W.O.E. Single Pass Z.A. Straps. 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.”

by Cole Pennington A watch is just a watch–until we add meaning to it. Open up the Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, turn to the section on American warbirds and you’ll notice one plane is broken out under the heading “The P-51 Mustang: Perhaps the greatest fighter of them all”. The use of a superlative is a tricky claim to make when the pages are filled with the Mustang’s capable contemporaries like the Supermarine Spitfire, the Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero, and the P-47 Thunderbolt. But if you grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s, you knew that this book was the authority on military aircraft. If Rand McNally said it was the greatest fighter of them all, then it was. That one encyclopedia entry set the stage for a lifelong admiration of the P-51D. The plane came to represent more than just an exceptional piece of engineering; instead it became a symbol for the unbreakable American spirit and strength in the face of adversity. My fascination was bolstered by watching movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line and seeing the Mustang come through when it’s needed most. We often project these ideological values onto physical objects, I’m certainly guilty of it. In fact, the last thing James Kindelberger and Edgar Schmued were thinking about when they brought the Mustang to life was greatness. The plane was an answer to a proposal made by the British Purchasing Commission. It was a pragmatic solution to answer the growing needs of wartime. Like most mechanical objects I’ve grown to admire, it was born out of a need to get something done. It’s less art, and more tool. Ahead of a big move to another continent, my girlfriend arranged a flight on the legendary warbird to punctuate our time in America as we prepared to move to Europe. After all these years, I finally got to experience another dimension of the Mustang: the aerial capabilities that established its dominance during WWII. Suddenly it wasn’t all ethereal and philosophical. Six G’s makes you forget about all that stuff and focus on just keeping your head on straight. Man O'War, the P-51D I flew on, was first shipped to England during WWII but didn’t see any combat time. Later it found a home with the New Jersey National Guard. Today it rips through the skies of Palm Springs, CA, inspiring both those in the back seat and on the ground. Adding an emotional layer to an inanimate physical object isn’t just something that happens with planes, of course. On a much smaller scale, it happens with watches, too. For the Mustang ride, there was only one watch that made sense to wear, and it wasn’t a pairing I came up with. The legendary pilot Chuck Yeager started working with Rolex in 1946, but it was in the ‘80s that an advertisement featuring Yeager in front of a P-51D Mustang, wearing a GMT-Master II on his wrist was first published. That day, flying in the Mustang with my GMT-Master II on my own wrist, I finally figured out why both the Mustang and the Rolex had become ideological symbols of something much bigger and more powerful than the actual tools they are. There’s nothing greater than being inspired and reminded of what we’re capable of. We need heroes and legends to do that. Stories of this nature are the oldest form of currency. And sometimes it takes a watch or a plane to serve as a reminder of how much human ingenuity and perseverance we have within us. That’s what it’s really about.

In this week's Dispatch, we continue our exploration of the massive uptick in watch-related crime and discuss traveling with watches.  Africa Watch Loadout- Traveling with Watches See Part I, Criminal Rolex Gangs and Traveling with Watches In early 2022 I planned a return trip to Africa–a continent where I’ve spent much of my life and a place where I feel at home. Like most things in the life of a former CIA Case Officer, it was to be part pleasure, part work: a mix of business meetings, reconnecting with old friends and some time on safari in the bush. I planned to spend most of the trip in rural areas that were deemed safe by most standards, but would travel through Johannesburg and Nairobi–two cities notorious for petty crime that can sometimes turn violent.  My view is that a relationship can be developed with seemingly inanimate objects through shared experience, and this particularly applies to watches. It wasn’t a question of if I would bring a watch, but which watches I was going to bring. This might seem risky because “Africa is dangerous.”  Despite the ignorance of generalizing a continent of 54 diverse countries, there is some truth to this statement. As we explored in Part I, watch-related crime has skyrocketed globally over the past few years and traveling anywhere with a luxury watch requires certain considerations. That said, I believe many parts of Africa are safer for watch aficionados than London, New York or Paris. Decades from now when I’m telling my grandchildren stories about my watch collection, I would rather tell them that their grandfather’s watch was stolen at a bar in Maputo instead of admitting that the watch sat in a safe for 30 years and remains in pristine condition. Watches are tools. I am willing to risk the potential loss or damage to use them for their intended purpose. W.O.E.’s Personal Rolex GMT 16710, Photo James Rupley Rolex GMT- The Case Officer’s Watch: Had it been 2019, I would have brought my Rolex GMT-Master II, an early 2000s black and red “Coke” ref 16710. For years, I have said 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 ideal Case Officer has been described as a “Ph.D. that can win a bar fight,” and I have always envisioned this persona wearing a Rolex GMT.  (Full disclosure, I don't have a Ph.D, and during my last bar fight–which was more than a few years ago–I was likely wearing a Breitling.) When hopping time zones, the quick-change date and GMT functionality are useful for confirming the time back home, and a simple wrist check is easier than pulling out a phone. The watch also captures the nostalgia of the romanticized vision of the Rolex GMT, originally developed in the 1950s for commercial Pan Am pilots. While all my watches are insured, I still questioned the wisdom of traveling to Africa with a watch worth significantly over $10,000 and engineered by one of the world’s most well-known brands, Montres Rolex SA. I’ve heard that one of the tests for Rolex models is that all designs must be recognizable from 20 feet away. While I am not privy to Rolex internal company practices, this feature seems to be accurate in the real world. A semi-trained eye can recognize a Rolex from across the room in a dimly lit bar, and thanks to social media (See Part I), in 2022, semi-trained eyes are all over the place. A criminal call out scanning the arrivals hall at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport could do the same, immediately pegging the Rolex wearer as a potential target.  Sure, in an emergency, I could potentially trade the Rolex for a plane ticket, ride to the airport or facilitate a border crossing, but at a certain point the watch is more likely to get you in a bad situation than out of one.  It is a liability, not an asset.  The Rolex was out. Affordable Watches: The logical decision–the “school solution”-- was to travel with one watch, something that would not draw attention and be durable enough to make it through any expected or unexpected adventure. It needed to be waterproof to a certain extent so that I would not have to take it off for a dip in the ocean or hotel pool, something that I could keep on my body at all times. An automatic movement mitigated the possibility of battery failure–something that always seems to happen at the worst time, i.e. day 2 of a 3 week trip. It had to be replaceable, from both a monetary standpoint but also from a sentimental point of view. Insurance solved the former, but the latter ruled out some watches that could not be replaced, such as a Jordanian Breitling Aerospace–a gift from the King of Jordan. Affordable Seiko, Photo James Rupley Something like a sub-$500 Seiko 5 Sports would satisfy these requirements and provide a great travel companion for any scenario. That said, I wanted to step it up a notch and bring a couple of unique pieces for my journey.  The Decision: I posted the following picture on Instagram @watchesofespionage and solicited W.O.E.’s (then) 60,000 followers for advice. 462 comments contained everything from “Bring the Rolex” to “Leave them at home and wear a Casio.” These comments were indicative of the scenario: the correct answer is, “It depends.” In reality, I had already returned from Africa when I posted this pic. If you think a former Spook turned watch influencer posts his travel plans in advance, you’re smoking crack. The Load Out:   Ultimately, I decided to travel with two watches, one “formal” watch that could be worn with a suit and one “informal” watch for adventures in the bush– something perishable and under $1,000. Tudor Black Bay 58 in its element; sundowners in the bush, Botswana. Black Bay 58:  As a big proponent of Tudor, I believe The Shield produces the best modern luxury tool watches. I quickly decided that the Black Bay 58 (BB58) would make a great travel companion. It was in. The watch had traveled with me to a few countries but was still relatively new and I had no real emotional ties to it. A classic steel sports watch, it was tough and had many of the benefits of a Rolex but without any of the drawbacks, and could be easily replaced for under retail price if needed. The BB58 is a relatively simple watch and an homage to the Tudor Submariners of the 1960s, which had been worn by Special Operations units both in the United States and abroad. Two tools, CWC SBS and Toyota Landcruiser. CWC SBS: I had recently acquired a Cabot Watch Company (CWC) SBS with a Tritium Dial from the late 1990s. The SBS was originally developed for the British Special Boat Service (SBS) in the late 1980s and is still issued to select British units today.  The watch was designed to military specifications, with a quartz movement and day/date feature. As a bonus, unless you are a “watch-guy,” the CWC is unremarkable and unlikely to stand out in a local market or hotel lobby.  It was unnecessary to bring two watches on the trip but they complemented each other well. I found myself wearing the (more affordable) CWC and the day/date feature was generally useful for everything from filling out customs forms to reminding myself the day of the week in the time warp that is African bush. The CWC has fixed spring bars, so I brought several straps along and changed them out frequently and with ease. The Tudor–one of my favorite watches– paired nicely with the CWC, but with no date or GMT feature, it was less practical as a travel watch.  Original Brodinkee Meme making fun of W.O.E. I can already visualize the “first world problem” @Brodinkee memes about the difficulty concerning the decision of what luxury watches to bring to the developing world. But for someone who is truly passionate about timepieces as a hobby, this is what collecting is all about. Shared experiences with these inanimate objects are what brings them to life. When I left for Africa, these pieces had little to no sentimental value.   But now, as I reflect on these tools, I remember wiping the dust off the crystal of the CWC as I scanned the sky for the Cessna Caravan that was late to the remote dirt airstrip, standing on the edge of Victoria Falls with mist drenching the Tudor dive watch and striking up a conversation at the hotel bar with a former British military officer that started with “Is that a CWC?” I never felt unsafe or targeted for wearing a watch, and in hindsight, I could have brought my Rolex GMT; it would not have been an issue. In fact, traveling to parts of Africa with a luxury watch is likely safer than walking the streets of London, Miami or Barcelona. That said, there were a couple of times that I pulled down my sleeve to cover the watch, and once or twice, I took it off and put it in my front right pocket with my passport and wallet.  Overall, the trip was a success and my watch choices proved to be perfect.  The watches are tools, like my Emerson knife, Swarovski binoculars, or Palladium boots. They are an extension of my persona, and had one been stolen, misplaced or damaged, I would have recovered. The risk/reward balance was there.  I did find myself needing a better travel case, which ultimately resulted in the creation of the W.O.E. Travel Pouch. A few other necessities for travel to Africa. Looking back at my selection, I would have appreciated having a GMT feature on either the Tudor or CWC.  Tudor makes a Black Bay Pro that would have satisfied this requirement and there are a number of sub-$1,000 GMTs on the market, including a new Seiko 5 Sports GMT for $475. I guess it's time to buy another watch.   -- If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our free weekly newsletter for further updates HERE.    Read Part I, Criminal Rolex Gangs and Traveling with Watches This newsletter has been reviewed by the CIA’s Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

By Cole Pennington For this edition of the W.O.E. Dispatch, Cole takes us to Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Kim Il-Sung wore a gold Omega Constellation (Photo Credit: Britannica) Product of the North Korean Politburo: The Kim Il-Sung Omega Even if it were a possibility, I would not visit North Korea again today. I knew back in 2014 that it was most likely my first and last visit. I left having learned a powerful lesson: In every country, people are people, and governments are governments. One does not necessarily represent the other. For two weeks I traveled around the hermit nation in search of a North Korean-produced Moranbong watch, and during my travels I came across many wonderful folks just like you and me – but the shadow the Kim regime casts on the North Korean layperson can skew our perception of the entire country. Much like the rest of the world, there are good people and bad people – and a particularly bad government – in North Korea.   And there’s a series of watches that perfectly encapsulates the complexities of the Hermit Kingdom – it’s the range of Omegas that the country’s founder, Kim Il-Sung, had produced in the late ‘70s bearing his signature on the dial. There are a number of examples, a Constellation ref. 166.0248, and a Seamaster that both feature Kim Il-Sung’s name in red Hangul characters at 12 or 6 o’clock positions. An Omega extract appearing on an enthusiast forum puts the production date of one known example at 1978: Extract from the Omega Archives (Photo Credit: Omega Forums/eBay) The watches served as gifts both internally and externally. High ranking North Korean officials were recognized and presented with the watches, as well as visiting foreign state officials. Like we’ve discussed here at W.O.E. before, watches, in the political context, are used as tools to build alliances and gain trust just as much as they are used as tools to tell time.   Former Director of CIA and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited North Korea several times (Photo Credit: State Department)  I’ve never actually seen one of these watches in person. The closest I came was in the hotel bar at the infamous Koryo Hotel when I was actually searching for another watch, a Moranbong. I wasn’t expecting to hear about the Omega, but an encounter led to a primary source confirming that these watches were indeed awarded for service to the regime. Coupled with an Omega extract dating the watch to 1978, it’s enough to piece together the significance of the watch. In a HODINKEE Magazine piece earlier this year I chronicled the search for the Moranbong that ended up demystifying the origins of the Kim Il-Sung Omega. From the piece: Cole wearing an Omega Seamaster ref. 2531.80.00 in Pyongyang, North Korea  (Photo Credit: Cole Pennington, 2014) One of the last stops on the tour of North Korea was Koryo Hotel Lobby Bar. The Koryo Hotel is a popular spot for foregin tourists to stay while in Pyongyang, and since the number of places that foreigners are cleared to travel to is so limited, the Koryo Hotel acts as a funnel for all Westerners. And with the Westerners, of course, come their minders. King’s friend sat down at our table. I never got his name, but he had just chaperoned a group of European tourists to the bar and was grabbing a quick drink and catching up with his minder buddy. After a brief introduction, King asked his buddy if he could find a Moranbong watch. He paused, built up the tension, and then said “no.” It’s been almost a decade, but I remember the conversation going something like this: “But –” he said with a smile, “I do have something you might be interested in. It’s a watch, but it’s not a Moranbong. It was given to my father as a gift, and he passed it on to me.” “So what is it?” I asked. “An Omega. And it was given to my father by the Supreme Leader. It’s one of my most prized possessions. It has the Supreme Leader’s signature on the dial.” Cole in Moranbong Park, Pyongyang. (Photo Credit: Cole Pennington, 2014) Like their banking system, Swiss diplomacy – and watchmaking – work in mysterious ways. “Want to buy it?” He laughed as he was asking me. I couldn’t tell if he was kidding. I wouldn’t buy it anyway, but hearing about the Omega was enough. I had read about Omega Constellations made for Kim Il-sung, and this anecdote was enough to confirm their backstory I learned about online. I didn’t find the Moranbong, but I did find a little nugget of knowledge that satisfied my horological curiosity.  Propaganda is all around the Hermit Kingdom. It takes the place of advertising in the Western World, except here it’s often selling the North Korean idea of Juche, or extreme self-reliance.  (Photo Credit: Cole Pennington, 2014) What I find most fascinating about the watch actually has nothing to do with the watch itself–it has to do with the strange space it occupies inside the tension of Western conspicuous consumption and the Marxist–Leninist foundations of Juche, the state ideology of North Korea. On the streets of Pyongyang you’ll find Audis and Hummers driving on roads filled with state-produced billboards decrying capitalism. The existence of an Omega produced for high-ranking officials underscores the massive divide between those directly tied to the regime and profiting greatly from the regime’s illicit activities and the laypeople, who most of the time don’t wear a watch, but when they do, it’s a Seiko or Chinese-produced quartz piece.  The nation’s current ruler, Kim Jong-Un, has demonstrated a taste for luxury timepieces, a tradition that goes back to his grandfather’s state-sponsored Omegas. Swiss educated Kim Jong-un wears a IWC Portofino Automatic, a topic for a future W.O.E. Dispatch (Photo Credit Reuters)  A Note From W.O.E.:  North Korean Intelligence Services represent a significant counterintelligence and even physical threat to its adversaries. While it is tempting to write off the capabilities of the “hermit kingdom,” DPRK has demonstrated it has a long arm, most notably with the assassination of the dear leaders half-brother, Kim Jong-nam using nerve agent VX at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February 2013. While scores of Americans and Europeans have traveled to and successfully returned from visits to North Korea, a cultural excursion to Pyongyang is not without risk. In January 2016, Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia was arrested for “subversion” after reportedly attempting to remove a propaganda poster at his hotel. After a series of negotiations, Warmbier was released to the United States in a comatose state June 2017 and ultimately succumbed to what is reported to have been botulism developed during his captivity. Further Reading: Becoming Kim Jong Un: A Former CIA Officer's Insights into North Korea's Enigmatic Young Dictator The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un