WOE Dispatch
W.O.E. YouTube: The Rolex Explorer II of a CIA ...
Elliot Ackerman is a former Marine Infantry Officer, MARSOC Raider, and CIA Paramilitary Officer who later became a best-selling author. The one constant throughout Elliot’s incredible life of service was...
W.O.E. YouTube: The Rolex Explorer II of a CIA Paramilitary Officer, Marine, & Best-Selling Author
Elliot Ackerman is a former Marine Infantry Officer, MARSOC Raider, and CIA Paramilitary Officer who later became a best-selling author. The one constant throughout Elliot’s incredible life of service was the Rolex Explorer II on his wrist.
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Watch Industry SITREP - April 2026
This month in the SITREP, there’s a lot to like, including our top picks from the W&W release cycle, including a secretive Tudor collector meet-up, AI photos receiving undue buzz,...
Watch Industry SITREP - April 2026
This month in the SITREP, there’s a lot to like, including our top picks from the W&W release cycle, including a secretive Tudor collector meet-up, AI photos receiving undue buzz, an Australian special operator and watch nerd arrested for war crimes, the Iran War’s effect on the luxury watch market,...
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US Secret Service Unit Watches - Tudor, Omega, ...
As always, watches are our prism to view current events and national security. The USSS has a deep history with watches and is arguably one of the leaders in unit...
US Secret Service Unit Watches - Tudor, Omega, Rolex, & More
As always, watches are our prism to view current events and national security. The USSS has a deep history with watches and is arguably one of the leaders in unit watches. While in the grand scheme of things, a watch may seem like an insignificant detail, it does say a...
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Sub-Rosa: Inside Tudor’s Secret Collector Event
In a rare display of openness from a Swiss watch brand, especially one whose parent organization is Rolex, Tudor invited collectors from around the world to its headquarters in a...
Sub-Rosa: Inside Tudor’s Secret Collector Event
In a rare display of openness from a Swiss watch brand, especially one whose parent organization is Rolex, Tudor invited collectors from around the world to its headquarters in a suburb of Geneva. After an initial introduction from a Tudor executive, we were ushered into a large conference room where...
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W.O.E. YouTube: Rolex GMT-Master: A Tool of the...
At Watches of Espionage, the Rolex GMT holds a special place, making the recent discontinuation of the Pepsi GMT-Master II an unwelcome surprise. Unveiled in 1954, the GMT-Master was designed...
W.O.E. YouTube: Rolex GMT-Master: A Tool of the Military, Spies, & Pilots
At Watches of Espionage, the Rolex GMT holds a special place, making the recent discontinuation of the Pepsi GMT-Master II an unwelcome surprise. Unveiled in 1954, the GMT-Master was designed as a utilitarian tool for pilots and jet-set business travelers with a second-time zone function, but the Rolex GMT also...
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The Watches of Artemis II
In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss the watches worn by the Artemis II astronauts who are continuing mankind’s legacy of lunar exploration. Whether it’s the NASA-issued Omega Speedmasters worn by the...
The Watches of Artemis II
In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss the watches worn by the Artemis II astronauts who are continuing mankind’s legacy of lunar exploration. Whether it’s the NASA-issued Omega Speedmasters worn by the intrepid Apollo 17 astronauts who last visited the Moon, or the more modern Breitling and Omega models utilized by Mission...
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Watches as Intelligence & Diplomatic Currency: ...
New disclosures show how gifted timepieces remain tools of intelligence for CIA and DIA, but can they keep them?
Watches as Intelligence & Diplomatic Currency: The 2024 Gift Report
New disclosures show how gifted timepieces remain tools of intelligence for CIA and DIA, but can they keep them?
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W.O.E. YouTube: Which Watch Would James Bond Re...
When it comes to Watches of Espionage, James Bond is the elephant in the room. There is a significant gap between the realities of intelligence collection and Hollywood's depiction, but...
W.O.E. YouTube: Which Watch Would James Bond Really Wear?
When it comes to Watches of Espionage, James Bond is the elephant in the room. There is a significant gap between the realities of intelligence collection and Hollywood's depiction, but 007 has had an indelible impact on watch culture within the Intelligence Community, and we know several real-world practitioners whose...
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Watch Industry SITREP - March 2026
Omega & Breitling to the Moon, Arnie’s Arnie Up for Auction, a New DHS Secretary with a Quartz Chronograph, CJCS Caine with a New Breitling Unit Watch, a “Dream Girl”...
Watch Industry SITREP - March 2026
Omega & Breitling to the Moon, Arnie’s Arnie Up for Auction, a New DHS Secretary with a Quartz Chronograph, CJCS Caine with a New Breitling Unit Watch, a “Dream Girl” Rolex Robbery, & More Watch Crime
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The Watches of Fighter Pilots & Military Aviators
Pilots in general, whether military or civilian, have one of the strongest watch cultures of any profession, with many opting for mechanical GMTs and chronographs from brands like Rolex, Omega,...
The Watches of Fighter Pilots & Military Aviators
Pilots in general, whether military or civilian, have one of the strongest watch cultures of any profession, with many opting for mechanical GMTs and chronographs from brands like Rolex, Omega, Breitling, and Seiko. For aviation professionals, the Use Your Tools ethos is alive and well, and pilots are responsible for...
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The Wrist Compass In SpecOps - A Brief History
From Waltham To Suunto & Now W.O.E., A Wrist Compass Is Essential Gear For Countless Special Operators While the tools of warfare have developed rapidly over the past sixty years,...
The Wrist Compass In SpecOps - A Brief History
From Waltham To Suunto & Now W.O.E., A Wrist Compass Is Essential Gear For Countless Special Operators While the tools of warfare have developed rapidly over the past sixty years, some gear has remained virtually unchanged, timeless tools that are as effective in 2024 as they were in 1964. Among...
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Inside the Counterfeit Watch Trade - Hunting “S...
The goal was to find a so-called “superclone,” the highest tier of counterfeit watches that claim to mirror genuine models down to the weight, finishing, and movement. According to internet...
Inside the Counterfeit Watch Trade - Hunting “Superclones” in Dubai
The goal was to find a so-called “superclone,” the highest tier of counterfeit watches that claim to mirror genuine models down to the weight, finishing, and movement. According to internet lore, the superclones are so good that even an expert watchmaker can’t distinguish them from the real thing.
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W.O.E. YouTube: A Navy SEAL's Watch Collecting ...
Dave Hall is a close friend of W.O.E., the subject of one of our first in-depth profiles, and a rare special operations veteran who appreciates watches as much as any...
W.O.E. YouTube: A Navy SEAL's Watch Collecting Journey
Dave Hall is a close friend of W.O.E., the subject of one of our first in-depth profiles, and a rare special operations veteran who appreciates watches as much as any nerd in any room. When we added an interview format to the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, it was only a matter...
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W.O.E. YouTube: Shooting 10,000 Rounds with a T...
The pervasive theory in the world of watch collecting is that shock and vibrations from shooting regularly can damage or even disable a mechanical watch movement. We decided to test...
W.O.E. YouTube: Shooting 10,000 Rounds with a Tudor Pelagos FXD
The pervasive theory in the world of watch collecting is that shock and vibrations from shooting regularly can damage or even disable a mechanical watch movement. We decided to test it out. Last year, we purchased a new Tudor Pelagos FXD and gave it to our friends at GBRS Group...
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Interview with a Watchmaker
For this Dispatch, we sat down with Greg Petronzi of True Patina to learn more about his life and work, as well as to explore some of the most common...
Interview with a Watchmaker
For this Dispatch, we sat down with Greg Petronzi of True Patina to learn more about his life and work, as well as to explore some of the most common questions y’all might have for a watchmaker.
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Tactical Luxury? Patek Philippe’s Surprising Ti...
The Use Your Tools ethos shared among those in our community might seem antithetical to the coverage of expensive luxury timepieces, but like most things, there’s more to the story....
Tactical Luxury? Patek Philippe’s Surprising Ties to the Military & Intelligence
The Use Your Tools ethos shared among those in our community might seem antithetical to the coverage of expensive luxury timepieces, but like most things, there’s more to the story. No matter how you got into watches or where your horological allegiances currently lie, it’s worth considering the impact Patek...
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W.O.E. YouTube: How CIA Officers Use Watches To...
The core job of a CIA Case Officer is to recruit human assets by building relationships with targets and convincing them to provide Foreign Intelligence on their government or organization...
W.O.E. YouTube: How CIA Officers Use Watches To Recruit Spies, Make Friends, & Influence Others
The core job of a CIA Case Officer is to recruit human assets by building relationships with targets and convincing them to provide Foreign Intelligence on their government or organization to further US National Security interests. The trade is not for the faint of heart. In return, assets are compensated...
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Iran Under Fire: The Watches of Operation Epic ...
From Washington to Tel Aviv to Tehran, these are the timepieces worn by the leaders directing a historic escalation. On the morning of 28 February 2026, the United States initiated...
Iran Under Fire: The Watches of Operation Epic Fury
From Washington to Tel Aviv to Tehran, these are the timepieces worn by the leaders directing a historic escalation. On the morning of 28 February 2026, the United States initiated Operation Epic Fury, a sustained air campaign targeting Iranian-linked assets and infrastructure, conducted amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran....
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