Watches of Espionage

Despite what you think you know about jolly old St. Nick, Santa Claus is one of the OG spymasters. This week in the Dispatch, we discuss Santa’s role in global espionage while also recommending a few timepieces providing legitimate utility to Father Christmas on the big night. Click here to read the complete Dispatch: https://lnkd.in/gpYddM4x At W.O.E., we often cover serious topics. But this is a reminder that we do not take ourselves too seriously and the passion for timepieces is meant to be fun. If you are an Ebenezer Scrooge, stay tuned. We will be back to our regular programming next week. Happy Holidays, - W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

Vintage Rolex Christmas Advertisement, World War II - 1942 An allied soldier stands watch, checking his timepiece as he looks out into the ocean, sky, or FLOT. The message is just as relevant today as it was back then: “There’ll always be a Christmas - From the dawn of Christian civilization down through the ages, to this moment when hatred again has split the world asunder, neither latitude nor longitude, not time or place, has dimmed the glory and the spirit of this day. More significant than ever is the symbol of giving which ancients and moderns have observed in commemoration, and at this Yuletide, when the future is vague but faith and hope are strong, no gift can be more significant of courage and trust, then the priceless gift of time by Rolex.” Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! Original image product of Rolex, sourced through Rolex Magazine website, which has a great inventory of Christmas-related vintage advertisements. -W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

New on the W.O.E. Dispatch, we're back with part two of our CIA Case Officer's Book Shelf series, this time taking a closer look at books about CIA and general espionage. Click here to read the complete Dispatch: https://lnkd.in/gt-sZ6GS One of the most common requests we receive is for a reading list on intelligence, special operations, and national security. While this is somewhat outside our scope of Watches of Espionage, we are encouraged by this question because it demonstrates a desire to learn more about impactful topics within our community. With that in mind, I took a hard look at my library and queried other friends about their favorite books on the CIA and the world of intelligence to create an incomplete but workable list. If you're looking to learn more about espionage, the Agency, and some of the incredible acts of intelligence officers during the last few decades, this list is a great place to start. If you have other book CIA/Intelligence book recommendations, be sure to drop them in the comments. Also, shoutout to some of the authors covered in our list: Kai Bird, Bob Wallace, James Olson, Enrique "Ric" Prado, David Priess, Ted Gup, Fred Burton, Samuel Katz, Douglas London, Liza Mundy, Jack Devine, Ronald Kessler, and anyone else who isn't on LinkedIn.

Watches of a Rebel Leader Turned Statesman: When Abu Mohammed al-Jolani marched on Damascus, he wore a black acrylic/plastic Digital Tool Watch. It likely didn't have Bluetooth/wifi, since he's not an idiot. The black D.T.W. matched the persona and military fatigues, an ideal watch for a rebel leader. When he overthrew the Assad regime, he ditched the D.T.W. and replaced it with a stainless steel Seiko Kinetic Quartz SRN045P1. The fatigues were replaced with slacks and a blazer as he attempted to transition from a rebel leader to a respectable statesman as he greeted visitors and diplomats. It's not expensive but is also not out of place in his new role as he seeks international legitimacy. In intelligence and national security, a watch is a tool. In this case, it is a tool to telegraph a persona. -W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

In this week’s Dispatch, we share our takeaways from visiting Tudor, Omega, Breitling, and IWC in Switzerland. All brands with close ties to our community, we had the amazing opportunity to sit down with CEOs, watch designers/watchmakers, suits, and most relevant to W.O.E., the individuals that run each brand’s Unit Watch programs. If you’re looking for the average watch media fluff session after a luxurious brand visit and a few glasses of champagne, this ain’t it. Click here to read the complete Dispatch: https://lnkd.in/gyKXHERN Enjoy the read, W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

As we move into the holiday season, we have a special treat for you: a look at Christmas movies and tactical watches. This is a fun one and a clear sign that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Tradition matters at Watches of Espionage. It’s what builds culture and forms the pillars of our community. During the holiday season, tradition means appreciating the cinematic masterpiece that is Die Hard as well as Home Alone and other Christmas classics. As always, watches are the lens through which we view everything from historical events to films. As it happens, some of our favorite holiday films also prominently feature watches that are significant in our community. Click here to watch the video: https://lnkd.in/gEskVRTY In our new video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel, we stay true to our roots, exploring these iconic holiday films in the way we know best, through the lens of national security and—of course—the watches worn on screen. Enjoy episode nine of W.O.E. TV. Happy Hunting, -W.O.E.

TOF FUNDRAISER: 15% of all proceeds from the W.O.E. Shop will be donated to Third Option Foundation between now and when we close for the holidays (Saturday night, 14 December). TOF is a non-profit organization that supports paramilitary operators and families of the CIA's Special Activities Center. To date, we have raised over $40k for TOF, and I look forward to making one more donation before the holidays. Even better, please consider donating directly to Third Option Foundation through their website and look into the organization and their work. Click here to donate to Third Option Foundation: https://lnkd.in/d6yHZ_xM Thank you so much for the support. This has been a huge year for us and we plan to keep going next year. More to come. -W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

FBI Director Christopher Wray has indicated he will resign in January, three years short of his 10-year term. "After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the Bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current Administration in January and then step down.” We have previously covered Wray’s Rolex Turn-O-Graph; however, he is pictured here in 2021 wearing a PVD 43mm Bremont Watch Company U-2. Bremont has a long history in mil/IC/LE, and we have covered its military programs extensively. The brand has been a leader in the unit watch space over the past few years and has made watches for some of our most elite units. I believe this is a standard U-2 vs. unit watch but please correct me if I’m wrong. -W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

This week in the W.O.E. Dispatch, we explore the use of wrist compasses in operational scenarios including the W.C.C. compasses utilized by US Navy SEALs and MACV-SOG in Vietnam to present-day Special Operations Forces. Click here to read the complete Dispatch: https://lnkd.in/g2saHM9M Often overshadowed by the watches they accompany, wrist compasses are useful tools favored by divers and special operators, backed by an intriguing history that stretches from the 1960s until today. Like watches, wrist compasses have become ingrained in the culture of SpecOps, divers, and the military. This heritage led us to develop the W.O.E. Submersible Wrist Compass, a custom tool designed for the unique needs of our community. Enjoy the read, W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools

The Assad regime in Syria has officially come to an end as President Bashar al-Assad and his family fled to Moscow as rebels took Damascus. In addition to being brutal dictators, the Assad family are/were watch nerds. Bashar’s father Hafez Al-Assad commissioned a series of Rolex references in the 70s-80s with a red Arabic script signature on the dial. The known references include GMTs (1675), Explorer II (Polar 16550), Sea-Dweller (1665) and Submariners (1680/5513). I would be lying if I said I didn’t want one. So what happens next? I have been surprised by the optimism on the news. In my experience, these things rarely end well. Like the abused child who risks becoming an abusive parent, the oppressed often become the oppressors. Like most intelligence officers, when I smell flowers, I look for a coffin. I expect it to be a rocky road. My thoughts are with the Syrian people. I’ve been fortunate to walk the streets of Damascus and the fields East of the Euphrates. A rich culture and a people that have suffered much. -W.O.E. #watchesofespionage #useyourtools