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04/14/2026

The Watches of Artemis II (Dispatch Live- Updated)

On Friday evening, Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, quickly recovered by a team of US Navy Divers.

As the astronauts emerged, they wore notable watches from Breitling and Omega, a testament to the pervading utility and heritage of timepieces in space exploration.

This week, we discuss the watches worn by the Artemis II astronauts who are continuing mankind’s legacy of lunar exploration.

Whether it’s Breitling’s new Cosmonaute Artemis II, which made its first public appearance on the wrist of Mission Commander Reid Wiseman, the reliable NASA-issued ana-digi Omega X-33, or the OG Speedmaster, for astronauts, a watch is never just a watch.

Special shoutout to who has been following this by the hour and received some details directly from CAPT Wiseman as to why exactly so many watches made the trip.

-W.O.E.

04/12/2026

W.O.E. Straps: We are not a watch strap company, but straps are a core part of how we build tools for the community.

From the Five Eyes to the Glomar Explorer and our premium Z.A. collaborations, each strap has a purpose, a story and a reason behind the design.

The secret sauce? We design these straps for us. If I wouldn’t wear it, it doesn’t get made.

Thank you for the support. We would not be able to grow and increase the quality and quantity of our content without it.

At the end of the day, I would much rather you read one of our articles or watch a video than acquire anything from the shop.

Happy hunting,

W.O.E. 

04/11/2026

Artemis II Recovery Team: Marathon Chronograph CSAR on wrist of US Navy Diver.

Last night, the crew of Artemis II safely returned from mankind’s first visit to the Moon in 53 years. As has been the case for astronauts throughout history, notable timepieces played a role, and we’ll have more on the watches worn by the astronauts soon…

When the Orion spacecraft splashed down into the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, the astronauts were plucked from the sea by US Navy Divers from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group ONE (EODGRU-1).

The day before splashdown, members of the U.S. Navy dive medical team tasked with the recovery trained onboard the USS John P. Murtha, with one diver wearing a seldom-seen Marathon 46mm Jumbo Diver/Pilot’s Automatic Chronograph, known more simply as the Chronograph Search and Rescue or CSAR.

Marathon has a long history with the US Military, and using a watch like this while recovering astronauts is further proof that a watch is never just a watch.

-W.O.E.

04/09/2026

Behind Enemy Lines: Rolex as an Escape and Evasion tool.

In June 1995, Air Force Captain Scott O’Grady’s F-16 was shot down by a Serb-controlled 2K12 Kub mobile surface-to-air missile while flying a routine combat air patrol.

In one of the few modern documented examples of E&E in hostile territory, O’Grady spent six days evading capture before his rescue by US Marines. The incident would later inspire the 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines, starring Owen Wilson.

O’Grady wore a “Pepsi” Rolex GMT-Master on his wrist, a gift from his father. However, O’Grady did not view the watch as a tool for escape, but as a motivation to push him to return home. O’Grady would later recall:

“I knew what would happen if I was captured. The Rolex would be gone in a wink . . . a nice little war souvenir for somebody. I was determined that would never happen. Nobody was going to capture me.”

It’s never just a watch.

The first pic was found by

-W.O.E.

04/08/2026

Ben Roberts-Smith, former Australian SAS, was arrested yesterday and charged with war crimes for alleged actions committed in Afghanistan in 2009/2012.

He has been described as Australia’s “most decorated soldier,” awarded the Victoria Cross, a rough equivalent of the Medal of Honor, for “most conspicuous gallantry” when he charged a T-ban position and neutralized the threat.

Pictured here wearing what is almost certainly an Australian SAS Omega Omega Seamaster Unit Watch with the SAS winged dagger over the outline of Australia.

The caseback, (from former SASR Andy White’s) is engraved with the member’s year of selection and his PMKEYS (regimental number). “Happy Wanderer” is the unit’s marching song.  In the third picture, he is wearing a Breitling Superocean Heritage (that could have an additional insignia at six?), and in the fourth, a Suunto Stinger, technically a diver computer.

-W.O.E.

04/07/2026

Watches as Intelligence & Diplomatic Currency: The 2024 CIA Gift Report (Dispatch Live)   The USG recently released its report on gifts given to federal employees in 2024, offering rare and detailed insight into how watches are used as tools of tradecraft by foreign governments. This list includes specific examples of watches gifted to CIA, DIA, and State Department officials.

This week, we unpack the watches included in the report, highlighting luxury models from brands like Rolex and Omega, as well as a few intriguing wildcards, like a unit watches and CWC “issue dive watch” given to a CIA officer.

The question is: do intelligence officers get to keep these gifted watches? As always, the answer is: it depends…

-W.O.E.
 

04/06/2026

Is Rolex or Omega the ultimate Bond watch?

This weekend we discussed what watch Bond would really wear, but the age old debate is really about Rolex vs Omega. I am genuinely curious to know the breakdown on what people think, so use the poll function to cast your vote.

To review:

Rolex’s history with James Bond traces back to Ian Fleming’s original novels, where 007 wore a Rolex, a tradition carried into early films until the 1990s. Fleming himself wore an Explorer 1016.

Omega’s history with James Bond began in 1995’s GoldenEye, when costume designer Lindy Hemming selected an Omega Seamaster to modernize the character, a choice that later evolved into one of the most influential product placement partnerships in cinema.  I am guessing this mostly depends on who you think of as the most iconic 007 and/or when you grew up. I will put my thoughts in the comments.  -W.O.E. 

04/04/2026

NEW VIDEO: Which Watch Would Bond Really Wear?

When it comes to Watches of Espionage, James Bond is the elephant in the room.

Sure, there is a significant gap between the realities of intelligence collection and Hollywood’s depiction, but 007 has had an indelible impact on watch culture within the Intelligence Community, and we know several real-world practitioners whose watch choices were influenced by the Omega and Rolex watches worn by Bond, James Bond.

However, we would argue that there’s a good chance a real “secret agent” using their license to kill on MI6’s behalf wouldn’t wear a luxury watch at all.

In this video, we’ll provide some of our top timepiece selections for a slightly more realistic 007, including picks from CWC, Tudor, Seiko, and Elliot Brand, along with a few wildcards you won’t see coming…

Enjoy episode forty-three of W.O.E. TV.

Happy Hunting,

-W.O.E.

04/02/2026

“Repping the W.O.E strap on my pelagos somewhere in africa” -Anonymous, tales from the DMs

I’m always humbled by guys out there using their tools.

This is our Commander Bond Five Eye strap, one of the most popular ones. Some even say it’s Ally.

-W.O.E.

04/01/2026

SPACE WATCHES- Omega and Breitling.

The Artemis II crew is set to launch tonight, and the watches of choice appear to be the NASA issued Speedmaster Professional X-33 Gen 2 and Breitling Cosmonaute, two brands and watches with deep space travel history.

I believe the Omega is the only currently issued NASA watch and the Breitling was used by astronaut Scott Carpenter in space in 1962.

Artemis II marks NASA’s first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era, sending astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a historic lunar flyby that signals humanity’s return to deep space and lays the foundation for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Photo Credit NASA-

Haters gon say it’s fake.

-W.O.E.

03/31/2026

The Watches of Fighter Pilots & Military Aviators - (Dispatch Live)

From the jungles of Vietnam to modern unit watches, dive watches often dominate our exploration of Watches of Espionage.

That said, military aviation has arguably had an equally significant impact on watch culture in our community and the greater watch industry.

This week, we shine a well-deserved light on the watches favored by military pilots, navigators, and aircrew.

From high above the battlefields of the Second World War to the skies over Iran, one constant in military aviation over the past century is the need for a capable timepiece.

-W.O.E.
 

03/29/2026

The Seiko 6309: The Most Iconic Military Watch?

Adopted by SEALs and special operations units in the late ’70s, the Seiko 6309 proved you didn’t need a Rolex or Tudor to get the job done. A brand that we have called the “Toyota of Watches,” Seiko is durable, legible, and affordable. The 6309 became the go-to dive watch for a generation of operators.

In a recent interview for W.O.E. TV former SEAL Dave Hall talks about the 6309 and its relationship with NSW.

-W.O.E.

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Richmond, VA
23173, 23218–23242, 23249–23250, 23255, 23260–23261, 23269, 23273–23274,

Website

http://www.watchesofespionage.com/

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