Watch Spotting: Rolex Submariner Ceramic — David Tomkins and Dogs of War (Sketchy dudes don’t always wear Breitling)
A ceramic-bezel Rolex Submariner spotted on David Tomkins provides the starting point for this Watch Noble feature. The watch is familiar territory for collectors; the man wearing it has a far less familiar story. A British former mercenary and international arms dealer, Tomkins is the subject of Dogs of War, a documentary exploring his progression from small-time crime to warfare for hire.
Who Is David Tomkins?
Tomkins’ background was in the criminal underworld rather than the conventional career of a professional soldier. The documentary’s distributor describes him as a safe-blower from Basingstoke, England, whose connections eventually took him to Angola’s battlefields. His experience with explosives formed part of a career that later expanded into weapons deals and the organization of mercenary operations.
The distinction matters when discussing his association with Peter McAleese. McAleese was a former British soldier with SAS experience; Tomkins was the dealmaker and fellow mercenary who helped bring people, weapons, and opportunities together. Their stories intersect, but their backgrounds should not be confused.
Angola and the Beginning of His Mercenary Career
In 1976, Tomkins was in Angola during the country’s civil war. Angola is a country in southwestern Africa, and it was there that he met McAleese, beginning a relationship that would later take them to Colombia.
According to the official synopsis of Dogs of War, Tomkins was wounded by a landmine and returned to Britain. His subsequent activities extended beyond combat into arms dealing and the arrangement of clandestine operations. The film follows how those activities brought him wealth and international connections, before his eventual downfall.
This is a history of violent conflicts and their consequences. The appeal of an extraordinary personal story should not obscure the suffering associated with the trade in weapons and soldiers for hire.
The Failed Mission Against Pablo Escobar
One of the best-known episodes in Tomkins’ career was a 1989 operation to kill Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The mission was financed by the rival Cali cartel, with Tomkins involved in recruiting the mercenary team and McAleese leading its military effort.
The intended target was Escobar at his Hacienda Nápoles estate. The operation failed before the team reached him: the helicopter carrying Tomkins and McAleese crashed in the Andes, killing the pilot and seriously injuring McAleese.
That episode was explored in David Whitney’s earlier documentary, Killing Escobar (2021). Tomkins appeared in the film and supplied footage he had recorded during the operation, providing an unusual historical record of the men and their preparations.
The Documentary: Dogs of War
Produced by Two Rivers Media and directed by David Whitney, Dogs of War was made for BBC Storyville and first aired on BBC Scotland on October 20, 2024. It takes a broader view of Tomkins’ life than Killing Escobar, tracing his involvement in mercenary activity and international arms trafficking.
The film includes access to Tomkins, his associates, and the men who ultimately caught him. Its subject invites questions about responsibility, profit, and the human consequences of a career built around other people’s conflicts.
The Watch: Rolex Submariner Ceramic
For watch enthusiasts, the Submariner offers a separate point of interest. Introduced in 1953, the Rolex Submariner began as a purpose-built diving watch and developed into one of the most recognizable designs in watchmaking.
“Ceramic” refers to the bezel insert rather than the watch’s case. Rolex calls its ceramic material Cerachrom. It is highly resistant to scratches, corrosion, and fading from ultraviolet light. The rotating bezel retains the Submariner’s original practical purpose: measuring elapsed time.
Ceramic-bezel Submariners span more than one generation, so the description alone does not establish an exact reference, case size, or movement. Without a clear close-up, this feature leaves the specific reference unconfirmed. Nor does a watch seen in later documentary footage establish what Tomkins wore during his missions decades earlier.
The interest here lies in the meeting of a recognizable watch and an unusual documentary subject. Dogs of War supplies the historical story; the Submariner supplies the detail that first catches a collector’s eye.
Sources
BBC News: The Scottish mercenary hired to kill Pablo Escobar (consulted through a mirrored copy)
Editorial note: The watch identification follows the supplied spotting. Its precise reference and authenticity have not been independently verified. Wonder’s specific YouTube upload was not independently confirmed, so the article uses the verified documentary title and original broadcast date.
