A Modern Folding Knife Honoring The Origins Of The Intelligence Community - The Birdwatcher is a low-profile folding knife collaboratively designed with PDW, featuring a premium MagnaCut blade with a titanium frame lock. Most importantly, it contains dive watch-inspired details and a laser-etched topo map of Camp X, a WWII paramilitary installation used for training the British SOE and United States OSS.

A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Tudor’s New Documentary, W.O.E. On The Set - In a conference room deep in the bowels of a storied aircraft carrier that now serves as a museum, I remove my Tudor Submariner 7928 from my wrist.

As Amazon takes the wheel and a new actor steps into the tuxedo, we explore what’s next for James Bond, his timepiece, and why this fictional spy still matters for W.O.E.

From Terrorists to SpecOps - This $15 Digital Watch Is an Icon of Modern Warfare - Coming in at around $15, the Casio F91W has become legendary for its associations with terrorists, including Usama bin Laden, as well as SpecOps.

Customized Timepieces From Rolex, Breitling, Tudor, Bremont, & Omega - In the W.O.E. community, military “unit watches” are at the heart of modern watch culture.

How Fitness Apps & Smartwatches Are Quietly Undermining National Security - Bottom line up front: If you are in a sensitive NatSec position, do NOT/NOT use a smartwatch. Even if you are an average Joe, at least understand the risks.

The One-Stop Shop For “Hey W.O.E., Which Timepiece Is Right For Me?”  Every day, we field questions from the community about which watch to buy. It’s easy enough to answer: “Pick the watch you like the best that you can also afford most easily.” It’s sound advice, but in many cases, there’s simply more to it. The watch world has not only grown by leaps and bounds in recent years but also fundamentally changed. Legacy luxury brands from Rolex to Omega are still there, as are value leaders like Seiko and Citizen, but now, there is a brave new world of “microbrands” to explore as well. So, where do you fit in?  For the aspiring watch dork simply trying to make an informed buying decision they can feel good about, we set out to create a comprehensive resource with everything you need to select the right watch the first time around. Keep in mind that everything you see here is tailored for the W.O.E. community and those who subscribe to the Use Your Tools ethos. If you clicked through for a list of 36mm dress watches to suit your Old Money mood board, this ain’t it. If you’re looking for useful advice and some of our picks for great tool watches at different price points and from a wide range of brands, you’re right where you belong.  Advice For Buying A Watch (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) Starting with the 10,000-foot overview, Advice For Buying A Watch is our general guide that answers some of the most common questions we receive across our social channels. If the last new watch you remember was that Fossil you got from your parents for eighth-grade graduation, this is where you start: a step-by-step rundown for newbies presented in an easily digestible format. If you’ve ever wondered about what kinds of brands to look into first, buying watches as investments, or the types of watches to consider, we have the answers.  What Should I Buy For My First Watch? OK, you’ve done your research, noted our advice for buying a watch, and you’re ready to pull the proverbial trigger. In What Should I Buy For My First Watch, we share some of our top picks in the most popular tool watch categories while also addressing price points from $50 to $10,000, meaning everything from the legendary Casio Duro to attainable Seiko models to Tudor and even Rolex and Omega. It might seem crazy to buy a luxury watch right out of the gate, but it happens more often than you might imagine. If you’ve ever considered buying a vintage watch as your first serious timepiece, we also share some of our thoughts on that process. The Best Military Watches For Land, Sea, & Air Assuming you’re a dedicated student of the Use Your Tools ethos, it would be fair to say that military watches are another great place to look when buying a watch. For The Best Military Watches For Land, Sea, & Air, we compiled a comprehensive list of true military watches as well as watches well-suited to military or other hard use in the most common operational environments. Sure, a solid Digital Tool Watch (D.T.W.) like a G-Shock can do pretty much anything any of these watches can do, but a growing subset of the military and the Intelligence Community value the combination of utility, heritage, and mechanical intrigue presented by analog timepieces, so we stick to analog options.  Best Watches Under $1,000 - Ask The Experts  (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) If you’re looking for even more options from people who know as much as anyone about the Use Your Tools lifestyle, Best Watches Under $1,000 - Ask The Experts is your guide to some great choices under $1,000, with all of the picks coming from members of the W.O.E. community. Our pool of experts is diverse, including former Navy SEALs, watch industry pros, W.O.E. himself, and a US Navy Diver. If you’re newer to watches, it makes a ton of sense to toe the waters with a less expensive watch, and today there are tons of great options under $1k to consider from brands like Marathon, Sangin, Seiko, Tornek-Rayville, and more.  Best Watches Under $5,000 (Photo Credit: Jason Heaton) Looking to the community once again, Best Watches Under $5,000 is packed with more expensive picks from Jason Heaton, former Navy SEAL Rob Huberty, former SAS operator Chris Craighead, fire captain Asha Wagner, and more. If you’re newer to watches, ponying up for a watch costing $5,000 might seem crazy, but every one of the watches recommended in this article is backed by someone deeply familiar with using watches for their intended purposes. The higher price point also brings in names like Tudor, a brand we’ve often called the modern tool watch leader, thanks to models like the Pelagos FXD.  Knowledge Is (Watch-Buying) Power  While it’s not always a core aspect of buying a new watch, the more you understand about watches in general, the better off you’re going to be when it’s time to make a purchase. Here are a couple of helpful guides to increase your baseline horological knowledge, especially as it relates to tool watches. The Dive Watch - Everything You Need To Know You will notice that many of the watches we cover are dive watches, and this is not an accident. We are fond of any watch built and used for a specific purpose, but the influence and utility of the dive watch is difficult to overstate, having been used by countless military members, SpecOps, Intelligence Officers, and regular civilians. In The Dive Watch - Everything You Need To Know, our dive expert Ben provides a primer on the basics of what constitutes a dive watch, how water resistance works, the best straps and bracelets for diving, and how watches have been used both historically and today by military and commercial divers. If your journey into watchmaking has you considering a watch meant for undersea use, this is a must-read.  Get The Most Out Of Your Watches This Summer Use Your Tools is our ethos year-round, but the warmer months are when most watches encounter the types of risks that could see them irreversibly damaged. In Get The Most Out Of Your Watches This Summer, we share our recommendations and best practices for keeping your watch in working order for the beach, swimming, hiking, irresponsible firework usage, outdoor sports, and—for a select few—diving. Because it doesn’t matter whether it’s a Rolex Sea-Dweller or a Casio Duro if the crown is unscrewed as you scream “watch this” and drunkenly cannonball into your local swimming hole. An Overview Of The Watches Of Espionage Strap Collection Along with a passion for watches, many nerds also develop an interest in straps, which are the easiest and least expensive way to change up the look and feel of your favorite watches. In An Overview Of The Watches Of Espionage Strap Collection, we provide our general thoughts on the most popular strap types while also discussing the W.O.E. strap collection in great detail. Whether you’re looking for the ideal hook-and-loop strap to pair with your tool dive watch or want a refined French-made suede strap for your vintage Rolex GMT-Master 1675, anyone who loves watches should know their straps.  Final Thoughts - Buy What You Want  Buying a watch is a deeply personal experience. We are dedicated to helping you make sense of the watch landscape, but all we can do is provide our advice, personal experiences, and the recommendations of others who know what it means to use a tool watch. At the end of the day, this is on you. If you’ve absorbed everything here and still want to pick up an Invicta on Amazon Prime Day, do your thing. Remember, we don’t make the rules, and our community is for anyone who understands how to Use Your Tools. 

Why SpecOps, Generals, & Dictators Wear Two Watches At The Same Time - Double-wristing—wearing two watches at the same time—has been adopted by generals, dictators, and special operators.

Your Friends & Neighbors - Lessons In Watch Security From A Suburban Heist Show - I rarely watch TV shows these days. Not because I’m off doing cool covert CIA operations in far-flung countries (anymore), but because I have little kids who generally control the remote.   

A New 007 Seamaster Chrono, A SEAL’s “Secret” Tudor, BW Breitling Emergency In Haiti, Rolex-Thieving Ladies Of The Night, & Some Dubious Watch-Related Iran-Pakistan Espionage - Welcome back to the W.O.E. SITREP, or Situation Report, our monthly digest of news and events related to watches, espionage, the military, and national security, all coupled with our commentary. 

Iranian Nuclear Airstrike: Exploring The Custom Breitling, Omega, & Bremont Unit Watches Of The B-2 Community - On 21 June, seven B-2 Spirit heavy strategic bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and set a course for Iran.

The Tudor, G-Shock, Seiko, & Omega Watches Actually Used By Naval Special Warfare - For decades, Navy SEALs lived in the shadows as quiet professionals, an often unheralded weapon in the US Military arsenal.

Four Watches, Four Stories - Something Old, Something New, Something Unworn, & Something Special - I’m not a watch collector.

Materials, History, Fit, & Which Strap Is Right For You - One of the most common ways to customize your watch is with a new strap that is more appropriate for austere conditions, either in material or design.

The US Coast Guard, Underwater Construction, & Tool Dive Watches - In maritime search and rescue, seconds count, a lesson reiterated many times during my service in the US Coast Guard.

A Look At The Watches That Served Our Soldiers  On Tuesday, 06 June 1944, nearly 160,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel and stormed the beaches of northwestern France, initiating a carefully coordinated plan that would ultimately lead to Allied victory in Europe. Long before the digital age, what tool helped orchestrate an invasion that shifted the outcome of the war? The humble wristwatch. In our new video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we discuss the watches used by service members on D-Day and throughout World War II, including the A-11, the US Army’s ORD DEPT watches, the iconic Dirty Dozen references, and more. Because in war, time matters.  Enjoy episode twenty-one of W.O.E. TV.  Happy Hunting,  -W.O.E.

A Rolex Unraveled A Bizarre Murder Mystery & Exposed A Conman - It's Never Just A Watch 

More Tariffs, Al Capone’s Patek, CIA Recruiting Ads, The Pope’s Apple Watch, Rolex Rippers Getting Busted, & More 

Maybe Smartwatches Aren't That Bad? While body surfing off Byron Bay, Australia, 49-year-old Rick Shearman was unexpectedly swept over a kilometer out to sea by a powerful rip current. Despite his apparent swimming prowess, the relentless waves and currents rendered his efforts to return futile. Treading water and becoming more fatigued with each passing moment, Shearman understood he was in a life-and-death situation.

The Navy SEAL, Medical Doctor, & Astronaut’s G-Shock, Omega, & Rolex Watches Last month, SEAL turned NASA astronaut Jonny Kim blasted off into space aboard a Russian-made Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft. Soon after, Kim floated through a hatch into the International Space Station. These crew changeouts are relatively straightforward, taking place two to three times a year. But Jonny Kim is not a normal astronaut, and the watch on his wrist for his first space flight wasn’t just any old Casio; it was a steel Rolex Daytona, only one of the serious timepieces worn by the former Navy SEAL, Harvard-trained medical doctor, and astronaut. Kim wearing a steel Rolex Daytona onboard the International Space Station. (Photo Credit: NASA) In this Dispatch, we’ll discuss Jonny Kim’s impressive background as well as his watch collection, because even for a real-life Captain America, a watch is never just a watch. From G-Shock to Omega to Rolex and even an obscure Russian-made watch, Kim’s watch history parallels his incredible resume, with each new watch representing a different chapter in the astronaut’s history. What is even more impressive is that, despite his success, Kim’s upbringing was anything but easy. Hard Times Make For Hard Men Jonny Kim was born in Los Angeles in 1984 to South Korean immigrant parents who opened a liquor store in South Central. Kim’s father worked six days a week while his mother served as a part-time substitute teacher. In an interview with Jocko Willink, with whom Kim served in the SEAL Teams, the astronaut describes his father as an abusive alcoholic. Saying Jonny had a difficult upbringing is an understatement. Things came to a head when his father was killed by police after threatening his family with a gun. Jonny, who was 16 years old at the time, set his sights on the US Navy and becoming a SEAL, kicking off an incredible career trajectory that is mirrored by his evolution of watches. The SEAL Teams & G-Shock Jonny Kim wearing a G-Shock DW6600-1V while serving with SEAL Team 3 in Iraq. Arguably, the most iconic modern-day SEAL watch isn’t a fancy Rolex or Tudor Submariner, but the humble Casio G-Shock. When Kim graduated with BUD/S Class 247 in 2004, he would have been issued a DW6600-1V, one of the most commonly issued Naval Special Warfare (NSW) watches at the time, and one of only four G-Shock references to have received an NSN or Nato Stock Number. Two decades prior, NSW had transitioned from Seiko dive watches to the newly introduced G-Shock that offered a host of digital timekeeping functions in addition to being more durable and affordable than the analog divers of the time.   Quickly qualifying as a special operations medic and sniper, Kim conducted over 100 combat missions over two deployments to the Middle East. In addition to the Bronze Star with V device and numerous other awards, Kim received the Silver Star, the United States’ third-highest decoration for valor, for repeatedly exposing himself to enemy gunfire while rescuing injured members of an Iraqi partner force. As a young SEAL, Kim used the G-Shock DW6600, a watch made famous by the 2014 film American Sniper. In the film, SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, with whom Kim served in Iraq, is portrayed by Bradley Cooper, and the humble but effective G-Shock makes several prominent onscreen appearances. Like most SEALs, Kim likely viewed the watch as nothing more than a tool, no different from his weapon or NVGs, but the future astronaut’s use of a G-Shock as a tool of warfare appears to have launched a lifelong appreciation for the utility of watches that would follow him throughout his incredible career. Becoming A Medical Doctor & Applying To NASA Being a decorated SEAL wasn’t enough, so Kim became an MD after studying at Harvard. Stepping away from his time in the Teams, Kim was accepted into the Seaman to Admiral program in 2009, completing his undergraduate studies at the University of San Diego in only three years before returning to the Navy as a commissioned officer. Inspired by his time working as a combat medic, Kim then entered Harvard Medical School, where he qualified as a medical doctor. Inspired by Scott Parazynski, another M-D who later became an astronaut (and wore an Omega X-33 in space), Jonny Kim applied to NASA and was selected from a pool of over 18,000 applicants in 2017, electing to delay his emergency medicine residency to become an astronaut. Kim training at NASA while wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II. (Photo Credit: NASA) He kept busy, adding Naval Aviator and Flight Surgeon to his already-stacked resume while working on his qualifications as an astronaut. Kim came into the limelight when he was announced as a member of the Expedition 72/73 crew to the International Space Station. It is during this period that Kim seems to have become more invested in watches, wearing several Rolex models as well as the Omega unit watch produced for the SEAL Teams. An Omega Seamaster Unit Watch For Navy SEALs Kim wearing the SEAL Seamaster on the ISS. (Photo Credit: NASA) As we have discussed in a previous Dispatch (HERE), in 2024, Omega produced a unique version of its Seamaster Unit Watch for current and former SEALs, complete with the Trident on the caseback. Of course, Kim couldn’t resist, and he wore the watch throughout much of the pre-space travel training pipeline, opting for the metal bracelet. The SEAL Trident on the Omega Seamaster caseback. (Photo Credit: Wolf Forty Designs) Kim’s SEAL Seamaster is also among the first we’ve seen in the wild, meaning the former sniper must have had his finger on the trigger when the announcement went out within the community, the kind of forethought that shows he’s a real watch guy. True to the Use Your Tools ethos, Jonny’s Seamaster isn’t relegated to formal occasions or his Navy dress uniform, instead seeing action during NASA’s nonstop training operations in the leadup to Kim’s first space flight in 2025. Update: After spending his first couple of weeks onboard the ISS wearing Rolex models, Kim also debuted the SEAL Seamaster in space on 20 May 2025, likely marking the first time one of these unit Seamasters has left the Earth’s atmosphere. The SEAL Seamaster is non-date and has a matte-finished case and bracelet. Rolex & The International Space Station At some point during the lead-up to Jonny’s first space flight in early April, we noticed a shift from the aforementioned Omega SEAL Seamaster to Rolex, with several different Rolex models eventually making their way onto Kim’s wrist. In the arena of space flight, Omega rightfully receives much of the attention and marketing benefit, but Rolex is another brand that has been historically favored by astronauts going back to the Apollo days. Whether Kim’s jump to Rolex was motivated by the Crown’s space travel history or not, his first Rolex was a good one, with the SEAL-turned astronaut first opting for a Pepsi GMT. Rolex GMT-Master II 126710 Kim wearing a GMT-Master II on an Oyster bracelet. (Photo Credit: NASA) The first Rolex on Kim’s wrist was a GMT-Master II “Pepsi” on an Oyster bracelet. As a model family, the GMT-Master, which dates back to 1959, is the Rolex most closely associated with astronauts, with at least one example having been worn on the Moon by Edgar Mitchell during Apollo 14 in 1971. The GMT’s complication also makes a lot of sense for an astronaut working in space. The ISS subscribes to UTC/GMT for its timing needs, but it’s reasonable to assume an American astronaut like Jonny might like to know his family’s home timezone or the time of day at NASA’s Houston headquarters. The GMT-Master II is capable of tracking three time zones and would, for someone interested in using a mechanical watch in space, serve as a useful tool. Kim’s Rolex GMT-Master II is likely the 126710. The W.O.E. community was quick to catch on when NASA photos showed Kim wearing the GMT during training, and we wondered whether the SEAL-turned astronaut might be bringing the Rolex Pepsi with him to outer space. Rolex Daytona 126500 Kim wearing his Daytona in the final days before he blasted off for the ISS. (Photo Credit: NASA) Despite initially appearing dedicated to his GMT-Master II, in the final days leading up to Kim’s space flight in early April, he was photographed wearing yet another Rolex, this time the legendary and much sought-after Daytona chronograph. It’s not as prolific a watch in space travel history, previously worn in space on two documented occasions, but the appearance of a second Rolex in Kim’s arsenal was a surprise and a powerful indicator of the astronaut’s inclusion in the watch community. Jonny Kim’s Rolex Daytona could be the reference 126500 that comes in at $16,000 retail. Like the GMT, the Daytona provides a utilitarian argument because of its mechanical analog chronograph, theoretically offering a backup stopwatch that could prove useful for certain critical functions in space travel. Again referencing the Omega Speedmaster, which was used to famously time a critical 14-second engine burn during Apollo 13’s daring return to Earth, a capable chronograph can still be a useful tool even when it is housed within a $16k watch. When Kim arrived on the International Space Station on 08 April 2025, it was the Daytona on his left wrist, leaving us to wonder whether the GMT-Master II was tucked away in a W.O.E. Travel Pouch somewhere else onboard. Rolex Submariner 126610 Kim wearing a remarkable second Rolex in space, this time the Submariner Date. (Photo Credit: NASA) Days after arriving at the ISS, Kim did indeed debut another Rolex model beyond his Daytona, but rather than the expected GMT-Master II, it was a remarkable third Rolex, a Submariner Date. Astronauts working on the ISS are allotted a tiny amount of personal items, allegedly as little as 3.3 lbs. Using a significant portion of that allotment to carry not one but two Rolex models into space is further evidence that Kim isn’t just a guy wearing a Rolex to show off on the golf course but rather a dedicated student of the Use Your Tools ethos. Kim’s Submariner is likely a reference 126610. Perhaps even more than his GMT or Daytona, the Submariner makes a lot of sense for Jonny Kim, as the Submariner occupies a position of cultural importance for current and former SEALs, with many frogmen over the years saving up for a Rolex Submariner to commemorate a reenlistment, significant deployment, or promotion. Shturm (Штурм) 75967452 Kim and his Russian crewmates wearing an obscure Shturm unit watch. As Kim began final preparations for his launch to the International Space Station in Kazakhstan, he wore another, more obscure watch on the outside of his spacesuit. We suspected it was Russian-made, given that Kim was riding to the ISS on a Soyuz spacecraft and wearing a cosmonaut's suit, but we couldn’t initially identify the watch as being from any of the more prominent Russian watchmakers. The watch itself was also intriguing, with a vaguely Submariner-style case with a ceramic bezel and what appeared to be the Soyuz MS-27 mission insignia at twelve o’clock. A special version of the Shturm (Штурм) 75967452 was worn by Kim on his way to the ISS. After posting the watch, an eagle-eyed member of the community on the W.O.E. LinkedIn page correctly identified it as a Shturm, apparently a unit-specific version of reference number 75967452. According to a hasty Google translation of the product page, the watch is 43mm, housed within a titanium case, and powered by a mechanical Seiko caliber. We’re guessing wearing this particular watch wasn’t up to Kim, but it’s still interesting to see Roscosmos investing in a custom watch and even supplying it to American astronauts. Jonny Kim For President Is Jonny wearing a Rolex Datejust in this image, a staggering fourth Rolex? Given that Kim has already worn two of his Rolex models and his Omega Seamaster in space, will we see the GMT-Master II appear on the ISS on Kim’s wrist at some point, marking a likely unprecedented four mechanical watches taken into space by a single astronaut in a single space flight? In addition, we’ve seen Kim wearing what appears to be a Rolex Datejust with his NASA flight suit, meaning the astronaut could be the owner of four Rolex models. Viewed by any measure, Jonny Kim is an impressive human being, having served with distinction in the SEAL Teams before attending medical school and ultimately becoming a NASA astronaut. At W.O.E., we believe that watches are tools and talismans, useful objects capable of serving as a home for shared experiences that can and should accompany you through all of life’s adventures, a point of view Jonny Kim, the former SEAL, medical doctor, and astronaut, can clearly get behind. While we don’t know anything about Kim’s politics, we are already casting our vote for Jonny as the President of the United States in 2028. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: A Navy SEAL Turned Mercenary & A Rolex Submariner

Water Resistance, Spring Bars, & Straps For The Use Your Tools Lifestyle By Benjamin Lowry Last week, W.O.E. wrote about the importance of integrating watches into our daily lives. Watches are a talisman of a life well-lived, and this can only be true if you wear them, not keep them in a safe. Summer is an opportunity to build lasting memories, and whether spear fishing off the coast of Kailua-Kona or (more realistically) splashing in the kiddie pool with your three-year-old, there are certain considerations and precautions you should take with your watches. Risk mitigation is about preparation, not risk elimination. Use Your Tools - Summertime Edition Use Your Tools is our ethos year-round, but the warmer months are when most watches encounter the types of risks that could see them irreversibly damaged. The beach, swimming, hiking, irresponsible firework usage, outdoor sports, and—for a select few—diving all pose existential threats to the welfare of our beloved watches. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of recommendations and best practices for how to keep your watches dry, safe, and in action this summer. Because it doesn’t matter whether it’s a Rolex Sea-Dweller or a Casio Duro if the crown is unscrewed as you scream “watch this” and drunkenly cannonball into your local swimming hole. If you came here for brightly-colored dials, you’re in the wrong place. This is about Use Your Tools. If you came here looking for a hastily-constructed list of watches with orange, pink, or turquoise dials that complement your vintage Hawaiian shirt collection, this isn’t that. For buying advice, check out: What Should I Buy For My First Watch? and Best Military Watches. If you’re looking to Use Your Tools all summer long without an expensive trip to your preferred watchmaker, you’re in the right place. Water Resistance - Myth vs. Reality Whether you’re a “real” diver or not, understanding water resistance is important. (Photo Credit: Geoff Gerrits) One of the most misunderstood aspects of watches is “water resistance”, which is typically spelled out on the dial or caseback as an amount of meters (or atmospheres) of water pressure your watch can theoretically withstand. You’ll commonly see 30m, 50m, 100m, 200m, or sometimes even higher ratings for “professional” dive watches. But does this mean you’re all good to take a 30-meter-rated watch almost 100 feet underwater? Not exactly. A modern dive watch with 200 meters of water resistance, like W.O.E.’s black Tudor Pelagos FXD, should have no issues with even the most aquatic summertime activities. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) According to the International Standards Organization (ISO), a 30-meter-rated watch is “suitable for everyday use” and “splash/rain resistant,” but “not suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, snorkeling, water-related work, fishing, and diving.” Ouch. Though you’d probably be fine with a 100-meter rating, it is not until the 200-meter mark that ISO says you’re more universally good to go diving. There is also a separate standard, ISO 6425, that defines the minimum standards for a professional diving watch. If your watch conforms to ISO 6425, you’re more than likely good to go. Learn a lot more about what constitutes a dive watch HERE Not every watch is a dive watch. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) This is also all assuming your watch is in good working order and has been pressure tested recently by a competent watchmaker who understands you intend to take the watch underwater. When it comes to water resistance, to quote De Niro in Ronin, “Whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt.” Bringing a flooded watch back to life is an expensive and time-consuming ordeal, and it’s better to err on the side of caution. Crown Check Even the most water resistant watch still needs its crown screwed down to do the job. Always check. (Photo Credit: Benjamin Lowry) Ask any watchmaker or brand customer service representative, and they’ll tell you that, beyond misunderstanding water resistance, the most common reason watches flood is human error. The modern screw-down watch crown was designed to keep water out, but it can’t perform its purpose if its not screwed in. Virtually all modern dive watches have screw-down crowns, but that doesn’t do you any good if you don’t bother to check before entering an aquatic environment. If your screw-down crown looks like this, you are not ready to enter the water. This straightforward operation, coined by friend of W.O.E. James Stacey as the “crown check”, is exactly as it sounds, giving a screw down crown that little bit of a clockwise twist just to be sure. If you’re taking a 100-meter-rated watch with a non-screw-down crown into the water, the risk is inherently greater, and you’re definitely still going to want to check that the crown is in its innermost pushed-in position. Straps & Spring Bars A pull-through nylon strap is one of the best options for aquatic use. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) Another important consideration for being active in or around the water is the strap or bracelet, as even the very best watches aren’t very good if they fall off at an inopportune moment. To start, the idea that any tool 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. When I was working as a diver, I wore a pull-through nylon strap most of the time. For more on the W.O.E. strap collection, click HERE. After pull-through straps, I would argue a bracelet with solid end links is the next most secure method of attachment. However, bracelets are not necessarily the best move in the summer, when sweaty, swollen wrists might make a bracelet less comfortable than a more flexible rubber or nylon option. If you have a slick micro-adjustment system like Rolex’s Glidelock or Tudor’s T-Fit, a bracelet is likely to work well all summer long with some adjustment while also being impervious to water. A CWC SBS Diver (with fixed lug bars) paired with a Glomar Explorer strap, a secure summer combination. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) But just as any watch is only as good as its ability to stay on your wrist, any strap or bracelet is only as good as the spring bars that secure it to the watch case. 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 unfortunate “oh shit” moment no matter what type of strap is being used. Three Watches For A Use Your Tools Lifestyle As promised, we’re not here to argue that your entire watch collection needs to shift to brightly-colored dials on 01 May, but certain watches do lend themselves to use during the warmer months for one reason or another. Dive watches are the easy answer, but we will include another option that also gets the job done while being easier to wear in more refined settings. We’ll also keep this brief list on the more attainable side, as the primary watch of your summertime Use Your Tools adventures might take a beating. Citizen “Fugu” Promaster Dive Automatic - $595 Sometimes overshadowed by Seiko, the Toyota of watches, Citizen is another Japanese brand that has been reliably producing inexpensive yet great tool watches for decades. For summer use up to and including professional diving, the “Fugu” Promaster Dive Automatic is Citizen’s entry-level mechanical dive watch conforming to the ISO 6425 standard. If you’re still interested in getting a silly color, the Fugu collection includes dozens of variants while offering a hacking and hand-winding Miyota caliber, 200 meters of water resistance, and a surprisingly solid bracelet with solid end links to alleviate any spring bar failure fears. Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto 38mm - $995 Hamilton is a formerly American brand that has been supplying the US Military since the First World War with watches that have inspired virtually all modern field watches. For summer use, we’d recommend the Khaki Field Titanium Auto, a newer introduction to Hamilton’s collection that feels more versatile than the OG Khaki Field Mechanical with 100 meters of water resistance, a Swiss automatic caliber with 80 hours of power reserve, and a lightweight titanium case. Available in either 38mm or 42mm, all the titanium Khaki Field Auto needs to be the field watch of summer is a Five Eyes Nylon Strap. CWC Ti300 Quartz Divers - $1,350 CWC is another brand with deep military roots, having been founded for no reason other than supplying the British Ministry of Defense (MOD). In 1980, CWC introduced its Royal Navy Diver, a dive watch designed to replace the legendary Rolex Military Submariner or Mil-Sub. Since then, there have been several iterations of the design, including the PVD-coated SBS introduced in 1987 and the more recently released titanium Ti300, which takes the core RN Diver design and adds a grade five titanium case with integrated lugs similar to the Tudor Pelagos FXD. With 300 meters of water resistance and fixed lugs that mean the watch isn’t going anywhere, CWC’s new titanium diver is another great option for summer use. Final Thoughts No matter which watch you choose for the warmer months, keeping a careful eye on the water resistance, strap options, spring bars, and completing the obligatory crown check will help keep your watch in place and running its best. With that being said, this is your reminder to spend the summer with a watch on your wrist, whether you’re hiking, swimming, scuba diving, or deploying overseas. Use Your Tools is our ethos year-round, but summertime allows even more opportunities to get out there and create some memories with your watches. For a lot of us, winter is always waiting around the corner, making summer days a precious resource. Don’t waste them. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Best Watches Under $1,000 - Ask the Experts

Watches Are Talismans Of A Life Well-Lived, This Is What We Mean By “Use Your Tools” -When a timepiece comes off the production line in Switzerland, Japan, or even China, its inherent value is the sum of its parts combined with the intangibles of brand equity.

For criminals, moving large amounts of illicit cash through transnational networks presents a serious problem. Cash is bulky, heavy, and difficult to explain away if you’re caught holding the literal bag. Bolstered by rising secondary market prices for luxury timepieces from brands like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe, bad actors have increasingly looked to watches as a form of liquid currency that can be moved around the world more easily. In our new episode on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we discuss how criminal organizations, terrorists, and spies use luxury watches to launder money and move illicit funds. Enjoy episode nineteen of W.O.E. TV. Happy Hunting, -W.O.E.

Diving For The Remains Of WWII Service Members In The Western Pacific with Project Recover

Bremont Ambassador trains Chinese Pilots?, Rolex-Wearing National Security Advisor Ousted, A Legendary CIA Director's Pocket Watch Up For Auction, Rolex & US Watchmakers Respond To Tariffs, & Trump Watches Are Finally In The Wild By Benjamin Lowry For most of the industry, the talk of the past few weeks centered around the novelties unveiled at Watches and Wonders and one watch in particular, the Rolex Land-Dweller. At W.O.E., we generally don’t care about new releases (until we do), and while we admit the Land-Dweller represents significant horological innovation, it’s not our thing. Inspired by a couple of new releases, we addressed our feelings for modern Tudor in a separate article (read HERE), and our intention for this month’s SITREP are to chart a course as far from the already-stale release cycle as possible. You’re welcome. If you’re new here, the SITREP (Situation Report) is our monthly recap of all things watches, espionage, military, and National Security. To put it mildly, these past few weeks have been eventful, including some Bremont brand ambassador controversy, plenty of tariff talk, the ousting of National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, a Cold War DCIA’s complicated Breguet up for auction, the first public appearances of a Trump watch, and a confession from a naughty, Breitling-wearing CIA Case Officer. To quote Samuel L. (MFing) Jackson in Jurassic Park, “Hold onto your butts.” It’s going to be a spicy SITREP. A Legendary Cold War DCIA’s Complicated Breguet Hammers For €208,000 (Photo Credit: Monaco Legend Auctions) Allen Dulles was a former member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) who later served as the first civilian DCIA and oversaw the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état, the Project MKUltra mind control program, the U-2 spy plane program, and the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. Like many from the early days of CIA, Dulles was also apparently a watch nerd who ordered an extremely complicated Breguet pocketwatch in 1962. (Photo Credit: Monaco Legend Auctions) Designed and produced as an exhibition piece, the watch “...features a one-minute tourbillon, split-seconds chronograph, and minute repeater, with the gilded movement made in collaboration with the Victorin Piguet workshop in Geneva, as confirmed by Breguet’s President of the Archive.” The watch hammered for €208,000 (or about $237,300) last week and represents a rare and intriguing intersection between the world of high horology and espionage, perhaps only rivaled by the Patek Philippe presented to the Dalai Lama by two OSS officers during WWII. Either way, this is further proof that the phenomenon of watches of espionage is nothing new. If you were the lucky bidder to take home this historic piece, hit us up. We would love to talk to you! Rolex-Wearing Former Special Forces National Security Advisor Mike Waltz To Leave White House Mike Watlz (left) wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II alongside Sebastian Gorka, the Deputy Assistant to the President, Senior Director for Counterterrorism. It’s been a tough couple of months for Mike Waltz, Trump’s National Security Advisor, who inadvertently added The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg to a signal chat exposing the White House’s Houthi war plans in an incident that would become known as “Signalgate”. In addition to his political activities, Waltz is also a decorated US Army Special Forces officer who has earned a whopping four bronze stars (two for valor) during his military service. Unfortunately, Signalgate was a pretty big deal, and no amount of high-speed SpecOps training can save Waltz this time, with several sources recently revealing White House plans for Waltz’s impending exit from the influential National Security Advisor role.  Waltz’s Rolex even made it into one of Signalgate’s more celebrated images. Waltz is also a dedicated Rolex man who has been photographed wearing more than one GMT-Master II, which is always great to see. While many Rolex sports models have associations with the military and special operations, the GMT-Master is aligned with Army Special Forces, in particular, having been worn by legends, including Billy Waugh. Bremont Ambassador Controversy A Bremont marketing image used to advertise an event featuring former RAF pilot Sam Cowan. (Photo Credit: Bremont) A few weeks back, Bremont released a video with former Royal Air Force pilot Sam Cowan recounting his experience ejecting from a fighter jet over the North Sea, ultimately earning the coveted MBI watch that is only available to Martin Baker ejectees. A brand close to our community, the video and subsequent announcement for a 24 April event at Bremont’s Mayfair boutique advertising a “conversation” with Cowan (and “television’s Ben Shephard”) are right in line with what Bremont is all about. But all was not as it seemed. The Bremont MB1 is only available to pilots like Cowan who have ejected using a Martin Baker ejection seat. (Photo Credit: Bremont) Our DMs lit up with messages and links to allegations calling into question Cowan’s suitability for such an honor, particularly from pilots with an affinity for Bremont. According to at least one report/blog, Cowan is allegedly one of several Western military pilots to have trained fighter pilots from the PLAAF, the Chinese Air Force, in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat techniques that could, without a lot of imagination, conceivably be used against Western powers including the US and Cowan’s own Great Britain. We would like to think Bremont was unaware of Cowan’s employment history, but either way, the lack of due diligence or concern for endorsing an individual associated with what many have labeled “treasonous” actions amounts to a bad look for a brand owing much of its prominence to its associations with the military. A Medium article from December 2024 identified Cowan and other pilots engaged in training PLAAF pilots. (Photo Credit: Medium) Bremont has since pulled the video and removed related Instagram and Facebook posts, but this apparent lapse in judgement is yet another challenging moment for a brand that is already in rough shape following a significant 2023 investment by American billionaire Bill Ackman, the ensuing exit of the founders, Nick and Giles English, and new watch designs that are, to say the very least, not landing with fans. All of that said, we’re Bremont fans, and no one would be more excited to see the brand return to its former glory. Important note, we have not independently verified the reporting on Cowan’s involvement in training Chinese pilots, but you can read the original research HERE. Rolex Responds To Tariffs With Price Hikes WOE’s recently acquired “Bruce Wayne” GMT-Master II was almost even more expensive. Sources tell us that the hottest topic of conversation at Watches and Wonders in Geneva wasn’t the new releases, but rather the rapidly evolving US tariff situation and the staggering 31% figure imposed on Swiss exports, including watches, in April’s opening days. Since then, a less aggressive but still significant 10% number has been put in place, but the Swiss are still responding, with Rolex recently promising a 3% price increase in the United States as of 01 May, paired with a 1% reduction in margin for authorized dealers, according to WatchPro. If the world’s most valuable and influential watch brand is immediately instituting a price hike in response to US tariffs, it’s reasonable to expect other prominent Swiss watchmakers to follow in the Crown’s footsteps. Being a watch nerd is about to get (even) more expensive. This also points to a potential part-time solution, where the tariffs' cost will be passed on in part to the consumer, but also absorbed by the brand and retail points of sale. One Of The Few American Watchmakers Discusses The Impact Of Tariffs Where Swiss viewpoints surrounding the tariff situation have been everywhere, we found it interesting to hear from an American watchmaker, Weiss Watch Company, based in Nashville, TN. In the video on the The Watchmaker's Workshop YouTube Channel, Weiss founder Cameron Weiss argues that in the United States, watchmakers are forced to rely on imported Swiss movements and other essential components to do business. The dramatic change in pricing necessitated by the tariffs means that producing watches in the United States, which is already a challenge, will only become more difficult, which will then make the task of starting American watch brands more daunting. The tariff situation presents serious hurdles for US-based watch brands. For more on American watch brands doing varying degrees of watchmaking, from assembly and QC to constructing complete calibers, right here in the United States, click HERE. “It’s Trump Time” - Trump Watches In The Wild President Trump wearing his Fight Fight Fight model in a recent Instagram post on the brand’s Instagram page. After months of seeing nothing more than renderings on the website, the Trump watches, which were first covered in our September SITREP, have been photographed in the wild. Most prominently, the Fight Fight Fight model, a loose Submariner homage, was featured in a video on the Trump Watch Instagram page on the wrist of the President, who said, referring to the “red beauty”, “Wear it proudly on your wrist and everyone will know what it’s for, who it’s for, who it represents. It’s really going to be something special”, before declaring, “It’s Trump time”.   Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dan Scavino wearing what appears to be the Victory Ultimate Jewel in a recent post on his Instagram profile. From what we can tell, Trump watches, which start around $500, have been slow to reach consumers, but Dan Scavino, Trump’s Deputy White House Chief of Staff, appears to have skipped the line, having recently been photographed wearing a gold-tone Victory Ultimate Jewel with a gem-set bezel. At $1,200, you get genuine gold (plating), “semi-precious” gems in the bezel, real diamond indices, and a Seiko NH35 caliber. Unfortunately, this particular reference appears to be sold out. Even if it were in stock, you are limited to purchasing only three at a time. Bummer. Breitling Wearing Former Senior CIA Officer Pleads Guilty To Acting As A Foreign Agent Dale Bendler (right) wearing a Breitling Superocean Heritage, pictured alongside Felix Rodriguez. Dale Bendler, a former Case Officer who spent 30 years working at CIA, recently pleaded guilty to acting as a foreign agent and mishandling classified materials, according to Department of Justice documents. Bendler, who was working as a contractor with the Agency, “...worked with a U.S. lobbying firm and engaged in unauthorized and hidden lobbying and public relations activities on behalf of foreign national clients.” In addition, Bendler abused his access to CIA personnel and resources, including numerous classified systems, while also lying to CIA and FBI about his activities acting as a foreign agent. A Breitling Superocean Heritage similar to the one worn by Bendler. As a part of his plea deal, Bendler faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison as well as the forfeiture of $85,000, far less than the “hundreds of thousands” he is accused of receiving in his role as a foreign agent. It’s unclear whether the watch is related to Bendler’s nefarious acts, but the former Case Officer was photographed wearing a Breitling Superocean Heritage alongside CIA paramilitary officer Felix Rodriguez, who allegedly “liberated” Che Guevara’s Rolex after his death. Remember, we don’t make the rules. W.O.E. In The Press Now and then, our exploration of watches, the military, and intelligence intersects with popular media, and W.O.E. recently provided comments for an article on GQ’s website discussing the role played by G-Shock watches in Warfare, a recently-released film from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland showcasing the heroic actions undertaken by a Navy SEAL platoon during the Iraq War. We’ve commented on W.O.E. in Hollywood before, but suffice it to say that having an on-the-head watch selection in a film, like the G-Shock models worn in Warfare, adds depth and realism to characters portraying members of our community. For more on G-Shock’s relationship with the US Military, click HERE. Final Thoughts It’s hard to believe, but this is already our ninth edition of the SITREP series, a brief overview of watch and espionage events we believe you’ll find informative and interesting. If you enjoy these articles or have ideas for events for us to include in future SITREP editions, please do not hesitate to let us know in the comments. Speaking to April specifically, there was a lot to unpack, including some big Bremont ambassador drama, Trump watches in the wild (finally), an incredible vintage Breguet owned by Allen Dulles, a treasonous former Case Officer, and so much more. Check back next month for more. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Watch Industry SITREP - March 2025

Archer’s Spy-Watch, John Travolta’s Sketchy Aerospace, A G-Shock in Speed, & The Kingsman Bremont Despite the massive delta between the on-screen antics of fictional spies and real-life intelligence officers, the link between watches, espionage, and film is strong and only getting stronger. It is often difficult to differentiate between fiction influencing reality and vice versa, but watches often play a significant role in the intersection of spycraft and Hollywood. From James Bond to Bodhi in Point Break to Jack Ryan to Sacha Baron Cohen’s Oscar-worthy portrayal of General Aladeen in The Dictator, the watches worn in popular films inspire members of the W.O.E. community as much as they do the broader public. We’ve explored watches in films before (read part one HERE and part two HERE), and  this is a topic that never gets old. In this Dispatch, we’ll share seven more examples of Hollywood Watches of Espionage, discussing the legitimacy or lack thereof in each watch selection. In watches and espionage, details matter. Archer - Omicron Spymaster We can’t vouch for all of the tradecraft displayed on Archer, the cartoon series showcasing fictional secret agent Sterling Malory Archer’s adventures working for the also fictional International Secret Intelligence Service, but he does wear an interesting watch. No doubt inspired by the Omega Seamaster used by James Bond since 1995’s GoldenEye, in Archer, the hard-drinking, womanizing secret agent trusts his life to the Omicron Spymaster, a gift from his mother, which offers not only basic timekeeping functions but also knockout gas, a garrote, and the occasional laser. Archer’s watch is also sometimes shown with a bracelet. Maybe Archer is a watch guy with a few strap options? Archer’s character is a comedic interpretation of how ridiculous “spies” in film and television have become over the years, so it’s only appropriate for the show to playfully poke at the role of wristwatches as “spy gadgets”. Given that Archer’s watch has also enjoyed several onscreen closeups, we can’t help but wonder if someone involved in the show is also a little bit of a watch nerd. If any capable microbrands are listening, we’d also love to see the Omicron Spymaster become a real thing. You’d be surprised how many real-life intelligence professionals enjoy an episode or two of Archer after a long day, and I think there could be a market. I know I’ll buy one. Broken Arrow - Breitling Aerospace In another example of a self-fulfilling prophecy, John Travolta wears a Breitling Aerospace in 1996’s Broken Arrow, a particularly important watch for the W.O.E. community. It’s also the model that set me on the watch-collecting path when King Abdullah of Jordan gifted me an Aerospace with a gold Royal Crown of Jordan on the dial. Getting back to the film, which was directed by 90s action movie legend John Woo, Travolta’s character is a double-crossing Air Force pilot and closeted terrorist who attempts to steal a pair of nuclear warheads he is carrying from Christian Slater’s character, the film’s hero. In at least one full-screen shot where the watch’s digital timer counts down to an explosion, we see Travolta’s two-tone titanium and gold Aerospace worn on a leather strap. The Breitling Aerospace in Broken Arrow counts down to a big explosion. Travolta is a known Breitling fan and official ambassador, but even so, the Aerospace is a perfect choice for his character in Broken Arrow, with the Aerospace having been among the top watches favored by military pilots of the era as well as today for its suite of digital timekeeping functions paired with a legible analog display. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Breitling made several custom unit watches for US pilot squadrons and was a leader in this space. Once again, we don’t make the rules. Kingsman - Bremont ALT-1B In 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, virtually every character in the film wears a Bremont watch, with the brand also producing a limited edition trio of special edition versions of the ALT-1B chronograph. Despite looking like the world’s most obvious paid product placement, the brand’s cameos in the film allegedly came at the request of director Matthew Vaughn, who said: “Kingsmen are first and foremost British, which made Bremont watches the perfect fit. Apart from making fantastic mechanical watches, Bremont has links to the military and their special forces around the world, making them the perfect timepieces for the modern spy.” While we are generally not inspired by paid product placement, this really does make sense. It’s difficult to argue with Bremont’s rapid rise in the W.O.E. community, especially in Britain. Bremont’s Military and Special Projects Division has produced over 500 customized unit watches for various military and government organizations, including several UK Intelligence Services (Maybe all of them?). In 2025, Bremont is admittedly in a tough spot after its 2023 investment from American billionaire Bill Ackman and the ensuing exit of the founders, Nick and Giles English. In the second installment of the Kingsman series, 2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the horological focus shifted (or was sold) to TAG Heuer. A Working Man - Sangin Kinetic II In the vast majority of cases, when a watch is featured in a major film, it is because a large, well-known watch brand paid for the honor, making it truly rare for a watch from a “microbrand” to get its fifteen minutes of fame. However, that’s exactly what happens in 2025’s A Working Man, in which Jason Statham’s character wears a Kinetic II from Sangin Instruments, a brand founded by a Marine Raider. In the film, Statham’s character is a former British Royal Marine, so going with a Sangin makes a ton of sense, but it’s still surprising to see. The answer here is likely that the film’s director, David Ayer, is a watch nerd, but Sangin is still a deep cut despite having legions of fans among the military and law enforcement. That said, for a brand founded by a GWOT SpecOps veteran to get its moment in a major Hollywood motion picture without hundreds of thousands of dollars changing hands for product placement’s sake is a beautiful thing. Check out our profile of Sangin Instruments HERE. Body of Lies - Breitling Emergency Body of Lies is a 2008 CIA thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe in which Crowe’s character, Ed Hoffman, wears a Breitling Emergency. More than just an analog-digital watch, the Emergency contained an emergency position indicating radio beacon or EPIRB that can be deployed in case of an emergency, broadcasting a radio signal that can be picked up by aircraft to effect a rescue. For Crowe’s character, Chief of CIA's Near East Division, and DiCaprio’s character’s boss, the Emergency is a perfect fit for someone who would have undoubtedly had a great deal of field experience. We’ve spoken at length about the Emergency when discussing the custom unit version produced by Breitling for Blackwater, the notorious private military contractor. While the characters in Body of Lies are on the Agency side as opposed to the private sector, suffice it to say that for practitioners within SpecOps and Intelligence of the era, the Emergency was a trusted option with a potentially life-saving party trick. Of note, the film is based on an incredible book by the same name, written by Washington insider David Ignatius. Speed - G-Shock DW-5600C-1V Another 1990s classic is the cinematic masterpiece that is Speed. While I might be dating myself here, this was the first R-rated movie I saw in the theater. Long before Keanu Reeves became the Hollywood good guy who bought Rolex Submariners for his entire John Wick stunt team, the actor had one of his biggest early roles in 1994’s Speed, the unlikely tale of a city bus rigged to explode if it drops under 50 MPH. Throughout the film, Reeves, who portrayed an LAPD SWAT officer, wears a G-Shock DW-5600C-1V, a nail-on-the-head pick for a police officer during the era. There’s nothing like a full-screen wrist shot. As we discussed in our history of the Casio G-Shock, unveiled in 1983, G-Shock presented an incredibly durable and inexpensive digital option that quickly found favor among law enforcement and the military, in many ways signaling the beginning of the end for analog watches in military circulation. The descendant of the watch worn by Reeves in Speed, the DW5600-1V, is one of four G-Shocks to have earned an NSN or NATO Stock Number, making the watches readily available for purchase by and issue to military units. Now and then, Hollywood nails it, and Reeves’s G-Shock in Speed is a great example of getting a character’s watch exactly right. – As always, if you have other Hollywood Watches of Espionage you’d like us to mention in a future edition of this series, be sure to share them with us in the comments. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Hollywood Watches of Espionage, Part II

Look back at pictures of conflicts from the past six decades, and you are bound to see one thing: Seiko watches on the wrists of military personnel, often on both sides. For the same reasons that the Toyota Hilux and Land Cruisers are commonly spotted in war zones—relatively low cost and legendary reliability—Seiko watches have adorned the wrists of hard men in hard places for decades. But it wasn’t always this way. In our new episode on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we discuss Seiko’s rise among the military and special operations while also identifying key models with close ties to our community. Enjoy episode eighteen of W.O.E. TV. Happy Hunting, -W.O.E.

I love Rolex, but after buying my first new Rolex GMT from an AD, I am not sure modern Rolex is the brand for me. The Crown’s customer experience may be an existential threat. I’m a simple man. Give me an old steel Rolex—Submariner or GMT—with drilled lug holes and an aluminum bezel, and I am happy. That's all I need. While I wouldn’t describe myself as a “Rolex man,” as that sounds a little fanboyish, I admire the brand for all the right reasons. Over the past century, Rolex has established itself as arguably the world's most iconic brand, and not just in horology.   Rolex is a universal sign of accomplishment, and the Swiss brand has deep and decades-long ties to the W.O.E. community. While it's easy to forget this fact when walking into the brand’s luxurious boutiques today, the brand's DNA is in tool watches for adventurers, explorers, and warfighters. For generations, Rolex was the watch of choice for those who have made real and meaningful contributions to society. I fear that that is no longer the case today. Rolex GMT-Master II “Bruce Wayne” - Reference 126710GRNR The Call - “We Have Your GMT Available For Pickup” A few months ago, I got “the call” from a local authorized dealer saying they had a new Rolex GMT-Master II reference 126710 with a black and grey bezel, dubbed the “Bruce Wayne” by watch nerds. I was excited.  While I own more than a few Rolex sports models, this would be my first modern steel Rolex.   I have long believed that the Rolex GMT, any reference, is the ultimate CIA Case Officer’s watch—a classy and refined tool that signals to others you are a man of culture, yet don’t mind getting your hands dirty. The watch for the proverbial “Ph.D who can win a bar fight.” I own two older references, and the GMT-Master is unequivocally my favorite watch. When the call came, I said yes without hesitation. Rolex GMT on Billy Waugh’s wrist, legendary Army Special Forces turned CIA Paramilitary Officer. (Photo Credit, Recoil Magazine & Tom Marshall) Buying A Rolex In 2025 I had “expressed interest” eight months prior, shortly after the announcement of the new color scheme, and I was added to the dreaded “waiting list.” I had a significant relationship with the dealer and was confident I would eventually be allocated one, but didn’t push the issue. I had all but forgotten about the watch, and the strong desire I felt from the hype during Watches and Wonders had faded, but I was still excited. It sounds messed up, but I was lucky that the sales associate deemed me worthy enough to spend $11,000 on a timepiece. Picking up the watch was a special and curated experience, it always is.  Escorted to a VIP room, you are offered champagne and time is taken to explain the functions and to size the bracelet. Despite what the haters will say, the quality and craftsmanship of modern Rolex are phenomenal. In contrast to the older references I treasured, the tolerances, wearability, and aesthetics are unmatched. The black/gray GMT is arguably the most subtle GMT reference of the past 10 years. To the casual observer, it appears to be closer to a Submariner than a bicolor GMT.  Rolex GMT-Master II “Bruce Wayne” - Reference 126710GRNR Buyer’s Remorse? Leaving the store, I glanced down at my wrist and was caught off guard by the shiny, polished center links. The new watch was in stark contrast to the older references I was used to wearing. I felt something that I had never felt before with a watch—was it buyer's remorse? While the aesthetics of the modern “tool watch” felt off, it was something else that nagged me. Why did I buy this watch? It wasn't to mark a specific achievement or a significant life milestone, the reality is I bought it because the sales associate called me and told me I could. I’ve worn the watch on and off over the subsequent months, and while I appreciate the watch for what it is, I've come to realize that it isn’t the watch itself that I question. It is the process of buying a Rolex that is disenchanting, it sours the experience.  Vintage Rolex GMTs hit different (Photo Credit: Rupley / W.O.E.) The Myth Of The Rolex Waitlist Aspiring “Rolex men” have two options: you can visit the authorized dealer (AD) regularly to build "rapport" (ass kiss) with the salesperson in hopes of one day being granted an allocation, or pay the absurd grey market prices to a second-hand dealer. Both are equally disheartening and damaging to brand equity, even for an icon like Rolex. Visit any Rolex boutique and you will quickly learn that they don’t actually have watches for sale, at least not for you. The watches on display are for "exhibition only,” meaning you can try them on but can’t buy them even if you have the cash. Instead, prospective customers are encouraged to provide their contact details to “express interest” in a specific watch, which theoretically adds their name to the notorious and misunderstood “waitlist”. But this whole concept is bullshit. I know this because I have cut the “list” many times. I said this was my first modern Rolex, which is only partially true. Over the past few years, I have used my connections to buy several new Rolexes for friends, those who were waiting on the “list” but couldn’t get an allocation themselves. Most, if not all, boutiques have several coveted steel sports models for sale in a safe in the back; they just don’t want to sell them to you. Rolex headquarters in Geneva (Photo Credit: Rolex SA) The reality is that Rolex in Geneva does not dictate how and who boutiques sell watches to, and each store has their own process. This results in inconsistencies, and while some stores may maintain lists and allocate watches in sequential order, most simply sell them to clients with significant sales history or, in many cases, people they simply like. The most sought-after pieces, like the Daytona and Titanium Yacht-Masters, go to friends of the store owner, and individual sales associates get whatever’s left over. In my experience, even simple sports models like the steel Submariner and GMT will go to long-time clients over those looking for their first real watch, an approach I would argue is fundamentally flawed (Photo Credit: Rupley/W.O.E.) Rolex - The Existential Threat According to Morgan Stanley’s annual Swiss watch industry report, Rolex controls over 30% of the retail market share, with the runner-up being Cartier with a mere 8%. But nothing lasts forever, and I would go as far as to say the current customer experience represents an existential threat for Rolex. If I am disenchanted with the Rolex customer experience, how does the prospective buyer feel? The increase in demand and inability to quickly scale production to meet demand is not Rolex's fault, but the disappointing customer experience is, or at least it should be.  According to most estimates, there are approximately 1,800 authorized dealers or “retail partners,” with the largest segment in the United States at over 300. Every day, thousands of people walk into these stores eager to learn about the brand and maybe even buy a watch to commemorate an accomplishment or milestone. Newcomers' dreams are immediately deflated. Rolex Store Locations in North America (Credit: Rolex SA) Rolex Prospective Customer Experience Online reviews will often report the sales associates as aloof, disinterested, and even arrogant. Some will even suggest that the customer buy other watches or jewelry to “build a relationship” with the store. I have met some great sales associates and think that many/most of them are good, honest, hard-working people. But I have also experienced this dismissive attitude firsthand, at Betteridge in Vail and Tourneau in Pentagon City, to name a couple. For my generation, Rolex was known as something luxurious but, eventually, and with hard work, obtainable. But I fear that this is no longer the case. Each year, millions of potential customers leave one of the boutiques demoralized, promised that their name is on a list (it's not), and never hear anything. Play this out over decades, it is bound to have a real impact on one of history's greatest brands. Rolex may lay claim to hearts and minds for now, but what about the next generation when they become wealthy enough to play in this arena, having come up in an age where they weren’t “good enough” to “deserve” a Rolex, whether they had the money or not? Vintage Rolex sign, Tawila District in Aden, Yemen (Photo Credit: Unknown) Would Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, be pleased with the brand positioning, attainability, and waitlist of 2025? For a man who was inspired by accounts of the Second Boer War in South Africa, where warfighters used wristwatches to coordinate operations and dreamed of putting a watch on every wrist in the world, I don’t think so. Those potential customers walk next door to another brand and are welcomed with open arms and often recruited as lifetime customers. No one has sold more Omega watches than Rolex, and Omega stores are often within walking distance of Rolex. This is no accident.   (Photo Credit: Rupley/W.O.E.) The Solution - Rolex Must Control The Customer Experience & Allocation The cynical take is that this scarcity is contrived by Rolex to drive value.  While this is undoubtedly true with limited pieces, I speculate that with “regular” watches like Datejust and the Submariner, Rolex leadership would prefer to produce an amount that is just below demand. It is important to note that it takes time to build production capacity, and the skyrocketing demand since the pandemic could not have been foreseen. By most estimates, Rolex produces and sells approximately 1.2 million watches per year at an average price of $13,000. Rolex is set to open another production facility in 2029, which should increase annual output, which in theory should make these more obtainable. But is that what’s really going to happen? Rolex mockup of its new production facility, slated to open in Bulle, Switzerland in 2029. (Photo Credit: Rolex SA) Rolex SA Must Control The Customer Relationship But the real crux of the issue is that Rolex delegates the customer interaction and, more importantly, how to allocate specific watches to specific clients, to the “official Rolex retailers.” While Rolex does carefully curate and dictate the store layout, design, and presentation of the watches, Geneva is still disconnected from the customer. For a luxury brand, the customer experience, or even prospective customer experience, is arguably the most important part of the sales cycle. This results in people like me being escorted to the front of the line, while people like you aren't even on “the list.” Allocations become lopsided and inevitably, “flippers”—those who purchase watches to immediately sell for a profit—receive allocations. Of course, this cycle inevitably perpetuates the grey market. While I would never “flip” a watch for profit based on principle, it is easy to empathize with those who do. That GMT that I was allocated could be sold on the grey market for approximately $17,800, netting a $6k profit after taxes. That’s real money, enough to buy a brand new Omega Seamaster Diver 300 just with the proceeds from a single flip. A second-hand dealer's display of Rolex and other luxury watches. (Photo Credit: Reddit) To combat this and preserve the integrity of its product and reputation, corporate Rolex must ensure that a significant portion of its watches are allocated to new customers. In short, a young professional looking to commemorate his promotion with his first real watch, a new Rolex GMT, should be prioritized over someone like me, at least some of the time In 2023, Rolex acquired Bucherer, one of the largest points of sale with over 100 retail locations and the largest brand presence in the United States. This acquisition offers a unique opportunity to pilot these programs and refine the customer experience. Titanium Yachtmaster prototype “leaked” on the wrist of the helmsman of the Great Britain SailGP Team, Sir Ben Ainslie (Photo Credit: Ineos Britannia Team/C. Gregory) Final Thoughts - The Rolex Dichotomy Despite everything I said above and in contradiction, I still officially “expressed interest” in the Titanium Yacht-Master. Released in 2024, it is a stark contrast to the more polished trend at Rolex but is also one of the hardest watches to get in the catalog. The muted titanium and black indices on the bezel have the look and feel of a true modern tool watch. If I do get the call for a Titanium Yachtmaster, I will be ecstatic that the sales associate deemed me worthy enough to spend $14,800 on a watch.  If that sounds like sarcasm, I can assure you it's not. If that sounds like a fucked up way to live your life, trust your instincts. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. 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Unfiltered Conversations With America’s Elite Warriors Offer Unique Insight Into Military Watch Culture The Shawn Ryan Show has exploded in popularity in recent years and grown into a media platform amassing some 16M views per month. Shawn, a former SEAL and CIA GRS contractor, is known for diving deep into politics, but the podcast started almost solely focused on interviewing practitioners from the SpecOps and Intel community. The guests of over 200 episodes are a who’s who of the tactical and veteran media personality world, which has no shortage of drama. That said, the episodes are more than just war stories and often touch on important issues including the mental tolls of combat, addiction, and PTSD.  But what really interests us is the unique insight the show offers as it relates to the watches worn by individuals from our community, both during and after service. Like much of the content on W.O.E., this is about culture as much as anything else.   Shawn himself is also at least something of a watch nerd, owning several Rolex references and a Blackwater Breitling (He was a former BW contractor). He’s discussed what constitutes a solid watch for escape and evasion purposes and also commonly asks guests about the watches on their wrists. Dallas Alexander - Tudor Unit Watch - Episode 047 Dallas Alexander was a member of Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2), Canada’s tier-one special operations unit. Dallas is now known for his involvement in a world-record sniper shot conducted in Mosul, Iraq in 2017 at an astonishing 3,540 meters. Throughout his Shawn Ryan interview, Alexander wears a Tudor unit watch version of the Pelagos customized with JTF 2’s insignia on the caseback as well as a maple leaf and “Facta Non Verba”, Latin for “Deeds Not Words”, on the dial. Alexander’s JTF 2 Tudor Pelagos. We reached out to Dallas after seeing him and his watch on the podcast, and the 14-year veteran of JTF 2 was quick to say that he was “not much of a watch guy,” but found the timepiece meaningful. Dallas has since left the unit, finding a second career in country music, and the watch can be seen on his wrist regularly as he performs, a constant reminder of his past service. Dale Stark - Breitling - Episode 142 Proof that Shawn doesn’t only interview current and former SOF dudes is Dale Stark, a former enlisted Air Force mechanic who later earned his commission to become an A-10 Warthog pilot, and later deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, 2010, and 2014. During the podcast, Stark wears a timepiece from Wassan Watch Co., but it is his Breitling Aerospace that really steals the show. (Photo Credit: Dale Stark) Further proof of Breitling’s resonance within the military, Start also owns a custom unit Breitling Aerospace made for A-10 pilots, complete with “WARTHOG” on the dial. It seems to have cooled in recent years, but Breitling was once one of the primary sources for custom unit watches produced for a broad range of government and military organizations including Blackwater, as mentioned above, but also numerous aviation squadrons and SpecOps units. Chris Craighead - Panerai - Episode 092 Another friend of the page is Chris Craighead, sometimes affectionately known as Obi-wan Nairobi for his response to a 2019 al-Shabaab attack in Nairobi. In his episode with Shawn, Craighead wears a 47mm Panerai Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech PAM0097. During the podcast, Chris explains that an automatic watch is an essential part of his everyday carry and a lesson he learned during the operation in Nairobi. During the event in Nairobi, he wore a smartwatch and was concerned the battery would run out given the extended time on target. Like many current and former members of UK Special Forces, Craighead is also something of a watch guy and owns several pieces including Rolex, Seiko, and Panerai watches in addition to releasing a collaboration with CWC, a brand that famously supplied the Special Boat Service (SBS). DJ Shipley - Panerai - Episode 015 A well-known watch nerd in our community is DJ Shipley, a former member of SEAL Team Six and a co-founder of GBRS Group, which has its own prominent online following. In DJ’s interview with Shawn, he intriguingly wears the exact same watch as Chris Craighead, the Panerai Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech, again demonstrating the powerful link Panerai has within SpecOps despite having at-times challenging branding relating to SEALs in particular. Shipley and Craighead’s matching Panerais in a double wrist shot. Even among Team Guys, Shipley is deep into watches. In a GBRS video about the importance of watches in SEAL culture, Shipley said: “It’s (a watch) a part of the culture and tells a lot about the wearer of that particular piece. The cost isn’t as important as the backstory or the sentimental value of a piece and the story you both share together.” Along with his Panerai, Shipley also owns a Tudor FXD, Rolex Submariner, a rose gold Yacht-Master II, yet another Panerai, and various G-Shock models. Kash Patel - Bremont S500 - Episode 128 Kash Patel took over as the director of the FBI on 25 February 2025.  When we covered Patel in his new role, we focused on his White House 46mm titanium Breitling Cockpit B50, one of several custom “unit watches” produced for White House staff during President Trump’s first term. In his appearance on Shawn’s podcast, however, Patel wears a Bremont S500, a dive watch from a brand with close ties to the W.O.E. community. Patel wearing a Bremont S500 in 2024. While Breitling’s unit watch program appears to have waned in recent years, Bremont has been prolific in pairing with military and government organizations, having produced as many as 500 unit projects since 2009. It’s unclear whether Patel’s Bremont S500, the brand’s professional dive watch, is a unit-specific version related to any of his prior positions in NatSec and Intelligence, but in any case, it’s clear Patel is at least a little bit of a watch guy, further proof of the phenomenon of Watches of Espionage at the highest levels of government. Kyle Morgan - TAG Heuer - Episode 041 Kyle Morgan is another decorated veteran of US Army Special Forces who served with a Special Mission Unit for over ten years, earning the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the Radisson Blu hotel attack in Mali in 2015. Despite the aforementioned mention of the relationship between Rolex and Special Forces, Morgan opts for a quartz TAG Heuer Formula 1 chronograph. No offense to TAG Heuer, which often takes some shade from snooty watch nerds, but it is an unusual selection that is not necessarily related to Morgan’s extensive military background. With that being said, we’re big fans of buying the watch you like even if some influencer didn’t tell you to have to. Morgan’s podcast also indicates the former SMU operator also owns a watch that at first appeared to be a Tudor Black Bay, potentially sterling silver 925, but given the lack of a snowflake hour hand, I think it must be some kind of an homage. Do any of you guys know what this thing is? Update: an eagle-eyed reader let us know this is likely a Nomadic Marai 401.  Cody Alford - Sangin Instruments - Episode 034 Cody Alford was a Marine Raider and sniper who was also the youngest person in Marine Corps history to be promoted to E8 or Master Sergeant. Today, Alford works as a motivational speaker, podcaster, and mental health advocate. On his episode with Shawn, Alford wore a Sangin Neptune, a watch from a microbrand founded by Jacob Servantes, a fellow Marine Raider that has become a go-to option not only for current and former Marines but also the broader tactical community. Read our profile on Sangin Instruments HERE. Alford wearing a Timex Ironman during his military service and a Rolex Submariner later in life. (Photo Credit: The Veterans Project & CodyAlford.com) Photographs of Alford from his USMC days show him wearing a Timex Ironman while more recent images show he also has a Rolex Submariner in his collection. It’s hard to see whether or not he is a “watch nerd” as such, but clearly Alford has an appreciation for the link between watches and the SpecOps and Intelligence community. Eddie Penney - Apple Watch - Episode 043 Despite the importance of analog watches in the W.O.E. community, the reality is that digital watches have broad adoption among the vast majority of military and SpecOps practitioners today. In episode 043 of Shawn’s podcast, former SEAL Team Six member Eddie Penney wears what appears to be an Apple Watch. We’ve explained the counterintelligence risks of wearing smartwatches and other connected devices at length at this point, but it is safe to assume that in Penney’s new life as an author, the smartwatch presents little to no legitimate risk. It is important to note that while yes, watch culture is strong in the SpecOps community, not every (former) SEAL is running around with a Rolex as a daily beater. For many, the lifestyle benefits of smartwatches are significant and for a community that prioritizes physical fitness, this can be a great tool. Tu Lam - Rolex - Episode 110 Most SOF guys are far from experts on watches. By and large, they’re not on the forums, not hawking Reddit Watchexchange for hot deals, and not waking up early to see the newest Rolex releases at Watches and Wonders. With that being said, the link between US Army Special Forces and Rolex, in particular, is strong. Tu Lam, a Vietnamese-born member of US Army Special Forces, wears a Rolex Submariner in his interview with Shawn. A screen capture from 2004’s Kill Bill 2 showing what Lam describes as a “Submariner Daytona”. In a YouTube Short containing additional material not from the long-form interview, Lam describes the relationship between Special Forces and Rolex, saying that the watches were sometimes used as currency by operators trying to escape bad situations. This all checks out, but Lam goes on to recall a favorite scene in 2004’s Kill Bill 2 in which Uma Thurman’s character, Beatrix Kiddo, wears what Lam calls a “Submariner Daytona”. Again, not everyone can be a true watch nerd, and that’s probably a good thing. Erik Prince - Blackwater Breitling - Episode 029 In episode 029, Erik Prince’s first appearance on the podcast, Blackwater founder and CEO Erik Prince wears his custom Blackwater Breitling Emergency, a watch we have discussed in great detail. More than just a custom unit watch with an insignia on the dial, Prince chose the Emergency because of its built-in emergency position indicating radio beacon, a promise from Prince to his employees that he would come for them if they were in trouble. While there are no known instances of the Blackwater Breitling Emergency being used to emit an emergency signal in an operation situation, the watch is coveted by the operators to whom they were given. Shawn Ryan, himself a former contractor for Blackwater, owns one of the watches, with Prince’s and Ryan’s amounting to two of the 150 examples in existence. Chris VanSant - Omega Planet Ocean - Episode 051 Chris VanSant is another veteran of the US Army’s Special Mission Unit, having been involved in over 600 combat missions. In his episode with Shawn, VanSant wears an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. It’s unclear whether or not VanSant’s watch is a standard model or potentially a watch from Omega’s unit watch program, but in any case, the Seamaster has been closely associated with SpecOps and the Intelligence Community for decades, at least in part because of its relationship to James Bond. A high point in VanSant’s career was being involved in the raid that ultimately led to the capture of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The Planet Ocean was not released until 2005, and the likelihood is that VanSant utilized a Digital Tool Watch (D.T.W.) during the mission. Brad Geary - Tudor - Episode 177 Brad Geary is a former SEAL Team Six troop commander and operations officer whose lengthy SpecOps career was imperiled after the 2022 death of a trainee named Kyle Mullen in a BUD/S training class while Captain Geary was in command of Naval Special Warfare Basic Training. Ultimately, the US Navy dismissed the case in late 2024, and in Geary’s appearance with Shawn, he wears a Tudor Pelagos FXD that appears to be a special unit-specific version made for SEAL Team Six’s Gold Squadron, hence the gold stripe on the hook-and-loop strap. The SEAL Team Six FXD is the worst-kept secret in the W.O.E. space, but this is the first time we have seen one photographed in public. The reality is that as guys move on from service, these pieces will ultimately become known. We are aware of several custom unit Tudor Pelagos FXD watches in circulation with tier one and other special operations units, further evidence that the phenomenon of Tudors of Espionage (T.O.E.) is alive and well within our community. Final Thoughts Whether you agree with him or not, Shawn Ryan has carved out a unique niche, using his experience in the SEAL Teams and as a CIA contractor to connect with a wide range of guests from the military and national security communities. For people like us, the podcast also provides some of the best opportunities to observe and discuss Watches of Espionage in action. Certain brands, like Tudor, Rolex, and Omega, are here—as is so often the case—but it’s also interesting to see brands like TAG Heuer, Apple, and Sangin gracing the wrists of Shawn’s guests. W.O.E. does not discriminate. We’re here for all of it. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. 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After over three decades of wearing Rolex watches in some of history’s favorite spy films, James Bond made an unexpected leap to Omega starting in 1995’s GoldenEye. What might have appeared like a genius marketing coup for Omega was actually the work of a single savvy designer helping to guide Bond’s character into a new era of 007 films. In our new episode on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we share the complete story of how James Bond became an Omega man before providing a play-by-play of every Omega watch worn by Bond over the past thirty years. Enjoy episode seventeen of W.O.E. TV. Happy Hunting, -W.O.E.