Customizing my dream watch, the W.O.E. PVD Pelagos FXD When Tudor released the Black Pelagos FXD last year, I instantly knew I wanted one to land in my collection.  Watches of Espionage is vehemently brand agnostic, but we have a special respect for Tudor, given the brand's seven-plus decade relationship with our community.  The FXD platform is the latest manifestation of this particular relationship. It’s the only modern “luxury” watch that was developed for not one, but two, modern SpecOps units. And I don’t mean a special edition made for a specific unit–the entire design, and every design decision, of the FXD stems from a particular use case in the SpecOps world.  That said, I already had the blue French “Commando Hubert” version. Was it prudent to want the same watch, just in black?   Of course. This whole passion is irrational anyway.  But if I was going to go for this watch, I wanted to do something different with it.  Over the past six months, I worked with several craftsmen to customize the FXD to make it mine, a poor man's “pièce unique”. The first thing we did was PVD’d the titanium fixed spring bar case resulting in a striking black-on-black look. This of course involves taking the whole case apart and PVDing each element, including the bezel. The PVD also has a mostly matte finish, so it matches the ceramic bezel insert well. Even though this was going to be mine, I wanted to maintain a standard that could have come from the factory. And since the caseback is sterile from the factory, we topped it off by engraving a W.O.E. insignia. Every watch has meaning, and this one commemorates the establishment of W.O.E. as a community, an accomplishment I never set out to achieve. The last step was designing a new handmade strap with our friends at Zulu Alpha, the W.O.E.-ZA 4.0 (available HERE).  That’s an overview of the watch; now I’ll get into the thought process behind each detail and my philosophy behind modifying this particular piece.  The W.O.E. FXD The W.O.E. FXD (if I can be vain enough to call it that) is a homage, a term that may conjure images of Seikos modified to look like Rolex – something that I am personally not a fan of.  But it’s an homage in the true sense of the word, specifically to the SpecOps who modified their Tudor MilSubs for operational use. One popular narrative is that the Orfina Porsche Design Chronograph I was the first PVD watch. However, SpecOps personnel modified their Swiss tool watches long before that.  Most notably, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Shayetet 13 (S-13) frogmen darkened their issued Tudor Submariner 7928 in the late 1960s, crudely painting them black to prevent glare and reflection of the steel cases.  For Special Operations personnel, and particularly those in a maritime environment, the glint of a watch during an operation could have lethal consequences.  The watches were tools, and they were modified to carry out their job effectively.  While it’s nearly impossible to trace the lineage of PVD watches for every brand, military applications likely had a direct impact on this development of all PVD watches. In fact, Rolex's only known “black” dive watch was a one-off blacked out version of the MilSub Ref. 5513 for the South African Special Forces.  While Rolex didn’t roll out PVD in a commercial capacity, its sister brand, Tudor, would go on to produce PVD watches in later years, whether directly influenced by the S-13 and other military units we can only speculate.  But heritage matters; it informs every decision a brand makes. PVD: StealthMaxx DLC Finish Recalling that our friend Cole Pennington PVD’d an Arabic Seiko for a Hodinkee Magazine article, I contacted Jack at International Watch Works, a family-owned business.  When asked about the feasibility of PVD’ing the titanium case, he said it was not a problem; he had in fact just completed PVD’ing a blue Marine Nationale FXD (which turned out to be for Tom Place, a stuntman searching for his long-lost Rolex at the bottom of a lake).  The process was relatively simple.  Jack disassembled the watch and coated every bit of titanium, leaving the dial assembly and ceramic bezel insert to the side.  “PVD” is an abbreviation for Physical Vapor Deposition. It’s a process, not necessarily a coating. A solid material is selected, in this case diamond like carbon (DLC), to coat a base metal or substrate surface. That material is vaporized and deposited on the base or substrate material, bonding molecularly with the base material. The PVD/DLC coating is so fine that the serial numbers and factory engravings on the caseback are still visible even after the coating. It’s only microns thick; it’s not thick enough to obscure the characteristics of the case. Having worn the watch daily and with a lot of time in the pool and ocean, I have noticed no wear or abrasion on the coating, although I wouldn’t necessarily view scars as a bad thing.  During our conversation, Jack informed me that he has PVD’d watches for SpecOps personnel for years, which comes as no surprise given his location in North Carolina. Engraving: Always Read the Caseback The W.O.E. insignia signifies a very deep meaning for many in our community, with influence from the spearhead worn by our predecessors in the WWII-era Office of Strategic Services (OSS) as well as modern day intel and SpecOps units.  Today, this insignia has become an important part of my life. It’s a source of pride that I don’t share with many.  The caseback engraving is covered by the strap and that’s just how I like it. It's not for you, it’s for me.  The deep diamond tip engraving through the PVD into the titanium creates a more substantial profile and a stark contrast to the black case. It’s bold. Looking at it, it’s easy to see how much meaning comes with it.  W.O.E. - Zulu Alpha 4.0 Strap As a “fixed” springbar case, the Pelagos FXD is often called a “strap monster”-- a term so overused it’s become meaningless. Yes, any 22mm strap will work on the watch, but it’s really about finding the right strap. With a customization like this, I wanted to ensure the strap was the perfect match–subtle enough not to overshadow the watch. So I reached out to our friends at UK-based and veteran owned Zulu Alpha Straps to create a unique design that honored our ethos as a community and tapped into the traditions of those who came before us.  The result is an understated olive allied green strap with a discreet W.O.E. spearhead-only insignia applied between the strap keepers, which is covered up when worn. Again, it’s not about showing the insignia. Like the caseback, it’s obscured when the watch is worn.  The development of this strap coincided with Zulu Alpha’s latest iteration of the “OTAN” strap and significant performance enhancements.  To promote longevity, the strap has a narrower tang, round holes, and a slightly shorter length at 30 cm.  The “patch” was adhered directly to the strap with a new technology developed by ZA, resulting in a OEM feel.  While we never planned to commercialize this version, we knew we would receive many requests, so this is dubbed, the W.O.E.-ZA 4.0. Photo Credit: Rob / @rw_m100 Dial Modification I have considered customizing the dial with a red W.O.E. at 6 o’clock.  That said, this would require a complete dial refinish.  While the watch is striking to those who know the FXD, when worn it's a more subtle customization as there are no visible insignias.  Discretion is a prized attribute in our field, if you know, you know is the way. Controversy of Watch Customization Customizing watches is a major point of contention in the collecting community, with many “purists” believing the watches should remain as they were originally designed.  Turning this upside-down, London-based George Bamford originally made a name for himself in the 2000s for customizing Rolex watches into unconventional designs, much to the chagrin of the Swiss luxury brands.   Bamford Watch modification (A Blog to Watch) However, times have changed, and Bamford has since been embraced by many watch houses and even has joint customizations programs with major brands including Zenith and Tag Heuer.  Further, “mod culture” as it’s known appears to have trickled into mainstream design and while the suits in Geneva would never admit it, the new Day-Date “emoji dial” is certainly reminiscent of a customized dial treatment than a traditional Rolex design.   Will we see a PVD FXD released from Tudor? Tudor’s playbook is simple.  It designs a watch, releases it to the masses and then iterates on that design with size, material, and color schemes.  This process has led some detractors to criticize the brand (Do we really need another Black Bay?)--but in the end, it works.  While selfishly I hope this remains one of the few “PVD FXDs,” it would be an easy win for Tudor to produce this design for the masses and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a version become available to the public in the coming years. A Few Thoughts To the uninitiated, this article may seem like a waste of time.  So, what, you painted your watch black?  Maybe. But it’s never just a watch.  When I look at this watch, I think of the people that made both it and W.O.E. a reality, and of all the times it’s been on my wrist.  No matter where this platform goes, it will always hold a special place because it is uniquely mine. There Are No Rules We are of the strong belief that there are no rules when it comes to timepieces.  If you want to polish your Rolex every few years to keep it looking shiny, do it.  If your dream is to modify your Patek to look like a Seiko, have fun.  If you want to put aftermarket diamonds on your AP to celebrate making it out of the trap, congratulations.   Don’t let conventional wisdom and outside pressure dictate how you enjoy this passion. Life’s too short to live in a box dictated by the watch industry suits or hype collectors pushing an agenda.  Have fun, use your tools, and don't take things too seriously.  -- If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our free weekly newsletter for further updates HERE.  Sincere appreciation to my dear friend and master of his craft James Rupley for capturing these pictures of the W.O.E. FXD and really bringing it to life for the community. Read Next: James Bond Should Wear a Rolex

“Unit watches” are at the heart of watch culture in the National Security community and closely tied to the idea of “Watches of Espionage.”  A unit watch is a timepiece that is customized by the manufacturer for members of a specific unit or organization inside the military.  Customizations can include the unit’s insignia or motto on the dial and/or an engraving on the caseback. 

The Shield Protects the Crown:  W.O.E. is a watch snob–or at least I was. For years, I looked down on Tudor as an inferior tool watch existing in the shadow of its big brother Rolex. I never understood why someone with a Rolex would purchase a Tudor.  After all, Tudor is a poor man's Rolex, or so I thought. Most haters are motivated by insecurity, but my views were simply shaped by ignorance. I didn’t know much about Tudor and was unaware of Tudor’s long standing relationship with the Intelligence and Special Operations communities, a personally relevant intersection.  I comfort myself by saying this ignorance was understandable as Tudor left the U.S. market in the 1990s and did not return until 2013.  But this excuse is weak at best for a former CIA officer who spent years overseas window shopping for watches in boutiques around the world. Tudor still existed in some capacity or another in the most unexpected markets. For instance, it never pulled out of China, and has been selling the Prince Date and Prince Date Day for almost half a century in select Eastern markets. These watches never made it to the US, even after Tudor returned in 2013. Retired Navy Adm. William McRaven wearing Tudor Pelagos. (Photo Credit: Mike Segar/Reuters) To be fair, when I worked at CIA, I was far from a watch nerd.  I did not read Hodinkee, watch Bark and Jack YouTube videos, or follow watch pages on Instagram. I loved watches and used them regularly, but my knowledge was entirely surface-level. My interests were driven by conversations with others, the appearance and feel of the watch on the wrist, and its practical utility.  I was either the purest or most superficial watch enthusiast on the planet, you decide. There’s a purity in knowing just enough to enjoy watches for what they are rather than deliberate over them.  Navy SEAL Philip "Moki" Martin issued Tudor Submariners (7928 - left) and (7016-right) (Photo Credit Hodinkee, James Stacey)  Like many who go on to a career at the tip of the spear, growing up I devoured books on National Security and Special Operations.  Prior to 9/11, much of that literature revolved around the Vietnam War and a handful of Cold War-era CIA memoirs.  Frequently referenced in these books were “Rolex watches.” While some of these were undoubtedly Rolex Submariners and GMTs purchased from the PX, in reality many of these were likely issued Tudor Submariners (7928 and others), understandably mistaken as Rolex since they had “CASE BY ROLEX GENEVA ORIGINAL OYSTER” engraved on the caseback, not to mention the Rolex crown in relief on the crown of the watch, or the Rolex logos engraved on the bracelet clasp. In fact, many of these watches were nearly identical to their Rolex counterparts except for the movement and dials. Moki Martin in Vietnam as a Navy Seal, Tudor 7928 on the wrist (Photo Credit: Moki Martin) Today, I have multiple Rolex watches in my collection and the watch industry connections to easily buy a new Rolex at retail (flex). But I elected to go with Tudor for two out of my last three watch purchases.  As discussed in “Ask W.O.E. Anything,” my ultimate grail is not a Rolex, but a military-issued Tudor Submariner. Last week, some of the world’s largest and most important watch brands released new timepieces during a trade show dubbed “Watches and Wonders” in Geneva, Switzerland.  Tudor made some significant headway including the release of Black Bay 54 and an updated Black Bay 41 with a striking red bezel, and more importantly some technological and cosmetic advancements that will permeate the entire collection in due time.  Newly released Tudor Black Bay 54 (Photo Credit: Tudor Product shot) We’ll leave the reviews of new references to the professional watch nerds, but we want to step back and provide our understanding of Tudor’s current position in the market and, perhaps more importantly, how it relates to our community. Tudor entered 2023 as the undisputed leader in the luxury tool watch space, with luxury watches crudely defined as watches costing over $2,500. I am and always will be a Rolex man with a particular interest in pre-ceramic sports watches, but Tudor is the future for tool watch enthusiasts. This is the way. Rolex- Jewelry or Tool Watch? Rolex Explorer II (Photo Credit: James Rupley) To understand this change, one must first understand how Tudor’s big brother, Rolex, has evolved over the previous two decades.  The late 2000s introduction of the ceramic bezel marked a turning point for the brand.  Since then, Rolex has trended towards a sleeker, more polished look. While enthusiasts will lament the good ole days and say Rolex has sold out, from a business perspective, this was clearly the right move.  A recent Morgan Stanley report concluded Rolex is the largest stakeholder in the Swiss watch industry, with an estimated 29% of total sales at retail. Over the subsequent 15 years, there has been a significant increase in demand for Rolex watches, which has resulted in models becoming near-unobtainable at retail prices. It’s simple, demand outstrips supply. Even if you are able to acquire one from an authorized dealer, the customer experience is less than satisfactory, with months of waiting on an opaque “list” kissing the ass of a sales associate.  With secondary prices at times twice retail, it is hard to justify the “use your tools” mentality while wearing a new Rolex GMT, which might be worth more than your car. We won't go as far as to say that a Rolex is a piece of jewelry rather than a tool watch; however, this widely held perception is understandable. Black Bay 58 on W.O.E. Jedburgh Strap (Photo Credit: James Rupley) Tudor- The Shield Protects the Crown In sharp contrast to Rolex, and by design, Tudor has returned to its roots.  In 1926, Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex’s founder, created Tudor as a more affordable alternative. Many international SpecOps and maritime units–including those from Argentina, the US, Israel, France, Canada, South Africa, and even Jamaica– adopted the Tudor Submariner as their tool of choice in the second half of the 20th Century.  Today, Tudor’s association with Rolex allows Tudor to embrace its tool watch heritage and compete with brands in the $3,000-$5,000 market. One only has to look at the logos to understand the relationship between the two brands. Tudor's logo is the shield, Rolex's is the crown. The crown is worn by kings, the shield is carried by soldiers. The "shield protects the crown" and the Warrior-King reps both.  Marine Nationale issued Tudor 9401 on French diver - mid-1970s (Photo Credit: Tudor/MN) Some say that “Tudor of today is what Rolex was in the mid-20th century,” but a more accurate statement would be that Tudor of today is what Tudor was in the mid-20th Century.  While other brands have capitalized on the latest trends (Tiffany blue everything?) and moved upmarket, Tudor has stuck to its roots: premium yet relatively “affordable” tool watches. Few luxury brands are more aligned with the ethos of W.O.E. and the belief that you should use your tools. Look at Tudor's marketing materials and you will see men and women on expeditions, deep sea dives, alpine climbs, and even Special Operations maritime units (guns obviously excluded). Dallas Alexander JTF2 Tudor Pelagos (Photo Credit: Shawn Ryan Show) Further, Tudor appears to quietly support “unit watches” for some of the most elite SpecOps units, including one that was recently shown on the wrist of a former Canadian JTF2 sniper, Dallas Alexander, during an interview on the Shawn Ryan Show.  These collaborations are even more meaningful as the predecessors of these units wore Tudor MilSubs (Tudors were issued to the Royal Canadian Navy). Many others have not been seen in the public domain, like this U.S. Secret Service Counter Assault Team (CAT) "HAWKEYE" Pelagos. U.S. Secret Service Counter Assault Team (CAT) call sign- HAWKEYE Unit Watch -Posted with approval from owner (Anonymous)  In sharp contrast to Rolex, I recently visited the Tudor boutique in New York and they had every reference available for sale, with the two exceptions of the FXD and the relatively-new Pelagos 39. It is sad that this is notable, but that is the reality of the watch market today. 2022 marked a historic moment for Tudor and we believe that the brand has entered 2023 as the undisputed leader in the luxury tool watch category.  Tudor’s 2022 releases of the Back Bay Pro and the sub-$3k Ranger with a strap was a gangster move and the encore of the near-perfect titanium Pelagos 39 was the finisher. Black Bay 58, Pelagos FXD, Pelagos 39 (Photo Credit: you already know) As a general practice, W.O.E. does not focus on watch reviews.  Mostly this is because the traditional watch media is better suited for analyzing new releases, movements, etc.  Often this is just regurgitating marketing material from the company and ultimately concluding that the watch should be “one millimeter smaller/larger” or some other minute change that would impact very few. That said, here is our analysis of what we believe are the top three “tool watches” produced by Tudor: the Pelagos 39, Pelagos (FXD/LHD), and the Black Bay 58. Pelagos/LHD/FXD- Apex Predator:  Jason Heaton - “In a sea of dive watches, the Tudor Pelagos is an apex predator.” Jason Heaton said it best, “the Pelagos and LHD are the apex predators of the Tudor dive watches, the best modern mechanical dive watches on the market.” Rated to 500 meters with a helium escape valve, a beefy 42mm case, a date window, a titanium bracelet with a patented extension system, and a complementary rubber strap with a wetsuit extension, the Pelagos is everything you need in a watch. The Pelagos is also offered in a left-hand configuration (LHD) and a purpose-designed FXD developed in partnership with the French SOF unit, the Commando Hubert, something we will dive into in a future Dispatch. Complaints: There aren't many.  The watch has a lot of entirely unnecessary features, but you could say the same about most tool watches and they do not take it overboard.  As a periodic resort diver, W.O.E. knows enough about the helium escape valve to know I will never need one. Also, 42 mm is larger than most present-day watches but it does wear smaller than the specs suggest. Black Bay Fifty Eight- a new classic: Black Bay 58 in the African Bush, 2022. (Photo Credit: W.O.E.) This is a classic legacy piece with not-so-subtle nods to Tudor's Big Crown Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner past with the lack of crown guards, red triangle on the bezel at 0/60, and gold accents, giving it an almost patinated look, but not overdone. An absolute staple in any collection whether you are a man or woman, a badass Navy SEAL Green Beret sniper, or a keyboard warrior.  Something that can be worn on the beach, in a boardroom, or even the African bush. Complaints: The faux riveted bracelet is a little much and drilled lug holes would be gangster. Pelagos 39 - a modern Tudor Submariner:  Pelagos 39- W.O.E.'s Personal (Photo Credit: Rupley) The P39 seemingly came out of nowhere and went on to become the undisputed 2022 dive watch champion.  While dubbed a smaller version of the 42mm Pelagos, in reality, this is more of a modernized titanium Tudor Submariner than a smaller Pelagos.  Titanium has a signature look and is reminiscent of tools that get used. The SR-71 Blackbird is one of them.  Of the three watches I purchased over the past year, this is what has been on my wrist the most.  Unfortunately, given the high demand, these are still incredibly hard to find due to limited allocations to each dealer, but we expect this to subside in the near future. Complaints:  The lume on the hands is faint; it is hard to understand how this passed the final Quality Control in Geneva and should be a simple fix.  The requirement to use the titanium end links with the rubber strap results in an odd look.  The 21mm lug-to-lug is completely unnecessary but hardly noticeable with a solid fabric strap (like the W.O.E.-ZA Single Pass). Would a date option be nice? Yes. Would a GMT hand be cool? For sure, but for the Pelagos 39, the functionality is in the simplicity.   20mm W.O.E.-ZA Strap on the 21mm Pelagos 39 (James Rupley) Final Thoughts: There are plenty of other great Tudors in the lineup, including the Black Bay Pro and the GMT which are both popular in the W.O.E. community and we encourage you to check them out.  While smaller than we generally prefer, the newly released Black Bay 54 is intriguing in its nod to the vintage 7922 and improvements from the BB58. Use this list as a starting point, but don’t let us influence your opinions.  Visit a nearby boutique and you can pretty much guarantee that they will have at least some models to try and take home that day if you so choose.  Sadly, in-store availability isn’t guaranteed, but that is the harsh reality of buying watches in 2023. Regardless of what you decide, get out there and use your tools.   -- If you enjoyed this article, please consider signing up for our free weekly newsletter for further updates HERE. This article has been reviewed by the CIA's Prepublication Classification Review Board to prevent the disclosure of classified information.   Read Next: The Pragmatic Journey Of A SEAL Through Watch Collecting  

By Benjamin Lowry One thousand yards of open ocean undulated gently between US Navy SEAL David Hall and the dim lights of the Haitian shoreline. Wearing little more than woodland cammies, a Boonie hat, and a modified hunting life jacket, Hall glanced at the luminescent display of his Luminox watch and slipped quietly into the temperate waters of the Caribbean Sea. While warm, the water was acrid, stinking of ammonia and decomposition. As he began finning, open fires burned suspiciously on the proposed invasion beaches, their faint glimmer visible in the eyes of the two other SEALs finning away to Hall’s right and left.  Hall and swim buddy, just before the Haiti operation. A fortuitous low-lying fog hung over the water at the insertion point, making their approach virtually undetectable. After a military coup in 1991 ousted Haiti’s first democratically-elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a Clinton-led United States initiated Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994, a military and diplomatic intervention intended to restore order and democracy to the embattled island nation. Hall’s US Navy SEAL Team EIGHT was tasked with conducting detailed reconnaissance of several Haitian beachheads to ensure the safe landing of an impending US Marine Corps invading force.  Approximately 200 yards in, Hall’s swim buddy became entangled on a submerged fishing net that was being pulled in by an unseen dugout canoe. Hall closed in to assist his struggling swim buddy, miraculously freeing him while remaining unseen by the two Haitians in the boat. Once freed, Hall and two other SEALs swam to chest-deep water before being surrounded by several dugouts manned by Haitian civilians tasked with locating and reporting exactly this type of activity. In the kind of pitch blackness only offered by the sea on a moonless foggy night, one of the enemy dugouts drifted close enough to sense the presence of Hall’s three-man element.  Thanks to four years of high school French, Hall understood well enough when one of the fishermen whispered, “Homme, qu’est-ce que tu fais dans l’eau?” (“Man, what are you doing in the water?”) in a lazy blend of French and Creole. Hearing the selector switches of his teammates' silenced MP5s click from “safe” to “fire” and feeling their backs move against his own, Hall remembered their orders. Anyone who discovered the SEALs or otherwise endangered the mission was to be killed as quietly as possible. After a painfully-long pause from both parties, the civilian fishermen thought better of the engagement and silently paddled into the night without another word, the rapidly beating hearts of the SEALs still in their throats.  It turns out Luminox Original Navy SEAL watches were actually worn by SEALs.  With around six years in the Teams, Hall had already deployed to the Mediterranean as well as the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Shield, but the brief Haitian conflict, and this near miss on a moonless Haitian beach, presented his first up-close taste of war. Throughout his initial SEAL training and qualification as well as thousands of training hours at SEAL Teams TWO and EIGHT, Hall crafted a visceral understanding of the relationship between mission success and having the right tool for the job. Watches were then and are now yet another essential tool, as important to the mission in many cases as an operator’s weapons. But for Hall, who quickly asked me to call him Dave when we met via Zoom, watches represent a lot more than that. I met Dave (@davehall1911) through my Instagram account, @SubmersibleWrist, when he reached out to share a few photos of his time in the Teams.  Afghanistan 2005, Casio Pathfinder on the wrist When W.O.E. asked me to write something for the Dispatch, I immediately thought of Dave. As one of the world’s least tactical people, I would never compare my resume to Dave’s, but my experiences as a search and rescue team leader in the US Coast Guard as well as my time as a commercial diver mean we share an intimate understanding of tool watches in the maritime environment. Setting aside his decorated 20-year career in Naval Special Warfare for a moment, Dave is a dyed-in-the-wool watch enthusiast just like the rest of us. The first “real” watch Dave remembers acquiring was a Citizen Aqualand C023 he purchased with carefully-pinched pennies from a summer lifeguarding job in northern Illinois. Looking back, the humble depth-gauge-enabled Citizen stands as the first installment in a tale of service, adventure, and armed conflict, punctuated by some of history's most iconic watches.  BUD/S And An Improbable Tudor “Snowflake” Submariner, Ref 9401 Hall’s Tudor “Snowflake” Submariner, Ref 9401, SEAL Trident, USN Mk II Kabar At BUD/S or Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 1987, Dave quickly made friends with a San Diego local and classmate. Dave’s friend, who would eventually serve as his dive buddy in what was then Third Phase, showed Dave around the area and also introduced him to his uncle, a dealer of military surplus. As graduation from one of the military’s most elite training programs loomed, Dave’s buddy’s uncle mentioned his recent purchase of 100 of the last of the West Coast Teams' issued Tudor Submariners in an unmarked cardboard box from a US Navy Defense Reutilization Marketing Office (DRMO) surplus auction. Thirty-three years later, Dave clearly remembers paying his friend’s uncle $300, no small sum for a junior enlisted sailor in 1988, for two of the well-worn Tudor Submariners, keeping one and gifting the other to a family member.  BUD/S Graduation 1988, Tudor Submariner on the wrist. Dave remembered seeing similar watches often worn with a brass W.C.C. survival compass on simple nylon straps on the wrists of legendary SEALs around BUD/S. One such operator who left an impression was RJ Thomas, a Vietnam SEAL who famously repelled two hundred VC fighters from his downed helicopter with an M1911 pistol, racking up 37 confirmed kills between 3 and a staggering 150 yards and injuring countless others.  Hall's Tudor Submariner along with a few other relics from the Vietnam Era. For a young Dave Hall, his “Snowflake” Submariner could not have been any cooler and synonymous with the legendary operators the fledgling frogman hoped to emulate. Dave wore the Tudor for his graduation from BUD/S and throughout his career for lighter duty and the types of ceremonies and events that call for a dress uniform. All these years later, Dave still has the watch and wears it alongside a brass W.C.C. compass on a simple nylon strap, just as God and the SEAL Teams intended.   Seiko Automatic Dive Watches, Stacks Of Casio G-Shocks, Pathfinders, & A Luminox  Hall graduating SEAL Sniper School with a handshake from legendary Marine Scout Sniper, Carlos Hathcock.  Seiko on the wrist. With the Rolex and Tudor Submariners of old all but phased out and either retained by crafty SEALs like Dave or sold at DRMO auctions, the SEAL Teams of the 80s and 90s issued a mix of Seiko automatic dive watches including the 6309 and later the 7002 as well as several generations of the venerable Casio G-Shock and Pathfinder. Dave remembers all of these utilitarian watches fondly, though he makes note of the sheer volume of G-Shock watches he went through in his career, often wearing one on his attack board and another on the wrist during combat dives. When the battery died or something failed, he simply tossed it and grabbed another from his unit’s supply officer. Hall dive training in 1991 in Scotland. Citizen Aqualand on the wrist. Along with the Citizen Aqualand of his youth, which he often wore operationally, Dave favored the utilitarian automatic Seiko divers of the era. Dave reached for his Seikos in situations that did not require the perfect stopwatch timing and self-illuminating capabilities offered by digital watches, opting for the legendary Japanese brand on the range, when parachuting, or for other land-based training evolutions.  Chesapeake, VA, Range training, 1995. Seiko on the wrist. For the nerds in the room, which I assume is all of you, Dave mentioned that the strap of the 90s East Coast SEAL Teams was a simple velcro model with a depth-compensating spring-loaded buckle that once accompanied a Tekna diving wrist compass. Despite the legendary status of Seiko and G-Shock within the Teams, when Dave made the aforementioned big swim into Haiti in ‘94, he was wearing the then-brand-new Luminox Original Navy SEAL he had privately purchased. And while enthusiasts may snicker at the often-corny Luminox Navy SEAL marketing, Dave remembers enjoying the brightness of the tritium illumination on that particular mission while admitting the watch was more fragile compared to the Seiko, Citizen & Casio models upon which he normally relied.  The OMEGA Seamaster Chronograph 2598.80  Hall's OMEGA Seamaster Chronograph. In 1996, Dave purchased his first luxury watch, an OMEGA Seamaster Chronograph reference 2598.80, in celebration of the birth of his first child. When asked, Dave indicates it was this very watch that he wore the most operationally, with hundreds of jumps, combat dives, and real-world combat missions and gun fights to its name. The Seamaster Chronograph of the era paired the iconic design language established by the Pierce Brosnan Bond Seamaster with its distinctive wave-engraved dial and added chronograph functionality by way of the robust but thick Valjoux 7750. Intriguingly, the watch made the first of two appearances by Dave’s watches in popular media, starring in the final scene of an episode of Navy SEALs: In Harms Way, a documentary series produced by Gordon Forbes for the Discovery Channel. And while Dave lists the OMEGA, now most often worn by his wife Tracey, as the number one operator watch of his career overall, the evolution of combat following the 9/11 terrorist attacks would call for new tactics and equipment, including a GPS-enabled Suunto Dave wore on a day of intense combat that would change his life. Freefall training in Spain, 1997.  Omega Seamaster Chronograph on the wrist. An Early Suunto GPS Watch & A Very Long Day In Baghdad In 2004, with the Global War On Terror (GWOT) in full effect, Dave was stationed at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO (SDVT-2). Envisioned in the Second World War, the modern SDV is a miniature wet submersible capable of deploying from ships or submarines and carrying small teams of US Navy SEALs far greater distances than even a Navy SEAL can swim. For a particular SDV mission upon which Dave opts not to elaborate, he and a few other SEALs were issued an early watersports-themed Suunto watch offering rudimentary but useful GPS functionality at the cost of needing regular recharging. Given the growing intensity of combat operations in Iraq’s major cities, experienced SEALs from SDVT-2 and elsewhere were often sent to augment other SEAL Teams deployed in the Middle East. Transitioning from 10 to 15-hour dives in shark-infested water to the heat, chaos, and urban combat of Baghdad’s streets is no small task but is the kind of thing a senior operator like Dave was accustomed to after 15 years in the Teams. On one particular mission, Dave and three other SEAL snipers were attached to a regular US Army unit and tasked with providing overwatch for an intersection known as a launch point for insurgent mortar teams. The mission seemed simple enough. When the insurgent mortar team showed up, the SEAL snipers would do what they do best from the relative safety of their urban hide.  Hall in Iraq before his injury. Note the Suunto GPS watch on the wrist. A few hours after being locked into the eighth floor of an urban high-rise by a sketchy local source, the team observed four insurgent pickups in the alleyway below loaded with RPGs and fifteen armed men clad in black. Soon after, a massive vehicle-borne improvised explosive device or VBIED exploded down the street, ripping the front of an Iraqi police station to shreds and igniting an intense, multi-stage ambush. With rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire erupting in every direction in the street below, Dave and his team made for the roof to bring the fight to the enemy and give the dozens of wounded Iraqi police officers at least a fighting chance of survival. A former instructor at Naval Special Warfare’s sniper school, Dave remembers engaging the enemy fighters from the rooftop along with the other SEALs and soldiers in their small element, doing enough damage for the insurgent force to switch its focus from the badly-damaged police station to killing Dave and his team. Impressively, despite their small numbers, the accuracy of the SEAL snipers and soldiers on Dave’s team kept an enormous insurgent force at bay for a tense two and a half hours. Eventually, an enterprising enemy fighter emerged from an adjacent rooftop and threw a perfectly-aimed Russian hand grenade into the midst of the SEALs and soldiers on the rooftop.  Baghdad, Iraq.  View from the Baghdad rooftop where Hall was injured. In a reflexive attempt to get clear of the explosion, Dave jumped in the general direction of a lower tier of the roof, barely missing a ladder on the way down. Landing awkwardly, Dave felt his right knee crumple under his body weight and a combat load of over 65 lbs of gear. Despite also hitting his head in the fall, the image of looking down and seeing the bottom of his dusty Merrell hiking boot looking up at him from his almost completely amputated lower leg is as clear for Dave today as it was in 2004. With several other members of the team also injured, including a soldier who had his foot completely severed, the team retreated under fire to the eighth floor. Dave vividly remembers crawling on his stomach over the roof using the wounded soldier’s blood like a slip and slide. Eventually making his way to a corner of the 8th floor, Dave put his back to the wall and covered the stairs, well and truly pissed and still in the fight. With the enemy well aware of the team’s position, RPG explosions rocked the seventh and eighth floor of the concrete building from all sides, piling concussive brain injuries one after another for Dave and his team in the enclosed space as the building filled with thick black smoke from burning enemy trucks. Dave’s Suunto was also still in the fight, something he remembers well because he checked the time often in the ensuing two-and-a-half hours before rescue ultimately came in the form of armored vehicles. Incredibly, after several surgeries and extensive physical therapy, Dave returned not only to the Teams but to war less than a year later to deploy to Afghanistan, ultimately retiring from a storied career in 2007.  Hall as a junior Team Guy, wearing a Citizen Aqualand. Dave’s history, which I have only begun to touch on in this abbreviated format, is truly incredible, spanning the breadth of the transition between the US Navy SEALs of the 70s, 80s, and 90s that were still heavily influenced by the Vietnam War and the development of the modern operator we associate with the SEALs of today. But what surprised me most about Dave was the total lack of ego and openness with which he approached the idea of talking to someone like me about his life, war, and watches.  Today, Dave remains deeply connected to the SEAL Teams and the special operations community at large, spending much of his time volunteering as the president of the Silent Warrior Foundation, a not-for-profit that provides funding for mental health services, emergency financial help, scholarships, and hyperbaric oxygen treatment for injuries that are often related to TBIs in particular.  Ian Brown (@tacshot1) wearing Dave's Tudor on the set of SEAL Team on Paramount Plus Traumatic brain injuries, which are often related to mental health issues and veteran suicides, are close to Dave’s heart. Thanks to one of his friends who works on the show, Dave’s focus on TBIs ultimately led to yet another appearance in film for one of Dave’s watches in a recent episode of SEAL Team in an episode dealing with TBI-related stigma in the SEAL community. In the episode, an old-timer frogman prominently wears Dave’s Tudor Submariner, an incredibly accurate move by the prop department and further evidence that beyond his laurels as an elite special operator, Dave is also a watch guy (almost) just like you and me. Just don’t ask him how much he wants for his Tudor Sub.  If you’d like to support Dave’s efforts with the Silent Warrior Foundation, please check out their website.  About The Author: Benjamin Lowry is a US Coast Guard veteran and commercial diver turned watch writer. These days, Ben splits his time between writing and video production in the watch industry and managing @SubmersibleWrist, a watch spotting account dedicated to military and commercial divers. Read Next: Espionage & Family: A Tale Of Two Watches

In preparation for the holidays, we provide the W.O.E. stamp of approval on the following products/companies/groups.   We have closed up “shop” for the year but will be back next year with leather straps, more W.O.E. Travel Pouches, a new coin and a few more exciting things in the works.  Please sign up for “Notify Me When Available” for anything that interests you. In the meantime, check out the following items as gifts for loved ones, friends or yourself. Watches: Arabic-Dial Seiko, SNKP21J1:  This has become the “W.O.E. hype watch.” In fact, it is attainable and can be purchased for a couple hundred dollars on Amazon or other online retailers. A great gift for a loved one. Tudor Ranger: 39mm simple field watch.  At approximately $3,000 depending on the configuration, this is a great affordable luxury tool watch.  Perfect if you are looking to splurge on a timepiece for a spouse, child or parent. CWC SBS DIVER ISSUE (QS120-DD): A great overall quartz tool watch with British Ministry of Defense heritage.  Available for £582.50. Wind Vintage: In the vintage watch world, Eric Wind is the OG.  Wind Vintage specializes in high-end timepieces (primarily watches before 1990 and above $15,000) and focuses on condition, condition, condition.  If you are looking to surprise W.O.E. with a Christmas present, please consider this Rolex “James Bond” / “Big Crown” Submariner reference 6538 with "Four-Line Dial.” The Grey NA.TO: TGN is a community of like-minded individuals who believe in using their tools.  Hosts Jason Heaton and James Stacey break down their love for adventure, their addiction to watches, and also discuss travel, diving, driving and gear.  A subscription to The Grey NA.TO includes a strap (grey, of course), stickers and access to additional content.  At $100 a year, a unique gift for someone who has everything. The Observer Collection:  Whisky Wallet.  Marine-turned-photographer/designer, Robert Spangle has some unique designs for everyday travel items.  The Whisky Wallet is a compact card wallet ideal in a dinner jacket. It owes much of its DNA to traditional Inrō containers and packs a slim expandable coin pocket. $200 Watchistry:  When it comes to Marine Nationale watches, Watchistry (literally) wrote the book.  He also has some great merchandise in his store, including the MN Enamel Mug. (Check out the books also) $19.00  Field Ethos Journal: The Everything Mug. It ain't cheap, but like most things in life, you get what you pay for.  “Your grandchildren will be drinking from it.” $150 Watch Straps:   When it comes to straps, we are the opposite of monogamous.  We are promiscuous.  In addition to our W.O.E. Zulu Alpha strap, W.O.E. will be releasing leather straps in 2023.  In the meantime, check out a few ones that we like to rock. Zulu Alpha: Beyond the W.O.E.-ZA Collaboration, ZA has a range of straps to check out. $50-$145 Zane's Handmade:  Handmade Horween leather straps crafted by a recent US Mil veteran.  $85-95 Soturi Design: Cordura Straps. Designed for living and built to last, the Victory strap is both rugged and refined. Inspired by Cordura’s military heritage, we chose this material as a nod to the fabric’s proven performance in many of the world’s toughest environments. $135 Saga Trading Co.-Peplor: Leather strap with raindrop camo pattern.  Strichtarn, or more commonly “raindrop camo” pattern, was adopted by East Germany in the mid- 1960s. Since then, it has seen use by Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, South Africa, and Uzbekistan. $155 Art: Bad Art Nice Watch:  Commission a piece on your favorite watch.  Check out the one he did for the Jordanian Breitling. King Kennedy Rugs: We have no idea who runs this company, but his rugs are incredible. Check out these “Vintage Rolex Hand Woven Rugs” rugs from Afghanistan. $325  Prairie Fire Art Company, "Resistance" WWII OSS Jedburgh Art Print:  In 1944, the Jedburgh teams of the American OSS and the British SOE (including French officers) dropped into Nazi- occupied Europe to organize, train and lead into battle the resistance forces of France, the Netherlands and other European nations. This painting depicts an American Jedburgh officer meeting members of the French Resistance. The officer wears a Gallet Clamshell Chronograph - a popular choice with American aviators and special operations officers in Britain during the lead up to the invasion.  Ad Patina: The best in the game when it comes to vintage watch advertisements.  Prices vary. Justin Sowders: Want to commission a piece of horological art? Sowders is your guy. He’s developed a unique style that’s unlike anything else in the space. He’s done pieces that now hang in the halls of HODINKEE and Citizen HQ, and maybe above your fireplace next. Price on request.  Knives: Half Face Blades: Half Face Blades was founded by Andrew Arrabito, Navy SEAL (ret.), to meet the need for high-quality, “go-to” knives and axes – usable, personalized, functional, versatile tools that work for every person in every walk of life. Half Face Blades knives are designed with the distinction and ruggedness required for the work they are intended to do. Each knife is calculated to meet requirements gained by experience, by testing knives and axes, by using them over time at sea and in remote wildernesses. Brad Cavner signature series. $375 Emerson Commander: The ultimate utility knife, designed to go anywhere, anytime, and to get the job done, the Commander is the ultimate “all-rounder.” Whether you're on patrol, hunting that white-tailed buck or stripping wires to run electrical in the “she-shed,” the Commander does it all with ease.  $269.85 Dynamis Alliance - Winkler Knives: Razorback, a staple in W.O.E.'s EDC. Books- A Man & His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them, Matt Hranek:  Paul Newman wore his Rolex Daytona every single day for 35 years until his death in 2008. The iconic timepiece, probably the single most sought-after watch in the world, is now in the possession of his daughter Clea, who wears it every day in his memory. Franklin Roosevelt wore an elegant gold Tiffany watch, gifted to him by a friend on his birthday, to the famous Yalta Conference where he shook the hands of Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. JFK's Omega worn to his presidential inauguration, Ralph Lauren's watch purchased from Andy Warhol's personal collection, Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex worn during the first-ever summit of Mt. Everest . . . these and many more compose the stories of the world's most coveted watches captured in A Man and His Watch. Matthew Hranek, a watch collector and NYC men's style fixture, has traveled the world conducting firsthand interviews and diving into exclusive collections to gather the never-before-told stories of 76 watches, completed with stunning original photography of every single piece.  $28.49 A Die Hard Christmas: A true story.  All John McClane wants for Christmas is to reunite with his estranged family. But when his wife’s office holiday party turns into a deadly hostage situation, he has to save her life before he can get home in time for Christmas!  The unconventional fan-favorite movie Die Hard is now an illustrated storybook- complete with machine guns, European terrorists, and a cop who’s forced to rely on all his cunning and skills (and the help of a fellow officer) to save the day. Based on the classic “Night Before Christmas” poem and filled with whimsical illustrations, this cleverly reimagined homage is destined to become a holiday classic.  Depth Charge, Jason Heaton: Julian “Tusker” Tusk, an American archaeologist, is excavating a shipwreck half a world from home when a research boat catches fire and sinks, killing an old friend. The tragedy sets in motion a dangerous quest for truth that pulls Tusker into a sinister plot spanning 75 years, from World War II Ceylon to modern day Sri Lanka. Along the way, he matches wits with a psychopathic mercenary, discovers a long lost ship with an explosive secret, and falls for a beautiful marine biologist who is at least as strong as he is. In the end, Tusker finds that the truth may lie at the bottom of the sea, with only one way back to the surface. Depth Charge is an old school thriller in the tradition of Fleming, Maclean, and Cussler, with an eye for detail, cunning villains, and narrow escapes. The story is full of wartime secrets, the intersection of religion and politics, and the arcane world of deep technical diving. It takes readers from the smoky halls of 1940s London to the volatile, seductive heat of Sri Lanka and sixty fathoms under the Indian Ocean. Try not to hold your breath.  $14.39 Watch Annual:  A book for watch lovers, by watch lovers. A reflection of 2022 in watches; celebrating the best of design and complication — and a reference for years to come.  An honor for W.O.E. to be featured in the 2022 Watch Annual.  Our submission was the Tudor Pelagos 39, in my opinion the best luxury tool watch from this year.  £29.99 Selling the Crown: The Secret History of Marketing Rolex, Brendan Cunningham, PHD: During World War II, a new front opened in the battle between the Axis and Allied powers: propaganda. Little-known archival records reveal that in the postwar period, British veterans of covert warfare applied their experiences in a new arena: advertising. This is the inside story of those who marketed Rolex, one of the most valuable and secretive brands in world history. The company's reputation for luxury and exclusivity was built, in part, using the strategies and tactics that were sharpened through secretive global conflict. Vickers Guide: The firearms and content in Vickers Guide have been sourced and curated by Larry Vickers – twenty year U.S. Army Special Operations veteran and combat marksmanship instructor, 1911 custom builder, and firearms industry consultant.  Photography and publishing by James Rupley, who also happens to have taken most of the professional shots on Watches of Espionage. Starting at $98.00 Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed: You may have heard about the recent debut of the B-21 Raider. That stealth bomber is made by Northrop Grumman, they lost the contract to competitor Lockheed, which developed planes like the SR-71 and plenty more that only a few know about. Skunkworks is the secretive division of Lockheed that works on developing aircraft one step ahead of everyone else. This book is the best bit of insight on what happens inside Skunkworks. It’s a quick and fun read. Starting at $5.  Terminal List Series, Jack Carr: Applying the experience and emotions from real-world combat to the pages of his novels, Jack Carr brings unprecedented levels of authenticity to the political thriller, taking readers on a behind the scenes journey into the mind of a modern-day special operations soldier, dispensing an ancient form of justice in today’s modern geopolitical landscape. Some great watch content also! First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, Toby Harnden: America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck, and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan - where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of Northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors: the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al-Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again. The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB: A landmark collaboration between a thirty-year veteran of the CIA and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, The Main Enemy is the dramatic inside story of the CIA-KGB spy wars, told through the actions of the men who fought them. Based on hundreds of interviews with operatives from both sides, The Main Enemy puts us inside the heads of CIA officers as they dodge surveillance and walk into violent ambushes in Moscow. This is the story of the generation of spies who came of age in the shadow of the Cuban missile crisis and rose through the ranks to run the CIA and KGB in the last days of the Cold War. The clandestine operations they masterminded took them from the sewers of Moscow to the back streets of Baghdad, from Cairo and Havana to Prague and Berlin, but the action centers on Washington, starting in the infamous "Year of the Spy"--when, one by one, the CIA’s agents in Moscow began to be killed, up through to the very last man. Hot Sauce:  Tabasco: Tabasco is an American brand of hot sauce made from vinegar, tabasco peppers (Capsicum frutescens var. tabasco), and salt. It is produced by McIlhenny Company of Avery Island in south Louisiana, having been created over 150 years ago by Edmund McIlhenny. Priceless. *W.O.E. has received no financial compensation for the above products and these are NOT/NOT sponsored.  Please do your own research before making any purchases.