Watch Industry SITREP - July 2025

Man Killed Over Rolex, Jonny Kim’s GMT-Master II In Space, A Secret Service Omega & Kid Rock, New Terminal List Series Packed With Watches, & Pepper-Spraying Watch Thieves 

By Benjamin Lowry

Welcome back to the W.O.E. SITREP, or Situation Report, a monthly download of current events related to watches, espionage, the military, and national security, all coupled with our semi-informed commentary. 

This month, we have a little bit of everything, from straightforward, watch-specific news to more tangential topics showing how watches fit into the nooks, crannies, and darker corners of our community. As always, the SITREP is for you guys, so let us know what you think and what you want to see. The comments section can also be anonymous, so feel free to be a little bit sassy or post something completely unhinged and list your name as “James Stacey”. That’s what I always do, anyway. 

From an unfortunate Rolex-related murder to SEAL-turned-astronaut Jonny Kim’s ever-expanding ISS watch collection to a serious smartwatch hack to an Omega Seamaster Unit Watch alongside what’s left of Kid Rock to some great watches in Jack Carr’s new series, this month will leave you worn-out, haggard, and thirsty for more. Let’s get after it. 

Jack Carr’s New Terminal List Series, Dark Wolf, Chock Full Of Great Watches 

Former SEAL and New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr is a dyed-in-the-wool watch nerd who often makes room in his books and television series for on-the-money watch cameos. His upcoming series, Terminal List: Dark Wolf, is no exception. In early promotion materials, actor Dar Salim wears an Arabic Seiko AKA the Seik-W.O.E., on a nylon pull-through strap that is hopefully from the W.O.E. Shop. In addition, lead actor Taylor Kitsch wears a standard 500-meter Pelagos on the more seldom-seen OEM rubber strap. 

When the longer official trailer dropped on 31 July, we were treated to more tool watch action, with at least one scene prominently showcasing Kitsch’s character wearing the Pelagos for some runnin’ and gunnin’. Jack Carr is known for nailing the details, from uniforms and gear to firearms and especially watches, and the latest instalment of the series continues the trend. We love to see it. 

Dark Wolf releases in late August, and we will cover the watches in detail. Spoiler alert, we have inside connections.

Man Stabbed To Death In London Defending His Rolex 

Man and father-of-two Blue Stevens was allegedly murdered over his Rolex. Photo Credit: Facebook (Left) & LBC (Right)

If you’ve been following the SITREP for a while, you know we are dedicated students of watch-related criminal activity. W.O.E. speaks surprisingly often about how he wishes he had become some kind of career criminal. Setting those uncomfortable water-cooler chats aside, we tend to approach our watch crime blotter with a lighter heart, which isn’t going to work for us this month. 

Stevens and his girlfriend, who witnessed the attack. (Photo Credit: The Mirror)

On 10 July in London’s upscale Knightsbridge neighborhood, a man and father-of-two, 24-year-old Blue Stevens, was stabbed to death in front of his screaming girlfriend while defending his Rolex from a mugger. According to eyewitnesses, Stevens, the grandson of a champion boxer, attempted to fight the thief, who produced a knife and stabbed Stevens in the chest. Paramedics arrived quickly, but Stevens died at the scene, a grim reminder of the potentially serious consequences of wearing luxury watches in certain circumstances. 

We’ve discussed how to safely travel with watches at length, but suffice it to say, it’s critical to do your research, maintain situational awareness, and if the risk can’t be mitigated, be ready to leave your expensive luxury watch at home. If the worst happens, remember that no watch is worth your life. 

Recent reporting suggests that Stevens’s attack may have been premeditated, and several arrests have been made. Thoughts and prayers for the family.

Jonny Kim Wears A Fourth Tool Watch On The International Space Station

Shoutout to NASA for always providing the HD wrist shots. (Photo Credit: NASA)

Likely setting some kind of unofficial record for mechanical watches brought to space by a single astronaut, this month, former Navy SEAL and current astronaut Jonny Kim wore his Rolex GMT-Master II onboard the International Space Station, possibly for the first time, on 09 July. The GMT is in addition to the Rolex Daytona and Submariner, as well as the Omega Seamaster Unit Watch Kim has also worn in space. Astronauts working on the ISS are allotted a tiny amount of personal items, allegedly as little as 3.3 lbs, so the idea that Kim thought it prudent to bring not one or two or even three mechanical watches but a staggering four-watch collection into space shows that he is a card-carrying member of the Use Your Tools tribe. 

We have been unsubtle in our quest to interview Jonny to talk about his impressive background and watch collection, and if anyone out there in the community knows how to get in touch, be sure to let us know. I am confident the internet works well enough on the ISS to facilitate an email or two… 

Chinese Smartwatch Data Vulnerabilities Exposed 

(Photo Credit: SySS Tech Blog)

As discussed in our recent look at a prominent smartwatch data leak involving the Swedish PM’s security detail, the counterintelligence risks of connected devices have once again made the news. COROS, a popular Chinese fitness watch brand known for long battery life and affordability, is facing major scrutiny after a German security firm uncovered critical Bluetooth vulnerabilities across its entire product line. The flaws allow attackers within Bluetooth range, especially around Android phones, to hijack a device, access user data, read messages, inject fake notifications, reset the watch, and even crash it mid-use. 

The root issue allegedly lies in COROS's outdated Bluetooth implementation, which bypasses modern security protocols. The situation underscores the importance of robust security practices, something smaller tech companies often struggle to prioritize. An Apple Watch, which boasts some of the best security tech in the industry, is likely safer than something off-brand like this, but no smartwatch is beyond the capabilities of motivated hackers or intelligence agencies. 

USSS Counter Assault Team (CAT) Wearing An Omega Seamaster Unit Watch Alongside Kid Rock

Alongside Tudor, a brand we have called the modern tool watch leader, Omega has also been making big waves in the W.O.E. community for its modern unit watch program, in particular with the Seamaster, customized versions of which have been ordered by Navy SEALs (including Jonny Kim) as well as French specialized law enforcement units, Danish Frogmen, and the US Secret Service. Formerly famous musician Kid Rock was recently photographed alongside agents from the USSS Counter Assault Team (CAT), one of whom was wearing an Omega Seamaster Unit Watch. 

Even when you are a cowboy, baby, I would have to imagine Kid Rock still feels a little bit safer with the elite federal law enforcement unit on hand. W.O.E. and I have been lucky to get to know a few USSS agents/officers and have a deep respect for their often thankless job. And yes, the USSS has a deep watch culture that has also produced a Tudor Pelagos LHD Unit Watch. 

Florida Woman Lures Men To Hotel Room, Pepper Sprays Them, & Steals Their Watches 

You can tell she feels bad about what she’s done. (Photo Credit: Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center)

“To finish you guys off, how about some prostitution?” is a tricky sentence to type, but recent events have made the watch-stealing efforts perpetrated by ladies of the night hard to ignore, and we have covered several such events in previous editions of the SITREP. Earlier this month, 20-year-old Florida woman Esther Torres somehow avoided jail time after being labeled a predator for a string of thefts that culminated with two robberies targeting luxury watches. In each case, Torres lured her male targets back to an awaiting hotel room in the Miami area before pepper spraying them and stealing their personal effects and watches. 

One of Esther’s victims lost a $22k Rolex Submariner. 

One of the watches was from Hugo Boss, so not much of a loss at all, but the other was a Rolex Submariner, reportedly worth $22k, meaning it was likely one of the steel and gold models, which isn’t hard to imagine in Miami. If Torres’s mugshot is any indication, she isn’t suffering from much in the way of remorse, and the incidents are eye-burning reminders that if you’re wearing a luxury watch at a hotel bar and a young lady is eager to make a deal involving spending time together in a more private location, you should be suspicious. 

Final Thoughts

At its core, the SITREP is designed to inform and educate. So, what did we learn this month? That a Rolex can get you killed, the Secret Service has some of the US Government’s strongest watch culture, and real-life superhero Jonny Kim is flexing a four-watch collection in outer space harder than most do on Earth. Smartwatches are (still) leaking your data, fake escorts are now pepper spraying people for their Hugo Boss watches, and Jack Carr is doing more for tool watch culture than most Swiss marketing departments. 

Through it all, one thing remains clear: in this community, a watch is never just a watch. It’s a tool, a flex, and sometimes, a liability. Stay sharp, maintain situational awareness, and we’ll see you next month.

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