Newest Articles
Bezels & Blades - Tools With A Purpose
For our community, watches are tools, functional items we integrate into our daily lives. Meant to last a lifetime and be passed down to the next generation, their “value” isn’t...
Bezels & Blades - Tools With A Purpose
For our community, watches are tools, functional items we integrate into our daily lives. Meant to last a lifetime and be passed down to the next generation, their “value” isn’t monetary; it's derived from our shared experiences with these inanimate objects. The interest is the human element. There are a...
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W.O.E. YouTube: Custom Military Unit Watches - ...
In this video, we shine a well-deserved light on the shadowy world of unit watches, discussing some of our favorite examples, how to create a unit watch, and whether or...
W.O.E. YouTube: Custom Military Unit Watches - Ultimate Guide
In this video, we shine a well-deserved light on the shadowy world of unit watches, discussing some of our favorite examples, how to create a unit watch, and whether or not it makes sense to collect unit watches. Because whether we like it or not, the best timepieces are earned.
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Casio F-91W, the Preferred Watch of Terrorists
The Casio F-91W’s reputation looms large in both horology and national security circles, and for good reason. The simple, cheap and effective plastic watch is likely one of the most...
Casio F-91W, the Preferred Watch of Terrorists
The Casio F-91W’s reputation looms large in both horology and national security circles, and for good reason. The simple, cheap and effective plastic watch is likely one of the most ubiquitous timepieces on the planet, with an estimated three million produced each year since sometime in the early 1990s. However,...
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How Navy SEALs Use Watches to Navigate Underwater
For this Dispatch, we sat down with our friend and W.O.E. interview alum, retired Navy SEAL Dave Hall, to talk about the navigation or “attack” board, a handheld underwater navigational...
How Navy SEALs Use Watches to Navigate Underwater
For this Dispatch, we sat down with our friend and W.O.E. interview alum, retired Navy SEAL Dave Hall, to talk about the navigation or “attack” board, a handheld underwater navigational tool used by military divers. Digital tech may have forever changed modern warfare, reducing the role played by timepieces in...
Read MoreSpec Ops
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How Navy SEALs Use Watches to Navigate Underwater
For this Dispatch, we sat down with our friend and W.O.E. interview alum, retired Navy SEAL Dave Hall, to talk about the navigation or “attack” board, a handheld underwater navigational...
How Navy SEALs Use Watches to Navigate Underwater
For this Dispatch, we sat down with our friend and W.O.E. interview alum, retired Navy SEAL Dave Hall, to talk about the navigation or “attack” board, a handheld underwater navigational tool used by military divers. Digital tech may have forever changed modern warfare, reducing the role played by timepieces in...
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Watches of the Artemis II Recovery Team
In this Dispatch, we continue our exploration of the watches of astronaut recovery, briefly touching on the history and speaking with two members of the Dive Medical Recovery Team who...
Watches of the Artemis II Recovery Team
In this Dispatch, we continue our exploration of the watches of astronaut recovery, briefly touching on the history and speaking with two members of the Dive Medical Recovery Team who made first contact with the Artemis II astronauts.
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How to Build a MACV-SOG Seiko
I’m not a watch collector. I have dozens of watches from affordable Seikos to priceless military-issued pieces that belong in a museum, but I have never viewed this as a...
How to Build a MACV-SOG Seiko
I’m not a watch collector. I have dozens of watches from affordable Seikos to priceless military-issued pieces that belong in a museum, but I have never viewed this as a collection. For the most part, I wear every watch I own. But one exception is my MACV-SOG Seiko reference 6619-8060...
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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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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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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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Intel
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Bezels & Blades - Tools With A Purpose
For our community, watches are tools, functional items we integrate into our daily lives. Meant to last a lifetime and be passed down to the next generation, their “value” isn’t...
Bezels & Blades - Tools With A Purpose
For our community, watches are tools, functional items we integrate into our daily lives. Meant to last a lifetime and be passed down to the next generation, their “value” isn’t monetary; it's derived from our shared experiences with these inanimate objects. The interest is the human element. There are a...
Read More5 comments -
W.O.E. Watch Travel Pouch and Challenge Coin - ...
The single watch case is durable, compact and functional, and honors our community with subtle accents, most notably flap catches constructed from recycled Battle Dress Uniforms (BDUs). It features subtle...
W.O.E. Watch Travel Pouch and Challenge Coin - The History
The single watch case is durable, compact and functional, and honors our community with subtle accents, most notably flap catches constructed from recycled Battle Dress Uniforms (BDUs). It features subtle nods to our community, honoring those who have gone before us and upholding our ethos.
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The W.O.E. CAT Strap - AVAILABLE NOW
The CAT Strap is our refined evolution of the classic RAF-style nylon strap, redesigned with upgraded materials and thoughtful details for everyday wear. Like every custom tool we make, the...
The W.O.E. CAT Strap - AVAILABLE NOW
The CAT Strap is our refined evolution of the classic RAF-style nylon strap, redesigned with upgraded materials and thoughtful details for everyday wear. Like every custom tool we make, the CAT Strap comes with a history lesson, in this case referencing an often overlooked chapter in aviation and intelligence.
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Putin’s War on Watches
Recent press reporting claims that visitors meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin are now required to surrender their watches. According to the report, the restrictions now extend to all watches, including...
Putin’s War on Watches
Recent press reporting claims that visitors meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin are now required to surrender their watches. According to the report, the restrictions now extend to all watches, including smartwatches and traditional mechanical timepieces.
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W.O.E. YouTube: The Watches of Putin, Zelensky,...
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we analyze the watches worn by key figures on both sides, as well as the story of a connected timepiece being weaponized...
W.O.E. YouTube: The Watches of Putin, Zelensky, & the War In Ukraine
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we analyze the watches worn by key figures on both sides, as well as the story of a connected timepiece being weaponized with deadly effect. Because in war, a watch is never just a watch.
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W.O.E. YouTube: Real Spy Gadget Watches of the ...
In sharp contrast to the laser-firing Omega Seamasters or buzzsaw-bezel Rolex Submariners of cinematic spies, there is a surprising real history of watches containing concealed cameras, microphones, and other gadgets...
W.O.E. YouTube: Real Spy Gadget Watches of the CIA & KGB
In sharp contrast to the laser-firing Omega Seamasters or buzzsaw-bezel Rolex Submariners of cinematic spies, there is a surprising real history of watches containing concealed cameras, microphones, and other gadgets being fielded by intelligence services around the globe.
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Culture
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Military & Intelligence Watch Spotting - Part II
In this Dispatch, we present some of the best W.O.E. images that have crossed our desks. Some are modern, pulled directly from the national archives of various countries; some are...
Military & Intelligence Watch Spotting - Part II
In this Dispatch, we present some of the best W.O.E. images that have crossed our desks. Some are modern, pulled directly from the national archives of various countries; some are historical, and many come directly from the end users themselves, which is always our favorite way to get them. Remember,...
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Watch Industry SITREP - July 2026
The past few weeks have been densely packed with watch and/or espionage-related news, including some intriguing Patek and Omega watch-spotting on the Iraqi PM and the Royal Navy’s First Sea...
Watch Industry SITREP - July 2026
The past few weeks have been densely packed with watch and/or espionage-related news, including some intriguing Patek and Omega watch-spotting on the Iraqi PM and the Royal Navy’s First Sea Lord, US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer/W.O.E. interview alum Scott Ruskan receiving the Pat Tillman award, Buzz Aldrin’s watches set for...
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Top Military-Issue Watches of All Time
In this Dispatch, we’ll share our picks for the most important and influential military-issued watches of all time, from the Second World War through the golden age of tool watches...
Top Military-Issue Watches of All Time
In this Dispatch, we’ll share our picks for the most important and influential military-issued watches of all time, from the Second World War through the golden age of tool watches and today. As you might imagine, some of these are also highly collectable watches, regularly commanding hundreds of thousands of...
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How to Buy a Vintage Military-Issued Watch
I have never considered myself a collector, let alone someone with a “collecting philosophy,” something that seems more suited for people who look like Nicholas Foulkes. That said, there is...
How to Buy a Vintage Military-Issued Watch
I have never considered myself a collector, let alone someone with a “collecting philosophy,” something that seems more suited for people who look like Nicholas Foulkes. That said, there is a clear pattern in how I have identified, assessed, and procured my vintage military-issued watches. The title of this article...
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Best Quartz Watches for the W.O.E. Community
In this Dispatch, we provide a list of our top picks for analog quartz watches representing a wide array of categories and price points, all tailored to the needs of...
Best Quartz Watches for the W.O.E. Community
In this Dispatch, we provide a list of our top picks for analog quartz watches representing a wide array of categories and price points, all tailored to the needs of the W.O.E. Community.
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Using a Garmin Smartwatch as a Tool with Coast ...
In July of last year, a USCG Rescue Swimmer named Scott Ruskan did something incredible. Dropped off by his helicopter near a kids' summer camp in Kerrville County, Texas, Ruskan...
Using a Garmin Smartwatch as a Tool with Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan
In July of last year, a USCG Rescue Swimmer named Scott Ruskan did something incredible. Dropped off by his helicopter near a kids' summer camp in Kerrville County, Texas, Ruskan coordinated the rescue of 165 children cut off from first responders and the rest of civilization by rising floodwater. The...
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Video
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W.O.E. YouTube: Custom Military Unit Watches - ...
In this video, we shine a well-deserved light on the shadowy world of unit watches, discussing some of our favorite examples, how to create a unit watch, and whether or...
W.O.E. YouTube: Custom Military Unit Watches - Ultimate Guide
In this video, we shine a well-deserved light on the shadowy world of unit watches, discussing some of our favorite examples, how to create a unit watch, and whether or not it makes sense to collect unit watches. Because whether we like it or not, the best timepieces are earned.
Read More3 comments -
W.O.E. YouTube: Watches of CIA & FBI Traitors &...
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we explore the darker side of the intelligence business and examine the watches worn by some of the community’s most notorious spies,...
W.O.E. YouTube: Watches of CIA & FBI Traitors & Thieves
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we explore the darker side of the intelligence business and examine the watches worn by some of the community’s most notorious spies, traitors, and thieves. Because in the world’s second-oldest profession, a watch is never just a watch.
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W.O.E. YouTube: Watches of a Navy Diver
In our new video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we sat down with Brock to learn more about his unique underwater workplace and diverse collection of tool dive watches. Because...
W.O.E. YouTube: Watches of a Navy Diver
In our new video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we sat down with Brock to learn more about his unique underwater workplace and diverse collection of tool dive watches. Because when you’re working under a nuclear submarine, a watch is never just a watch.
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W.O.E. YouTube: The Watches of Putin, Zelensky,...
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we analyze the watches worn by key figures on both sides, as well as the story of a connected timepiece being weaponized...
W.O.E. YouTube: The Watches of Putin, Zelensky, & the War In Ukraine
In this video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we analyze the watches worn by key figures on both sides, as well as the story of a connected timepiece being weaponized with deadly effect. Because in war, a watch is never just a watch.
Read More -
W.O.E. YouTube: Real Spy Gadget Watches of the ...
In sharp contrast to the laser-firing Omega Seamasters or buzzsaw-bezel Rolex Submariners of cinematic spies, there is a surprising real history of watches containing concealed cameras, microphones, and other gadgets...
W.O.E. YouTube: Real Spy Gadget Watches of the CIA & KGB
In sharp contrast to the laser-firing Omega Seamasters or buzzsaw-bezel Rolex Submariners of cinematic spies, there is a surprising real history of watches containing concealed cameras, microphones, and other gadgets being fielded by intelligence services around the globe.
Read More -
W.O.E. YouTube: Watches of Artemis II & Space E...
In this video, we discuss the watches used as tools by astronauts both then and now, because even beyond Earth’s atmosphere, a watch is never just a watch.
W.O.E. YouTube: Watches of Artemis II & Space Exploration
In this video, we discuss the watches used as tools by astronauts both then and now, because even beyond Earth’s atmosphere, a watch is never just a watch.
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