From Open-Water Swims To Dinner Out, Meaning Comes From Use, Not MSRP - Summertime generally means travel, time off at the beach or in the mountains, or, if you are lucky, a trip to Europe or another cultural destination. It is also a great time to build lasting memories. 

Welcome back to the W.O.E. SITREP, or Situation Report, a monthly download of current events related to watches, espionage, the military, and national security, all coupled with our semi-informed commentary. 

What Can A Tragic Accident Teach Us About The Watch Industry & The Risks Of Exploration? Earlier this month, Baumgartner, aged 56, tragically died instantly when he reportedly fell unconscious in midair and flew a motorized paraglider into the side of a pool near the Italian coast. 

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. 

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.

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 

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.

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

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. Read Next: Watches as Tools of Money Laundering and Illicit Finance

Pen, Flashlight, Knife, Watch - The Essentials “If you didn’t write it down, it didn't happen” is a common saying in the intelligence business. In an era of digitalization, there is something satisfying about staying old school, and a custom pen, built to last a lifetime, is a must. Tactile Turn X W.O.E. Titanium Pen 2.0 TENTATIVE RELEASE DATE 29 APRIL 2025 Sign Up For Notifications HERE When I worked as a CIA Case Officer, a quality pen and 3x5 cards were essential aspects of my everyday carry and are still items I carry religiously to this day. Despite rapid advancements in note-taking devices, I still defer to a pen and paper regularly. As a part of our ongoing effort to produce the best possible custom tools, we set out to design a purpose-built writing instrument fit for our community. Enter the Tactile Turn X W.O.E. Titanium Pen 2.0 - Desert Night Camouflage. Milled from a solid block of titanium in the United States, our pen is lightweight and durable. For a premium feel, we opted for Tactile Turn’s Bolt Action construction, which extends or retracts the refill with one smooth, spring-loaded motion, more satisfying than the hollow click from your drugstore ten-pack of pens. For the new 2.0, the clip is coated in OD green Cerakote that is then laser-marked to accomplish a two-color Desert Night Camouflage (DNC) pattern, with the inside revealing subtle engraved “Tactile Turn X WOE” text. Perhaps most importantly, the PVD black bolt is operated by way of a unique watch-style crown that is also PVD coated and complete with a W.O.E. spearhead engraving. Details matter. It is so often the little things that have the greatest impact. To be clear, this is by no means a “tactical pen”. Our titanium pen is a TSA-approved item primarily intended for writing, though we admit it may have other uses. We’ll leave it at that. Far from inexpensive, perishable pens, our Bolt Action Pen is designed to last a lifetime and utilizes readily available Pilot G2 0.7mm refills. For the complete specifications, read HERE. Product Development At W.O.E. At Watches of Espionage, our product development model is to partner with true professionals—masters of their craft—to develop distinct and highly functional products that honor our community and our core belief that you should “use your tools.” In creating our ideal Everyday Carry (EDC) pen, we reached out to Tactile Turn because they are the best in the business at creating high-quality writing tools, hand-machined in Texas, right here in the United States. As a company, we seek to partner with US manufacturers and use our platform to promote their craftsmanship. Working with Tactile Turn has been a pleasure, and it is no surprise that there is a significant crossover between the watch and EDC communities. The good people at Tactile Turn are industry leaders for a reason, doing incredibly detailed and consistent work. They are also true innovators and were able to prototype the watch-style crown to produce a unique product for our community. Further, they stand behind their work with a lifetime warranty for all of their products, including our W.O.E. Bolt Action Pen. About Tactile Turn Tactile Turn was founded in 2012 by Will Hodges who happens to be a watch guy with Tudor, Sinn, and OMEGA in the collection. Frustrated by the disconnect between the things we buy and how they’re made, Will took things into his own hands, purchasing a WWII-era lathe and producing his first 1000 pens completely by hand. Things have taken off since then, and Tactile Turn now operates a serious 48,000-square-foot production facility in Dallas, Texas, where a small team of machinists produces every single pen by hand. Will is still at the helm and still obsessed with producing quality pens in the United States that will probably outlive their owners. At W.O.E., we only work with suppliers who understand the Use Your Tools ethos, and Tactile Turn is an excellent example. The first version of our Tactile Turn X W.O.E. Titanium Pen had an all black, PVD-coated bolt, crown, and clip. Tactile Turn X W.O.E. Titanium Pen 1.0: Now a coveted collector’s item, the original Titanium Turn X W.O.E. collaboration launched in 2024 and differed from the new 2.0 with an all black PVD-coated bolt, crown, and clip. Tactile Turn X W.O.E. Titanium Pen 2.0 - Desert Night Camouflage TENTATIVE RELEASE DATE 29 APRIL 2025 Learn more HERE  

As The Industry Trends Toward Luxury, Tudor Embraces Its Tool Watch Heritage With Watches and Wonders 2025 Releases Last year, we compiled a list of Watches and Wonders releases for the W.O.E. community (Read Here), and we planned to do the same thing this year, but the reality is that there aren't many releases that embrace our “Use Your Tools” ethos. In 2025, whether we like it or not, the watch industry has trended toward luxury, precious metals, horologically intriguing complications, and smaller case diameters. Said differently; jewelry. However, even as much of the industry leans away from the utilitarian ethos that serves as an integral part of the culture of our community, one brand continues to carry the proverbial torch: Tudor. This is still the way. While big brother Rolex was unveiling the Land-Dweller, an integrated bracelet “sports” watch starting at $13,900 that feels infinitely more jewel than tool, Tudor’s 2025 collection remained true to the brand’s modern ethos, producing luxurious yet utilitarian watches informed by the brand’s impressive heritage in diving and the military. To be clear, other brands are striking the balance between utility and luxury with certain models situated within broader collections. However, no brand in its price tier is as dedicated to the tool watch as Tudor in 2025. While a horologically significant development and overall cool watch, the Rolex Land-Dweller probably isn’t going to be the next watch trend among the military elite. (Photo Credit: Rolex) This position is no accident. Tudor’s 70-plus-year relationship with the military and adventurers, secure spot within the Rolex organization, thriving modern unit watch program, and willingness to experiment in both design and technology all contribute to making Tudor the tool watch leader of today. Perhaps the best encapsulating demonstration of this is Tudor’s collection of 2025 releases, unveiled last week at Watches and Wonders in Geneva. Tudor’s 2025 New Releases   Tudor’s novelties weren’t what anyone expected, but they do speak to the brand’s tool watch focus. (Photo Credit: Tudor Watch) Where IWC led with an expanded Ingenieur offering including a perpetual calendar, Rolex provided the Land-Dweller as well as a green dial for the Sprite GMT, and A. Lange & Söhne unveiled a full “Honeygold” Odysseus, Tudor continued to do what it does, leaning into more adventurous use cases with watches like the Tudor Pelagos Ultra, a 1000-meter-rated diver, a suite of new Black Bays including the new 43mm Black Bay 68, and a white (“opaline”) dial for the Black Bay Pro. Tudor Pelagos Ultra - Because We Can A 1000-meter dive watch isn’t a tool everyone needs, but it feels like a tool. (Photo Credit: Tudor Watch) In our previous look at Tudors of Espionage, we argued that the standard 42mm Pelagos is the apex predator of Tudor’s collection (credit to Jason Heaton for coining the term), which makes the new Pelagos Ultra the apex predator of apex predators. No one needs 1,000 meters of water resistance. Even the deepest diving commercial saturation divers rarely approach 1,000 feet or approximately 300 meters. The Ultra is large by any standard at 43mm and contains a helium escape valve which allows expanding helium atoms to safely escape during a saturation dive’s days-long decompression process without making the watch explode. (Read more about this process HERE.) The blue Pelagos text might not be to everyone’s taste, but we dig it. (Photo Credit: Tudor Watch) Why make a larger, 1000-meter member of the already dense Pelagos family? Because such a tool didn’t already exist in the collection, and Tudor still values the idea of having different tools for specific jobs. Will anyone actually use the Pelagos Ultra for extreme deep-sea diving? Probably not. But the Pelagos Ultra fulfills this use case, whether real or theoretical, like no watch in Tudor’s history, and that's cool. Other features include luminescent material in two colors, a METAS-certified Master Chronometer caliber, and a grade two titanium case and bracelet with a fancy diving extension system complete with a lume plot. While this may be a niche watch that no one asked for, we expect it to resonate with members of our community. Black Bay 68 The larger 43mm Black Bay 68. (Photo Credit: Tudor Watch) Another interesting release from Tudor I never would have predicted was the Black Bay 68, a larger 43mm addition to the pre-existing 37, 39, and 41mm options. Speaking generally, the Black Bay is Tudor’s modern recreation of its earliest “Big Crown” diving watches, but the range has expanded massively since its 2012 introduction to include a chronograph, multiple GMT models, and numerous colors. Why did Tudor go bigger when the entire industry seems to be going smaller? It’s possible Tudor saw a need for a Black Bay for large wrists or simply wanted people to have the option, but the more likely answer is: because Tudor can. In any case, the Black Bay is still one of the best “heritage-inspired” dive watches in its class, and the addition of the larger 68 will only make that argument stronger across a wider range of wrists. The new “Opaline” dial Tudor Black Bay Pro. (Photo Credit: Tudor Watch) There were, of course, several other updates from Tudor, including the addition of a five-link bracelet for the Black Bay Chrono, a new burgundy version of the Black Bay 58 that calls back to a prototype Tudor Submariner, and the welcome addition of a white-ish dial for the Black Bay Pro. I’m not sure any of these watches represented an answer to a specific consumer request, but they do speak to what Tudor is all about, real tool watches at the “entry to luxury” tier. Tudors Of Espionage (T.O.E.) Tudor tool dive watches new and old. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) As we described in our detailed look at Tudors of Espionage, part of what forms modern Tudor’s DNA is its longstanding associations with militaries including the French Navy or Marine Nationale, the United States Navy, and numerous other military and government organizations. Perhaps the best example of this reverence for the military is the Tudor Pelagos FXD, a watch that was released in 2021 after being developed in close collaboration with the Commando Hubert Combat Swimmers, the French equivalent of the US Navy SEALs. A US Navy EOD Technician wears a Tudor Pelagos FXD during training operations in 2025. (Photo Credit: US Navy) More than slapping a unit logo on an existing watch for marketing’s sake à la Panerai, the FXD wouldn’t exist were a development process for a fixed lug dive watch not put forth by an elite maritime SpecOps unit. Several rounds of prototyping, extensive testing, and real money went into crafting a $4k dive watch that can only be worn on pull-through straps including the hook-and-loop strap that accompanies the FXD. The French Commando Hubert collaborated with Tudor in the development of the Pelagos FXD. An oddity in a world possessed by Submariners and Seamasters, the FXD has become successful in our community because it is two things: a legitimate diving tool watch and a respectable timepiece, powered by an in-house caliber and manufactured in Switzerland with a luxurious level of attention to detail that even watch dorks can get behind. The Shield Protects The Crown (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) Another aspect that allows Tudor to continue to provide more utilitarian options compared to many “luxury” brands is its secure position within the Rolex organization. Tudor’s growth since its global relaunch in 2009 and the release of the Pelagos and Black Bay in 2012 has been explosive, but it’s important to contextualize Tudor within the greater Swiss watch industry. According to the recent report from Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult, Tudor accounted for only 1% of the Swiss industry’s implied retail market share. Further, from 2023 to 2024, Tudor reportedly recorded a massive 34% decrease in sales, so does this mean Tudor is screwed? While Tudor execs are no doubt concerned, Tudor is also Rolex, the brand claiming the top spot in the Swiss industry and a staggering 34% market share based on turnover eclipsing CHF 10.5B. Tudor exists in the shadows of Rolex in some respects, but that also comes with the security of knowing money ain’t a thing. A down year is a down year, but it’s hard to imagine Tudor pivoting from its core competency, which continues to be utilitarian watches. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) As we’ve described before, an internal adage within the Rolex organization is that the “Shield Protects the Crown”, but it’s important to remember the Crown is the thing with the gold and the jewels and is ultimately responsible for the bottom line. Tudor’s Modern Unit Watch Program US Secret Service CAT Tudor Pelagos (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) Another aspect demonstrating Tudor’s position on tool watches and celebrating its military associations is the brand’s modern unit watch program, which has grown steadily since its inception several years ago. Tudor’s involvement in unit watches, customized versions of the brand’s standard models produced in small numbers for military units or government organizations, is significant because these programs are almost certainly not a key driver of revenue for a brand Tudor’s size. While other brands have expanded their unit watch programs, we would argue that Tudor is still the leader in this space, having completed unit-specific watches for some of the most elite forces in the United States and Europe, many of which have not been seen in the public. Many of these unit watches would have serious marketing value for Tudor, but the fact that the brand does not advertise or even acknowledge the existence of the program is clear evidence that Tudor is in this space for the right reasons. Tudor & Tool Watches A Tudor unit watch produced for the Diplomatic Security Service. (Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.) We acknowledge that for most, watches with prices starting around $4,500 (for the standard Black Bay 58) aren’t going to be pushed to the limit in operational settings for either military or intelligence professionals. However, within the context of our community, many do exactly that, balancing the utility presented by their timepieces with a genuine appreciation for horology. For practitioners embodying the Use Your Tools ethos, modern Tudor presents an excellent option, being less expensive than big brother Rolex as well as competitors like Omega while also offering more watchmaking intrigue compared to less expensive brands like Seiko. No matter where the watch industry goes in the future, we believe and hope Tudor will continue to produce tool watches as it has done for the past seven decades. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: The Dive Watch - Everything You Need To Know

Signal Chats Gone Wild, Stranded Astronauts Return To Earth, FBI Deputy Director Has Expensive Watch Taste, Kristi Noem LARPs Wearing A Daytona, & Jonny Kim Wears A Rolex To Space (Maybe) By Benjamin Lowry Let’s face it, no matter what side of the aisle you land on, the regular news cycle can be challenging. Even so, at W.O.E., we believe in staying informed about current events, especially those current events related to watches, espionage, national security, and more. In our monthly Watch Industry SITREP (Situation Report), we do the hard work for you, taking in as much information as our mental health can tolerate from traditional news media, the watch world, social channels, and sketchy alternative platforms, and refine it all into a concise amalgamation of only those stories we think you’ll find interesting and informative. Before delving into the maelstrom that is Watches and Wonders next week, we reflect on an action-packed month of March including not only a leak via a Signal group chat, but also the safe return of two stranded US astronauts, a $100k watch on the FBI’s new Deputy Director, astronaut/former Navy SEAL Jonny Kim having great watch taste, and a whole lot more. As a reminder, W.O.E. is an apolitical platform. Watches are the lens through which we view history and current events, and this past month provided no shortage of material for analysis and discussion. Let’s dive into the SITREP. Signalgate: The Counterintelligence Risks Of Technology US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, a former Army Special Forces member and known Rolex GMT-Master II wearer, has taken full responsibility for the leaked Signat chat. You probably don’t need us to tell you this, but Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal chat containing top U.S. national security leaders. The topic of discussion? The White House’s plans for targeted strikes on Houthi targets across Yemen. As any editor-in-chief will do, Goldberg broke the story, and officials including SECDEF Pete Hegseth have been facing no small amount of ire ever since. According to The Associated Press, a day before the bombs fell, the Department of Defense issued a warning about the vulnerability of Signal, saying that Russia in particular is working to compromise the popular messaging application. A leak of this magnitude underlines the importance of operational security or OPSEC, a matter W.O.E. recently commented on in an open letter to Vice President JD Vance questioning his use of an Apple Watch, an exploitable connected device: “As Vice President, nearly everything you say and do is of interest to foreign intelligence services (FIS). This includes not only strategic-level discussions with the President and National Security officials but also conversations with your wife, political donors, and college friends. While the Apple Watch has security features in place, you must operate under the assumption that it can be compromised and exploited." Unfortunately, there is no timepiece at the center of this particular story, but the leak does once enforce the age-old nautical adage that “loose lips sink ships”. Let’s keep Signal confined to NSFW memes and Rolex Watches and Wonders release speculation like the good old days. Jonny Kim - Navy SEAL, Medical Doctor, Astronaut, & Watch Collector? If you’re unaware of our pick for the real Captain America, Jonny Kim is a current NASA astronaut, former Navy SEAL, and a Harvard-trained physician. Born in 1984, Kim served with SEAL Team 3 as a medic, earning both a Silver Star and a Bronze Star (with a combat “V”) for valorous actions in Iraq. After his military service, he earned a degree in mathematics from the University of San Diego and later an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. In 2017, he was selected as a NASA astronaut and is currently training for Expedition 73, a long-duration mission to the International Space Station set to launch on 20 April. Kim’s career is a remarkable blend of military, medical, and space exploration achievements. But more importantly, he’s a watch nerd. In addition to having been photographed wearing a Rolex GMT-Master II, he has also been seen wearing the Omega Seamaster SEAL unit watch. I can’t think of anyone who embodies “Use Your Tools” more than Kim, and here’s hoping that one or both of these watches make their way into space on Kim’s wrist. If anyone knows how to get in touch with Jonny, let us know. We’d love to do a Dispatch about his life and watches. Finland’s PM Gives Volodymyr Zelensky A Watch Made From A Russian Tank Zelensky and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on 19 March. (Photo Credit: Jari Kovalainen / Yle) There is no shortage of W.O.E. content and watches continue to play a role in diplomacy. On 19 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received a unique gift from Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, a wrist watch with a case made from metal scrapped from a Russian tank. The watch, known as the CRTL-Z, was designed and manufactured by Finnish watchmaker Leo Winter under his brand, Rebuild Watch Company. Winter was able to connect with Ukrainian soldiers who provided armor plates from a destroyed Russian T-90 tank. The CRTL-Z from Rebuild Watch Company is made from a Russian T90 tank. Produced as a limited series of 55 pieces, Winter donates half of the proceeds, €3,750 per watch, to the Ukrainian Red Cross. Watch number one was given by Winter to the Finnish PM who later presented it to Zelensky through his people. Whether he’ll wear it or not is unclear, but Zelensky has been known to wear a TAG Heuer Calibre HEUER 01 Chronograph but seems to have gone watch-less since the Russian invasion began in 2022. Sometimes, watches are tools of communication more than telling time.   Newly Sworn-In FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino Wears A $100k Vacheron Constantin On 18 March, Dan Bongino, a former NYPD officer, US Secret Service agent, and media personality, was officially sworn in as the Deputy Director of the FBI by Director Kash Patel. We discussed Patel’s 46mm titanium Breitling Cockpit B50 in our look at the watches of the Trump Administration, but Bongino one-upped his boss on this day. During the swearing-in ceremony, Bongino left his Secret Service Breitling at home and wore what we assess with medium to high confidence to be a Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon, a watch that will set you back somewhere around $100k (in steel) if not more. In the business, we call this a big boy watch. Bongino’s new FBI salary, which some outlets report is $221k, pales in comparison to the estimated $4.9M he was making from Fox News in 2024, according to The Day and several other sources. Luckily, it appears Bongino showed up to his new job having already handled his watch shopping business. The Overseas is a legendary integrated bracelet sports watch with roots dating back to the Vacheron Constantin 222 unveiled in 1977. The fact that Bongino opted for the tourbillon version either means he deeply appreciates Swiss watchmaking and mechanical complications or perhaps just wants people to know he balls hard. Our guess is the latter. Stranded Astronauts Return To Earth Wilmore and Williams photographed onboard the ISS with Wimore’s Omega X-33 in view. In our August SITREP, we discussed two stranded US astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had to overstay their planned week-long space flight amid concerns about a troubled Boeing space capsule. We also noted Wilmore’s use of the Omega X-33, an analog-digital watch designed specifically by Omega for astronauts to use inside the International Space Station. Nine unplanned months later, on March 18th, Wilmore, his X-33, Williams, and her “good solid head of hair” were once again safely on Earth, having returned from the ISS on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Butch Wilmore wearing his Omega X-33 on 18 March after a very long space mission. In photographs from the astronauts’ return to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, we quickly noticed Wilmore was still wearing the X-33, a quartz-powered watch whose battery life could have been in question during the unplanned nine-month mission. This begs the question: Are mechanical watches more practical for space flight because of the possibility of unplanned lengthy delays like the one experienced by Wilmore and Williams? Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem LARPs With The Coast Guard & A Gold Rolex Daytona Not much needs to be said here, but during a recent visit by newly-minted Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to United States Coast Guard units in San Diego, we couldn’t help to notice what appears to be a yellow gold Rolex Daytona reference 126508 on her wrist. Not one to sit back and watch DHS’s only military organization in action, Noem suited up with Maritime Security Response Team West. Of note, Noem’s Rolex has also drawn a lot of attention during a recent visit to a prison in El Salvador. A former governor of South Dakota, Noem has been spotted wearing other Rolex models in the past, including a 41mm Datejust, but the $47k (at retail) 18k gold Daytona is on a different level. To be completely transparent, I wrote this part wanting to say something snarky, but Noem already looks more tactical than I ever did during my USCG service. It is what it is. Final Thoughts Every time we dig into another edition of the Watch Industry SITREP, we are once again reminded that the link between watches, espionage, the military, and national security is strong and getting stronger all the time. From a monumental US defense official Signal chat snafu to an astronaut wearing an Omega designed for space travel to a $100k Vacheron for the FBI’s Deputy Director to a gifted watch made from a Russian tank to the legend that is Jonny Kim and even the Secretary of Homeland Security clearing spaces with a fancy plate carrier and a gold Daytona, it’s been one hell of a SITREP. We’ll be back next month. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Watch Industry SITREP - February 2025

At Watches of Espionage, we don’t generally do watch reviews. The fact is that other platforms are better suited for this type of content. We will never become yet another outlet copying and pasting watch specifications and marketing language, but certain brands and models feel closer to our community than others and deserve a closer look. We’re big fans of the Tornek-Rayville/Mk II, so we wanted to shed some light on Mk II’s newest release, the Fulcrum 39. As always, nothing you see here is sponsored. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) We strongly believe in the Use Your Tools ethos, meaning that if we’re going to discuss a particular watch, we’ll be using it for its intended purpose. With that in mind, Ben, our resident expert in the maritime environment who previously put the Marathon GSAR collection to the test, is back with another diving review of Mk II’s latest release. We see this becoming a series and welcome your feedback. Is A $1,000 Watch From An American Microbrand A Worthy Successor To The Legendary Rolex Mil-Sub? By Benjamin Lowry  At around 70 feet deep somewhere off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, the colors of the coral reef are muted, presenting a blue-grey seascape that feels like a dated photograph. With modern diving equipment, a decent wetsuit, and a fancy diving computer on my right wrist, I am at ease in the 75-degree water. To quote Kincade (and Moneypenny) in Skyfall, “Sometimes the old ways are the best”, and I have elected to wear a leaky old-school oval mask and an analog dive watch for the occasion. (Photo Credit: Geoff Gerrits) Peering down at the new Fulcrum 39 from Mk II on my left wrist, I am reminded of the delta between the grizzled Royal Navy Clearance Divers of old—whose issued Rolex Mil-Subs served as the inspiration for the modern Fulcrum 39—and myself, a washed-up commercial diver turned watch writer currently puttering around a tropical reef. That important distinction aside, the best way to get to know a dive watch is to let it do its thing. In this Dispatch, I dive with the Fulcrum 39 in an attempt to unpack what it means to honor the legacy of a legend with a compelling modern watch capable of standing alone. The Rolex Mil-Sub Mo Crang, a Royal Navy Clearance Diver, wearing a Rolex Mil-Sub on its issued nylon strap. (Photo Credit: Tony Groom) To understand the Fulcrum 39, we’ll need at least a basic grasp of the watch that inspired its creation, the Rolex Military Submariner or Mil-Sub. While the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Tudor “Snowflake” Submariners used by the Marine Nationale and Omega’s British military-issued Seamaster 300 are all important players in the arena of military dive watches, many would argue that the Mil-Sub takes the undersea cake. Issued in as few as 1,200 examples, the British Military’s special version of the Rolex Submariner provides an almost perfect combination of enduring design, provenance, and utility. In November 2024, a Rolex Mil-Sub hammered for $240k at Christie’s, well beyond the means of most tool watch users. (Photo Credit: Christie’s) As is often the case with cool old things, collectors are well aware. The few surviving Mil-Subs are among the most valuable military watches today, with at least one example from 1974 hammering for $240k at Christie’s as recently as November of last year. Even if you have the money, it would be hard to argue that a vintage Mil-Sub is a great candidate for a modern Use Your Tools lifestyle. Sure, you could get a new Rolex Submariner, but you’re still talking about ten grand, and the watch today feels miles apart from its military-specific predecessor. So, if you appreciate the core design elements and utilitarian ethos of the Mil-Sub but want something reliable, modern, and (a lot) more attainable, what else is out there? Enter Mk II. What Is Mk II? There is a lot more to the Fulcrum 39 than an homage. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) Watch microbrands these days are a dime a dozen. To be clear, there are great microbrands I would argue are at the beating heart of the enthusiast community. But for every one of those, there are a thousand Kickstarter campaigns out there spewing $500 to $1500 watches that, for one reason or another, simply don’t have the sauce. Mk II, which was founded by Bill Yao back in 2002, is one of the OG microbrands and is replete with sauce. Though its beginnings were humble, mostly selling aftermarket parts for modifying Seikos, Mk II’s ethos quickly came together. It’s all in the name. “Mk” in military parlance means something like model, edition, or variant. So Mk II—which is pronounced “Mark Two”—denotes the second version or a reimagining of an existing piece of equipment. Are Mk II’s watches homages? By definition, yes, but there is more to the story here than a cheap San Martin Rolex knockoff on Amazon. The goal with a Mk II is never to fool your buddies into thinking you picked up a $250k auction piece, but rather to take some of history’s great tool watches—which are typically well out of reach anyway—and reimagine them with updated materials, manufacturing standards, and subtle aesthetic changes to create something new, aware of its past yet distinct. (Photo Credit: Geoff Gerrits) For the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Mk II has the Stingray. For the Benrus Type I, the Paradive. For the Omega Seamaster 300, the Project 300. And, for the Mil-Sub, Mk II unveiled the original 42mm Fulcrum back in 2013. Over the past couple of years, Yao’s spin-off brand, Tornek-Rayville, has captured much of the limelight with its TR-660, but recently, Mk II has circled back to the Fulcrum with a new 39mm variant aptly named the Fulcrum 39. The watch is intended as a modern American Mil-Sub, but how does it stack up? The Fulcrum 39 - A Modern American Mil-Sub? Put simply, for just under $1,000, the Fulcrum offers a lot to like. Measuring 39mm across and 14.1mm tall, including the domed sapphire crystal, the Fulcrum wears more or less like an old Tudor or Rolex Submariner, which is a good thing. The watch is also available on either rubber or nylon straps as well as the option of a stainless steel bracelet with screwed links and a NodeX clasp with a slick integrated micro-adjustment system. The clasp is cool but, unfortunately, doesn’t offer enough length to get over most diving suits. It’s probably not an issue for most, but I ain’t most. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) The matte black dial has printed indices coated with Super-LumiNova BGW9 that glows blue and relatively well. The overall format combines elements from a couple of different vintage Rolex Submariner dials, as well as the Mil-Sub’s signature sword hands, and is available with or without a date that falls into the 4:30 position if you go that route. The bezel is generally shaped like that of a vintage Rolex, rotating with solid action throughout its 120 clicks with edges that are so grippy they’re almost sharp. The crown is large at 7mm, signed, and screws down far enough to provide a lot of peace of mind, providing control of the non-date Miyota 90S5 on the inside. Both the case and bracelet are bead blasted, an effect that fits the utilitarian aesthetic this watch is after but won’t garner positive comments at your local watch meetup about the finishing. With the basics out of the way, let’s go diving. Diving With The Fulcrum 39 Despite the heavily domed crystal, underwater legibility with the Fulcrum was not an issue. (Photo Credit: Geoff Gerrits) Tumbling off the swim platform of our Florida Keys scuba boat, I kept half an eye on the Fulcrum as a watch nerd does. Before descending, I set the bezel to serve as an almost certainly unnecessary backup to my Garmin Mk3i diving computer. Though I was digging the bracelet, I had to swap over to a nylon strap to fit the watch over my 4/3mm wetsuit, opting for a Five Eye paired with a Submersible Wrist Compass. In the water, the contrast between the dial, indices, and handset made for impressive legibility, a factor aided by the use of anti-reflective material on the underside of the crystal that appears blue, a polarizing feature for some but not something I mind. The bezel was also easy to rotate, and I used it to time my three-minute safety stop at the tail end of the dive. Testing a dive watch in South Florida is not a rough life. (Photo Credit: Geoff Gerrits) As great dive watch designs often do, the Fulcrum faded into the background of my subconscious mind in the water. Everything worked as intended, and my dive time was determined at a glance without giving the watch itself a second thought. As I am sure someone will correctly point out in the comments, most modern divers don’t use analog dive watches. However, despite all of my modern equipment, the Mk II watch on my wrist was still a tool, as capable in 2025 as it would have been decades ago. Awkwardly climbing the ladder, I pondered the idea that most of the key elements of the Fulcrum’s design come from Rolex, not Mk II. But it is Mk II that has packaged the whole thing in a modern way that many can afford and appreciate, providing a legitimate inroad to an important design format without feeling like a copy. It’s a difficult balance but also an important conversation to have. Final Thoughts After dealing with the leaky old-school mask for one dive, it was time for something more modern. The Fulcrum didn’t seem to care what was thrown at it. (Photo Credit: Geoff Gerrits) This shouldn’t come as a shock, but despite its visual similarities, the Fulcrum 39 from Mk II is not a Rolex Mil-Sub. I would argue that it isn’t trying to be. The Fulcrum is instead a modern take on the codes established by the Mil-Sub, updated and upgraded to suit the needs of modern divers and military members. At least for me, the line between homage and copy is nuanced but has a lot to do with the level of respect and thought going into any new design meant to reference another existing watch.Rather than the end of the story, the OG Mil-Sub was the starting point in the Fulcrum 39’s design, before going through Bill Yao’s famously exacting process, with each element and aspect carefully weighed, measured, and distilled for maximum utility and an overall look that’s cleaner than your grandma’s kitchen. Still, the Fulcrum 39 isn’t perfect. The clasp doesn’t extend enough for many wetsuits, the finishing is just ok, the lume’s performance is good but not great, and some will take issue with the price point compared to the Japanese movement on the inside. Though, that last point is probably moot, as the initial run sold out in minutes. (Photo Credit: Brock Stevens) It’s not for everyone, but as I said, the Fulcrum 39 still offers a lot to like, truly feeling like what an “American Mil-Sub” might be if there were such a thing, with great strap and bracelet options, a near perfect fit for most, excellent attention to detail with things like alignment, and an ethos I can get behind. It’s not the thing, and it was never intended to be. It’s a second coming of the thing: a riff on an existing idea, carefully juxtaposed against what works and what people want today. In a sea of 1:1 “heritage-inspired” watches, the Fulcrum 39 balances old and new in a way I can get behind while also honoring the W.O.E. community in the process. If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our weekly free newsletter for further updates HERE. Read Next: Diving With The Marathon Search and Rescue