seiko, and Hamilton, the Bond of film was primarily a Rolex guy until 1995’s GoldenEye where Irish actor Pierce Brosnan famously wore an Omega Seamaster Professional, a seismic shift for watch enthusiasts. In the Dispatch, we’ve argued for tradition in favor of The Crown in the past with an excellent counter-argument coming from Caleb Daniels in favor of Omega, which remains Bond’s chosen brand. It’s a fun debate, but what watch would a former British SpecOps turned “Secret Agent” really wear? Bond’s Rolex Submariner 6538 in Dr. No and the OMEGA Seamaster Professional in GoldenEye are both icons, but what if they’re not the right picks?  Taking a step back, there’s a good chance a real “secret agent" using their license to kill on MI6’s behalf wouldn’t wear a luxury watch at all. With the most up-to-date Rolex Submariner Date reference 126610 coming in at $10,250 (assuming you can get one) and Omega’s 007 Edition No Time To Die Seamaster priced right at ten grand US, the biggest issue here is probably cost taking into account Bond’s role as a civil servant. Add to that the ostentatious nature of these heavily-branded luxury watches for a guy who would probably prefer a low profile, and some other timepieces just might be better suited to Bond’s profession. In addition, we'd argue our Bond would also favor British watchmaking brands, with more great options than ever before coming from the UK. In this Dispatch, we’ll share our picks for which watch we think our more reasonable 007 would wear. CWC SBS Diver Issue Price: $750  Given Bond’s insurmountable Britishness, we would argue it makes sense to look at brands with strong ties to the Empire as well as the Ministry of Defense (MOD). The obvious choice is a brand with a strong following in the W.O.E. community, CWC or Cabot Watch Company, which was founded in 1972 for no reason other than supplying the MOD. For maritime specialist units including the Royal Marines and Special Boat Service, CWC has long supplied the SBS Diver Issue, a PVD-coated descendant of the original Royal Navy Diver’s watch that succeeded the Rolex Military Submariner in 1980. We know several former British SBS members who still have, and wear, their issued SBS, making this a logical watch for Bond. Robert 'Bob' Hawkins (1961-2023) was a legend in the Mine Warfare Clearance Diving community. Like Bond, Hawkins was a Commander in the Royal Navy and is seen here wearing the CWC SBS Diver Issue. With 300 meters of water resistance, the utility offered by day and date functions, and excellent legibility, the SBS Diver Issue is an excellent option for the modern British secret agent whether he’s doing some Thunderball-style diving combat or simply keeping a lower profile. Fixed lug bars mean Bond is stuck with pull-through straps, but for a secret agent who inspired a namesake nylon strap color scheme, it shouldn’t be a problem.  Vertex M100A Price: $2,625  For a more old-school look that also leans into the literary Bond who many argue wore a Rolex Explorer, we have the Vertex M100A. Dating back to 1912, Vertex is another brand closely associated with the Ministry of Defense, having produced watches for the British military as early as the First World War. Of the twelve manufacturers of the legendary “Dirty Dozen” watches produced for the Allied war effort in World War II, Vertex was the only British option, with the modern M100A calling back to that history with its core design while making room for more modern watchmaking standards and specifications. But what does James Bond have to do with a WWII field watch, you may ask? (Photo Credit: WatchGecko) Thunderball aside, the vast majority of Bond’s adventures both tactical and otherwise have taken place in the dry, and we might argue some of the key elements of a perfect Bond watch would be—even more than water resistance—legibility, durability, and the timeless style so often associated with Bond’s on-screen portrayals. Compared to something like the aforementioned blacked-out CWC, the Vertex would also be a lot easier to wear with a tux.  Elliot Brown Holton Professional Price: $541 Where the CWC SBS celebrates its history of issue to the Special Boat Service in both name and marketing, the Holton Professional from Elliot Brown takes a more subtle approach to its special operations associations. Founded in 2013, the founding principle of Elliot Brown’s collection is durability, with many of the watches finding favor within the British Military. Based in Poole, the elite Special Boat Service approached Elliot Brown in 2015 to help design a watch for the unit to issue. The result was the Holton Professional, a watch that has earned an NSN or Nato Stock Number making it available for official issue to military forces. Coming from another British brand, and with a quartz movement, hardened stainless steel bezel, and C3 Super-LumiNova, the Holton also presents a solid option for someone like Bond who is likely to be harder on his watches than most. For deep nerds, Bond has an entirely imagined special operations background, meaning Commander Bond may have either been issued the Holton Professional or purchased a special version as part of a smaller unit-specific order. Bremont S302 Price $4,200  Currently the subject of some well-deserved controversy regarding a recent rebranding effort, Bremont is still among our top picks for James Bond. Despite its foundations in aviation, Bremont also boasts an impressive array of diving-oriented watches under the Supermarine name. For a more luxurious option compared to some of the other watches we’ve highlighted, we select the S302 for Bond, a watch that combines 300 meters of water resistance with the useful addition of a GMT function. Where some of our choices thus far are more utilitarian and even tactical, Bremont manages to straddle the line, feeling just almost as at home with a suit from Savile Row as it does with a wetsuit, no mean feat. The S302’s GMT is particularly appropriate as well. As we discussed in our Dispatch unpacking Zulu Time, having a second timezone at a glance provides tremendous upside for an asset coordinating with a broader multi-agency effort. Besides, Bremont is one of the few companies that has actually made a unit watch for the British Secret Intelligence Service.  Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 300 Price: $1,095 Long scolded as a microbrand rehashing established designs, Christopher Ward has stepped up massively in recent years and is another brand with a strong following in the W.O.E. community, at an affordable price point. For a government employee like James Bond, the price of the C60 Trident Pro, one of Christopher Ward’s marquee dive watches, is fair. Add to that the watch’s solid water resistance and legible dial format and we have another under-the-radar pick for Bond. Adding an element of legitimacy, Christopher Ward has been quietly collaborating with numerous military units in recent years. Despite solid finishing for the price range, the Trident isn’t ostentatious and doesn’t advertise to prying eyes or invite further scrutiny. Bamford London GMT Price: $1,500  Better known for Bamford Watch Department’s watch customizations and collaborations with established watchmakers from the luxury tier, George Bamford also produces a more attainable line of wholly designed watches under the Bamford London moniker. Assuming our modern Bond was a man of more avant-garde styling who rubbed shoulders with Eton graduates, something like the Bamford London GMT could make a lot of sense.  Available in a wide array of dial colors, Bamford’s GMT is housed within a reasonable 40mm case complete with an internal rotating GMT bezel that obviates the risk of accidentally changing the secondary timezone on display. For the $1,500 asking price, Bond also gets an excellent bracelet, 100 meters of water resistance, as well as a sub-12mm case height that should work as well with a tuxedo as it would with a woolen commando sweater.  Arken Alterum Price: $750  A true microbrand at this stage, Arken presents a wild card choice for Bond. Housed within a scratch-resistant titanium case, the Alterum, the second watch from the brand, fuses GMT functionality with 200 meters of water resistance and a design format that is a lot further afield than many of our previous choices. Admittedly, the Alterum dial serves up a lot of information including the second time zone, managed by a GMT hand, as well as a date sub-register and an intriguing day/night indicator executed with a pair of apertures on the dial’s lower half. Despite the additional complexity, the overall effect is clean, subtle, and the kind of thing Bond could easily wear in virtually any environment without anyone asking too many questions.  Final Thoughts For the diehard Rolex and Omega James Bond fanboys, the picks in this Dispatch may be blasphemous. We invite you to submit your counterarguments in the comments. In any counterpoints, it's important to remember that for intelligence professionals like Bond, watches are, first and foremost, a tool. While there is a significant watch luxury watch culture in espionage, it’s not so hard to imagine a real-life James Bond might benefit from a watch that won’t get him mugged by some scooter-riding London street toughs. As for Bond's strap of choice, we'd argue 007 would do his best work with a Five Eye (FVEY). -- If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Does Rolex Make Mistakes? The Motley 8 - Error Batman Bezel

Crossing The Atlantic In A DC-3 To Commemorate The 80th Anniversary Of Operation Overlord  Watches intended for pilots represent one of the most compelling categories in the arena of tool watches, only matched in enthusiast appeal by watches designed for diving. Pilots are, for lack of a better term, cool. And in the realm of flying, it’s difficult to imagine a cooler undertaking than piloting 1940s aircraft over the Atlantic to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. This is the mission of the D-Day Squadron, an intrepid group of enthusiasts, crew, and commercial and general aviation pilots tasked with flying vintage Douglas C-47s and DC-3s back to Normandy where they changed the course of history eight decades ago. As we have often described, pilots have a close relationship with timepieces, and in this Dispatch we’ll take a closer look at the watches these pilots wore while hand-wheeling 80-year-old aircraft across the Atlantic, battling arctic cold with no autopilot and only marginal heating systems. Despite the desperate need for sponsorship dollars to keep these vintage aircraft in operational condition, no watch brand jumped at the opportunity in this case, meaning the watches were a direct result of the preferences, personal choices, and stories of the pilots. As a professional photographer and amateur watch enthusiast, I was honored by the opportunity to ride along and document the journey, the watches, and more importantly, the stories behind them.  To the readers of W.O.E., it may not come as a surprise that the most common brand on the wrists of these pilots was Breitling. No matter how you slice it, flying 80-plus-year-old radial-engined airplanes across the Atlantic is sketchy—the good kind of sketchy. That said, smartwatches were also a common sight, and many pilots had opted not to wear a watch at all, but we’re not here to talk about them.  Breitling Emergency One of the pilots on C-47 Placid Lassie wore an orange-dialed Breitling Emergency with the brand’s Co-Pilot module, essentially a miniature digital watch integrated into the bracelet and capable of tracking UTC and flight time while also providing another chronograph. Pilots love redundancies. Frequently flying older aircraft, the pilot appreciated the utility of the Emergency, knowing that, as long as he could activate the watch’s signal in the event of a crash, his body would be found and returned to his family. His Emergency was one of the first sold in the US, something the pilot was proud of, representing his 20-year connection to Breitling that all started with a B1.  Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer The youngest pilot on the crossing was flying with his father, the D-Day Squadron chief pilot. The son wore a newly acquired watch, a Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer he picked up because he was tired of changing the batteries on his former quartz Timex. After initially deciding against what was for him an expensive mechanical watch, the young pilot ultimately decided to pull the trigger to commemorate a series of events: getting his type rating as a C-47 co-pilot, his first solo flight in a Twin Beach, and of course, the transatlantic crossing side-by-side with his father for D-Day 80. Omega Speedmaster Another pilot onboard D-Day veteran Placid Lassie was wearing an Omega Speedmaster he plans to give to his son one day. After losing a watch in the gym, he spent an entire year deciding which watch to get as a replacement. When his son was born, he decided it was time for something significant: “I like to buy one nice thing and keep that.” Influenced by the Speedy’s history in rally racing, the watch’s celebrated role in the Apollo missions, and its broader significance in aviation, he selected the Omega Speedmaster, purchasing a brand new example with the goal of adding his own patina over the years before gifting the watch to his son. The veteran pilot said he wears the watch for literally everything he does, including all of his travels, flying airplanes old and new (Douglas C-47s, Boeing 737s, and the North American T-6, a WWII Trainer), swimming in the ocean, sailing, and more. With only one service to date, he said the watch gets excellent marks for reliability. Before parting, he mentioned, “I’d love to have a Rolex, but I don’t know if it is for me.” Timex Expedition Chronograph  The loadmaster for C-47 Placid Lassie wore a simple Timex Chronograph. He admitted to not knowing too much about watches but picked this one because of its military look and the way the olive-drab color scheme matched the aircraft he helps care for.  Breitling Aviator 8 Curtiss Warhawk P-40 & Other Assorted Breitling Models  Purchased only three weeks before the crossing, the Douglas A-26 Invader Million Airess was late to the party, bringing with it the highest concentration of interesting watches I experienced during the trip. An owner of many luxury watches, he chose his most meaningful for the flight, a serial number 3 Breitling Aviator 8 Curtiss Warhawk P-40 that was also the first example sold in the United States. The watch commemorated a friend, the late Ollie Crawford who flew Curtiss P-40s during the war. A longtime friend of the brand, Crawford, who passed in 2019, was prominently featured in Breitling marketing over the years.  The pilot and owner described himself as a bit of a Breitling fan, even going as far as securing watches for the entire crew to wear for the historic flight including a modern Avenger, a Colt Skyracer, and two iterations of the Emergency. As previously mentioned, the Emergency models take on an even more significant role on a transatlantic flight done the old-school way.  Vaer C5 Tactical Field Solar  When asked about his all-black field watch, a Spirit of Douglas co-pilot said he simply wanted a dependable watch requiring no maintenance, eventually selecting an inexpensive solar-charging Vaer C5 for the crossing. After some prying, he also shared the story of his most meaningful watch, a 1975 Omega Speedmaster gifted to him by his grandfather after completing flight training. Remaining the source of great meaning many years later, the old Speedy served as a sign of approval after his grandfather initially criticized his decision to become a pilot. For fear of damaging such a significant family heirloom, he elected not to bring the Speedmaster along for the transatlantic journey.  Breitling Navitimer  One of the watches most concretely linked to aviation, it was no surprise to see a Breitling Navitimer on the wrist of one of the pilots of the UK-based C-47 Drag-em-oot. Also the owner of one of the Navitimers that went around the world onboard a DC-3 for a publicity stunt some years back, this is one he typically wears, making it the watch on his wrist for this historic event.  Praesidus C-47 D-Day  Another watch story from the trip that is worth telling but unrelated to the aircraft crossing is that of the Praesidus C-47 D-Day, a field watch with a dial made from the doors of a vintage C-47 present on D-Day. The watches were gifted to D-Day veterans present for the 80th-anniversary ceremony. The veterans seemed to appreciate them. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. READ NEXT: Covert Influence in Watch Media About the Author: René is an aviation photographer and writer from Germany focusing on vintage aircraft and warbirds. He has followed the W.O.E. blog from the very beginning with a keen interest in tool watches. All photos are credited to @romeolimaphoto. 

Materials, History, Fit, & Which Strap Is Right For You One of the most common ways for members of our community to customize their watches is with a new strap that is, in either material or design, more appropriate for austere conditions. Over the past couple of years, we have grown our strap collection to include more refined options made from domestically sourced leather and more attainable choices designed to excel in the most extreme scenarios. We are often asked what is the best strap for a given use case, and in this Dispatch, we’ll provide an overview of our strap collection including some pros and cons, historical and design background, and recommendations based on some of the questions we are most commonly asked. As always, everything we make is developed for the quiet professional, someone who appreciates the history of Intelligence and Special Operations and honors those who came before us. W.O.E. Fabric Straps Closely associated with military watches, pull-through fabric watch straps trace their origins to the mid-century when they were utilized by American and British armed forces, with the most popular format tracing dating back to 1973 and a British Military design known as the G10. Commonly issued to the British Ministry of Defense, the G10 also cemented the formula for the majority of nylon watch straps to follow. In starting our collection of fabric watch straps, we partnered with veteran-owned and UK-based Z.A. Straps to create the most premium fabric straps possible which are also manufactured in Great Britain. Then, to provide a more attainable alternative that also conforms to the obsessive quality standards of our community, we designed the Five Eye nylon strap that we believe is the best on the market for the price. Five Eye Nylon Watch Strap - $35-38 Named after the intelligence-sharing alliance of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the Five Eye (FVEY) Nylon Watch Strap is our modern take on the iconic British Military G10 design from 1973. This collection is more attainable compared to our Z.A. Straps collaborations while still providing a premium wearing experience and unrivaled durability for a watch of this style. The Five Eye is built from a custom matte woven material with a reinforced stitched tip and is complete with our custom stainless steel hardware. We didn’t reinvent the wheel but did take the original design to the next level with modern materials, manufacturing standards, and colors tailored to the unique needs of our community. To suit a wider variety of watches, we offer solid colors, striped variants, and Five Eye straps with black-coated PVD hardware, all in 20 and 22-mm sizes that will fit wrists from 6.25 to 9 IN (15.9 to 22.9 CM). Of note, like all “affordable” nylon straps, these are produced in Asia. Cons: With almost four hundred five-star reviews, the Five Eye doesn’t have a lot of cons, but like any nylon strap, the look isn’t elegant or refined and wouldn’t be a great pairing for dressier watches. ORDER HERE Glomar Explorer - Hook And Loop Watch Strap - $47 Modeled off traditional hook-and-loop dive watch straps, the Glomar Explorer is a premium single-pass adjustable adventure strap for those who use their watches as tools. We set out to create a premium “hook and loop” watch strap, something that many consider an oxymoron. After many iterations over a six-month period and extensive testing, we finally came up with the design of the Glomar Explorer. We developed an ultra-thin custom matte weave nylon construction, a custom 316L stainless steel engraved buckle, and a strap keeper to ensure the watch remains secure on your wrist. The Glomar Explorer is available in two lengths, Short (for wrists between 5.5 to 6.5 IN/14 to 16.5 CM) and Standard (for wrists between 6.5 to 8.5 IN/16.5 to 21.5 CM), and in two colors: black and admiralty grey with olive green coming soon. The strap name is derived from USNS Hughes Glomar Explorer, a deep-sea drillship platform that was used by the CIA to recover a Soviet submarine K-129 in the Pacific Ocean in 1974. To be clear, this is not your grandpa’s Walmart hook and loop strap. Cons: With a casual and utilitarian look, a hook and loop strap simply isn’t going to be for everyone. Sizing will also be an issue for some as the wearing experience will depend on the lug length of the watch in question, wrist size, and how tightly the strap is worn.  ORDER HERE Single Pass Z.A. Straps 4.0  It’s crazy to think we’re on the fourth iteration of our collaboration with Z.A. Straps, one of the world’s premier makers of fabric straps and a supplier of other webbing items to the British Ministry of Defense (MOD). Back in 2022, we started with the 1.0, with each subsequent variant incorporating color changes and small upgrades inspired by the community. Our Single Pass Z.A. Straps 4.0 is the culmination of everything we’ve learned working with Z.A. Straps and direct feedback from end users. Completely constructed in Great Britain, the 4.0 is 11.8 IN (30 CM) long, 1.2mm thick, and complete with a uniquely adhered patch with the W.O.E. Spearhead logo. Secured by way of an over-engineered stainless steel buckle that is also available with a PVD finish, the 4.0 is available in both 20 and 22-mm widths and will fit the vast majority of adult wrists. If you’re looking for the most premium, capable, and durable fabric strap on the market, this is it, full stop. Cons: Every aspect of our Z.A. Straps straps is ultra-premium, produced entirely in the UK, and designed without compromise. The price reflects our no-holds-barred approach to a fabric watch strap for the most extreme conditions. ORDER HERE USA Five Eye - Third Option Foundation - $40 While it’s otherwise the same as our standard Five Eye Straps, our USA Third Option Foundation Fundraiser offers the most eye-catching visual format in our entire collection with a subtle play on the red, white, and blue color scheme. Benefitting CIA paramilitary officers and their families, $20 (50%) of every USA Five Eye sale goes directly to Third Option Foundation. Just as at home sipping PBR in your local dive bar as it is sailing the Cape on your dad’s catamaran, the USA Stripe Five Eye is the undisputed strap of summer. Available in both 20 and 22mm, the USA Five Eye can also be purchased with PVD hardware, a look works a lot better than we thought it would. Cons: Celebrating freedom and donating to charity aren’t for everyone.  This strap is a limited edition. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. ORDER HERE W.O.E Leather Straps While there is a lot of virtue signaling and overstated marketing language associated with goods that are “Made in America”, supporting small businesses in the United States is in line with our core beliefs as a community. This is especially true when it comes to leather goods. There is no shortage of reasonably high-quality leather straps imported from Asia, but we believe the finest leather straps come from right here in the USA or, in some cases, Europe.  With that in mind, our collection of leather straps is entirely produced by hand in small batches from the finest quality materials in the United States or Europe, with each strap demonstrating subtle differences and the ability to patina over time for a custom look and feel. Like all leather straps, these are not your best options for use in or around water but do provide a durable and handsome pairing for field watches, vintage divers on desk duty, or any other refined watch in your collection. Jedburgh Leather Watch Strap - $115 Named after the Jedburgh teams of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), “The Jedburgh” was W.O.E’s first leather strap, handmade in the USA with American-made English bridle leather. Available to fit 20 and 22-mm lugs, the Jedburgh is complete with a subtle W.O.E. Spearhead stamp at the tip, white hand stitching throughout, and a buckle available in either polished stainless steel or black-coated PVD. The Jedburgh is designed to break in for a comfortable custom fit that is best for wrists between 5.75 to 7.5 IN (14.6 to 19.1 CM). For a refined look, the Jedburgh also tapers 4 millimeters from the lugs to the buckle, meaning the buckle measures 16mm on the 20mm strap and 18mm for the 22mm variant. Cons: Tapering from 20 to 16mm and shorter than some of our straps, the Jedburgh is not the best choice for larger wrists or heavier watches. While we’ve seen some of you guys push the envelope, the Jedburgh is also not the best option for extreme use i.e. jumping out of airplanes. ORDER HERE Horween Leather and Canvas Strap - $185 Produced in the United States in extremely limited quantities, our Leather and Canvas Strap pairs Horween leather tanned in Chicago with repurposed camouflage canvas from surplus military uniforms. These robust straps were designed by W.O.E. in collaboration with Greg Stevens Design, one of the best in the custom leather strap business, and manufactured by hand in Utah. Available in 20 and 22-mm widths, the Leather and Canvas strap is thicker than the Jedburgh and does not taper, making this strap an excellent choice for heavier watches while being designed to fit wrist sizes between 6.25 to 7.75 IN (15.9 to 19.7 CM). Given our use of repurposed military uniforms, this strap also offers a wide range of variation in terms of the actual color and condition of the canvas material. Complete with a signed stainless steel buckle, the Leather and Canvas Strap is a more rugged leather option ideally suited for larger watches and larger wrists. Cons: Manufactured without taper and with a less subtle look compared to many of our straps, our Leather and Canvas Strap is unapologetically extreme and therefore not for everyone.  ORDER HERE Final Thoughts:  While we believe there is a strap in our collection that will work for virtually any watch or scenario, like choosing a new watch, strap selection is highly individual and personal. There is no one-size-fits-all solution and like with any tool, we encourage you to experiment and find out what works best for you. Subsequent iterations of our straps will always be informed by your feedback. Be sure to let us know what you think.  View our entire strap collection HERE.

Using Watches To Make Friends, Exert Influence, & Recruit Spies The job of a CIA Case Officer (C/O), or Operations Officer, is to recruit spies and steal secrets. The core competency of a C/O is building relationships with individuals (targets) and ultimately recruiting them to provide Foreign Intelligence on their host government/organization in return for financial remuneration. The trade is not for the faint-hearted, one prized quality of a C/O is the ability to manipulate an individual to further the National Security interests of the United States. We have discussed the operational role of timepieces in espionage, but they can also play a role in the agent recruitment cycle—the transition of an individual from a target to a recruited asset (aka spy). Espionage is a human business and watches are transferable stores of value that have personal meaning—these traits make them effective tools of intelligence tradecraft. Recruitment Process (Photo Credit: James Rupley) In Hollywood, CIA’s recruitment often happens in one dramatic meeting and generally involves a large stack of cash and/or blackmail. In reality, the agent recruitment cycle is more attuned to dating, lasting months and often years. The most successful examples are not transactional, they are real mutually beneficial relationships built on trust. At CIA, the recruitment process is framed with the acronym: SADRAT Spot - Identify a target who may have access to Foreign Intelligence (FI) of strategic or tactical interest to the US Government. He—they are generally men—may be a North Korean intelligence officer, an Iranian nuclear scientist, or a fixer for a non-state terror network. Assess for Access & Suitability - Learn as much about the individual as possible through all means available. Does he have motivations or vulnerabilities that would make him susceptible to a CIA approach? Does he have children who want to go to college in the United States? An ailing mother who needs medical care? Or maybe he's just disenchanted with his employer, has a gambling addiction, or some other vulnerability that can be exploited.  Develop - Make contact with the target. It may be a chance encounter at a diplomatic function, an unsuspecting “bump” at the gym, or a “cold call” asking the individual to meet for a credible but contrived reason. Build a real and lasting relationship with the target to further inform your assessment. Gradually and methodically transition the relationship from casual to real and slowly introduce clandestine tradecraft.  Recruit - Formally ask the individual to enter a relationship with CIA. Most of the time, this is an anti-climactic moment as the asset believed he started working for CIA in the developmental phase. Agent Handle - Clandestinely “handle” the agent to produce regular FI. At this point, it is no longer a personal relationship, but a formal relationship between the asset and the US Government. The agent should be responsive to tasking and fill intelligence gaps in return for a salary. The asset may be transitioned to a new handling officer during a “turnover.” Terminate - In the movies this involves a bullet to the head or piano wire around the neck. While this may be true for some services (ahem Russia’s FSB), at CIA we want our “terminations” to be firm and final but cordial.  We want the asset to think fondly of the relationship, be treated fairly, and leave the door open for potential recontact in the future. (Photo Credit: James Rupley) Watches As Operational Gifts The recruitment cycle is slow and methodical, and the core step is the development of a Subject, which can last months or years. There are specific milestones a “developmental” must meet before moving to the next stage. At first, the acceptance of an expensive meal may be an indicator but over time, these financial benefits increase. A timepiece, whether luxury or affordable, is an ideal gift. It’s immediately recognizable, and it’s something that the agent can wear as a constant reminder of the friendship with the Case Officer and thus the greater relationship with the US Government. Further, the soon-to-be agent’s acceptance of an expensive gift from an American official is a strong indication that the individual is willing to move in the direction of a clandestine relationship. Most governments, including the US, have regulations that gifts should be reported and forfeited if accepted (or purchased from the government at a fair market value). If the developmental accepts the gift and does not report it, he has demonstrated that he is willing to break a rule for the personal benefit of himself and the relationship. It’s testing the waters for a future cash payment. (Photo Credit: James Rupley) Of course, when he or she accepts the watch, the Case Officer must work with the target to develop an appropriate cover story regarding the watch’s origin. A brand new Rolex Daytona on the wrist of a Russian Third Secretary would be difficult to explain, but a Seiko 5 costing a couple of hundred bucks could easily be explained away. Real World Examples  As a CIA Case Officer, I provided several watches to assets and developmentals during my career and they were effective tools to further the relationship. While the specifics of these cases remain classified, there are several examples available in the public domain and evidence that CIA isn’t the only service leveraging this technique. Saudi Intelligence, Hublot, & Twitter Ahmad Abouammo leaving Alameda County Santa Rita Jail in 2019 after his arrest. In 2022, Abouammo was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for acting as a foreign agent. (Photo Credit: NBC News) In December 2014, Twitter employee Ahmad Abouammo met with an official of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in London and was given a Hublot Big Bang Unico King watch valued at $42,000, per Department of Justice (DOJ). Abouammo was a Media Partnerships Manager for the Middle East region and after the meeting, Abouammo provided information to “identify and locate Twitter users of interest to the Saudi Royal Family.” Mohammad Bin Salman with Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Montauk Highway. While the DOJ indictment described the watch as a "bribe," in reality, it was an operational gift provided by the Saudi Official (presumably an intelligence officer) to further the clandestine relationship. According to the DOJ, Twitter has a policy that employees report gifts such as expensive timepieces, which Abouammo did not. His acceptance of the gift was an indication that he was willing to move in the direction of a clandestine relationship, which he ultimately did. He would continue to meet with Saudi officials and provide sensitive information. In 2015 he established a bank account in Lebanon in which he received at least $200,000 in remuneration. At that point, he was recruited. Hublot Big Bang Unico King, described by Abouammo to the FBI as “plasticky” and “junky” To convert that timepiece to money, Abouammo flew back to the US with the Hublot and reportedly tried to sell this watch on Craigslist for $20,000, creating an electronic trail of the gift, one piece of evidence that ultimately led to his conviction. Abouammo would later tell the FBI the Hublot was "plasticky" and "junky."  To learn more about this process read our piece on Watches as Tools of Money Laundering and Illicit Finance.   Watches As Asset Payments  FBI Agent Turned Russian Spy Robert Hanssen FBI Special Agent Robert Hanssen was recruited by Soviet intelligence services and ran on and off for over 20 years until he was arrested in February 2001 servicing a dead drop in Virginia.  He was directly responsible for the deaths of several US assets and was described by the DOJ as "the most damaging spy in FBI history.”  According to the DOJ, Hanssen received at least two Rolex watches from his Russian handlers as forms of payment. In total, Hanssen received more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds, and diamonds. Above is Robert Hanssen's “Rolex” and handcuffs at the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. Interestingly, the watch is fake, which some may say is fitting for a turncoat like Hanssen.  According to those who knew him, Hanssen was a watch collector and the FBI seized two other Rolexes when he was arrested. The Spy Museum also has at least one real TAG Heuer belonging to Hanssen not on display. Was the fake watch provided by Russian Intelligence? We can only speculate. CIA Case Officer Harold James Nicholson, A Rolex, & Russian SVR CIA Case Officer Jim Nicholson was arrested in November 1996 for spying for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and was dubbed the "Rolex-wearing spy nicknamed Batman." He was infamously photographed wearing a t-shirt that said “KGB is for me,” the irony of which is not lost.  According to a Washington Post article, Nicholson was then the highest-ranking CIA officer arrested under espionage charges and provided classified information including the “personal data on many if not all of the young CIA officers whom he helped train from 1994 to 1996.” At the time, CIA Case Officers were not known for their fashion and Nicholson reportedly developed expensive tastes including tailored suits and watches. During one overseas trip, he returned with a new “silver” Rolex watch.  While unconfirmed that this was a direct payment from the Russian SVR, there are indications that if not given then he purchased this or another watch with funds provided by his handling officer. Rolex also played a role in his tradecraft and was reportedly his visual recognition signal when meeting his Russian handlers. He was instructed to "wear his Rolex on his right wrist and carry a magazine and shopping bag." When he was arrested by the FBI at Dulles, FBI "Agents bent Jim over the trunk of the car, spreading his legs and frisking him. They stripped him of his wallet, Rolex, and shoulder bag." - The Spy’s Son. Liaison In addition to the use of timepieces in unilateral clandestine operations, watches make effective tools as gifts to create and solidify ties between intelligence services. We previously documented an example of a European intelligence service presenting a CIA Paramilitary Officer with a timepiece to commemorate operational success, but this tradition extends back to the earliest days of CIA. The Dalai Lama is a known watch enthusiast (Photo Credit: Patrick Leahy) In 1943, Ilia Tolstoy and Brooke Dolan, both members of CIA’s predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), presented the Dalai Lama with a Patek Philippe reference 658 on behalf of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Reportedly, the purpose of the gift was to win the Dalai Lama’s support for a potential road through Tibet into China to assist the Chinese in fighting the Japanese. The watch clearly had meaning for the Dalai Lama and is something he still carries today. While it is tempting to separate the gifts to and from “liaison,” a colloquial term to capture third-country intelligence services that work jointly with CIA, in the wilderness of mirrors of espionage, you are always assessing your partners for recruitment, and vice versa.  If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. READ NEXT: CIA Officer’s Love Affair with the Arabic Seiko *This article has been reviewed by the CIA's Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information.