A New 007 Seamaster Chrono, A SEAL’s “Secret” Tudor, BW Breitling Emergency In Haiti, Rolex-Thieving Ladies Of The Night, & Some Dubious Watch-Related Iran-Pakistan Espionage
Welcome back to the W.O.E. SITREP, or Situation Report, our monthly digest of news and events related to watches, espionage, the military, and national security, all coupled with our commentary.
I feel like we say this every month, but man alive, a lot has happened these past few weeks. Starting with the obvious, we are squarely into the summer months, temperatures are soaring at least where we are, and we sincerely hope you’re taking good care of your watches while engaging in all manner of safe and enjoyable maritime activities.
Beyond the weather, you may have heard, but a few B-2s dropped some bombs in Iran, Erik Prince wore his trademark Blackwater Breitling while doing PMC things, alarming new statistics for watch theft are in, a new James Bond video game showcases an Omega Seamaster, a watch (allegedly) finds itself at the center of some Iran-Pakistan espionage, and more.
Now sit back, relax, and maybe even take a deep breath. It’s time for the SITREP.
007 First Light Showcases An Omega Seamaster Diver 300 Chrono
A screenshot from PlayStation’s 007 First Light trailer. (Photo Credit: PlayStation)
A few weeks back, a new PlayStation trailer for the upcoming James Bond videogame, 007 First Light, was unveiled to massive fanfare among Bond nerds. As you may expect from the title, the videogame focuses on a younger, 26-year-old Bond as he transitions from the Royal Navy to MI6. Important to the W.O.E. community, the trailer also prominently showcases a watch, an Omega Seamaster Diver 300 Chronograph in an as-yet-unseen color scheme on a striped nylon strap.
There’s also a great shot of an entire case of Seamaster Chronographs with a big honkin’ Omega logo. (Photo Credit: PlayStation)
More than just a screenshot cameo, Bond activates a pusher on the chronograph, an apparent gift from Q Branch, which inexplicably causes fire to shoot out of the back of a motorcycle. Awesome. Whether the video game trailer is being used to tease a new Bond Omega or not is unclear, and we are also left to wonder if the new Bond of film (whoever he may be) may also don the chronograph version of the Seamaster, something 007 has never done in his thirty-year history with the Seamaster.
We may need to update our article on the 007 franchise's relationship with Omega (read HERE).
Former SEAL Team Six Operator Sworn In While Wearing A “Secret” Tudor FXD
Master Chief Dave Isom was sworn in as the SEAC on 23 June. (Photo Credit: The Joint Staff)
Further proof of the strong ties between Naval Special Warfare and the watch community, Fleet Master Chief Dave Isom recently took over as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Isom, who is the first SEAL to take on the role, wore a special watch for the occasion, a customized unit watch produced for SEAL Team Six’s Gold Squadron, of which Isom is a former member. In contrast to the commercially available version, the Gold Squadron FXD has a simpler “two-line” dial with “PELAGOS” executed in gold and “660 ft”. Most notably, the hook and loop strap boasts a gold center stripe, in contrast to the regular red stripe.
Fleet Master Chief Isom also wore the Tudor for an event in Hawaii in March. (Photo Credit: United States Indo-Pacific Command)
The watches, which were delivered to the Squadrons starting in 2023, are something of an open secret, having been worn by former DEVGRU operators on podcasts and for other public appearances. For Master Chief Isom to wear the watch while being christened as the new SEAC, as well as prior public appearances, indicates that the “secret” is very much out.
The reality is, despite the efforts of some of the more sensitive units to keep custom watches secret, they are ultimately seen by the wider public as members retire or move to a more public-facing role, as is the case with Isom. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It shows that guys are wearing the watches as they are intended, and not keeping them locked up in a safe.
Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff Wears A GMT-Master II
The watch game over at the Joint Chiefs is strong. Days before Master Chief Isom was sworn in, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Dan “Razin” Caine wore another important watch in the White House Situation Room during the highly-publicized B-2 bomber attacks on Iran’s nuclear program. Alongside his VMI class ring, Caine wore a Rolex GMT-Master II with an all-black bezel, potentially the reference 116710LN produced from 2007 to 2019. Caine is a former F-16 pilot with 2,800 flight hours and two tours to Iraq to his name, so his GMT-Master II, a watch closely linked to aviation, makes a ton of sense. Of note, Caine also served as the associate director for military affairs (ADMA) at the CIA from 2021 to 2024.
Plenty of Rolex action in the Situation Room during the attacks on Iran. (Photo Credit: White House)
Sitting alongside Caine was White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who was, coincidentally, also wearing a Rolex, an apparent older steel and gold Datejust. One of Rolex’s older marketing campaigns said, “Men Who Guide the Destinies of the World Wear Rolex Watches.” While an updated slogan would require less gender-specific terminology, there is some truth to the statement even today.
For more on watches of the Trump Administration, check out a previous Dispatch HERE.
Blackwater CEO Erik Prince Wears His BW Breitling
If you haven’t been keeping up with world news, Haiti, and especially the Caribbean nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, have been having a rough time. In 2024, an estimated 5,600 people were killed by gang violence, with the vast majority of the capital city now controlled by gangs. For tactical assistance, the Haitian government has allegedly enlisted Blackwater, the controversial Private Military Contractor (PMC) that came to prominence during the Global War on Terror.
(Photo Credit: James Rupley/W.O.E.)
When he arrived in Ecuador, another country allegedly requesting Blackwater’s assistance, Prince wore his custom Blackwater Breitling Emergency, a watch that integrates an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) capable of broadcasting the wearer’s location in times of need. 150 of the BW Breitling Emergency watches were delivered in two batches starting in 2006, and we have a video on the W.O.E. YouTube Channel exploring the full story. Blackwater’s strategy for Haiti is unclear at this time, but we are confident that Erik Prince’s wrist game will remain sketchy throughout.
The Worst US Cities For Watch Theft, According To The Watch Register
Maybe don’t bring your Patek to New York or LA, just sayin’. (Photo Credit: The Watch Register)
It wouldn’t be the SITREP without some watch-related criminal activity, and this month, The Watch Register shared a list of the worst US cities for watch theft along with some advice: “If you’re planning a trip around the States this summer, take a moment to understand the risks before you go.” At the top is New York City, with over 1000 watch thefts reported in 2024, with Los Angeles (600 thefts) and Miami (400 thefts) in second and third place, respectively.
We’ve discussed ways to avoid becoming a victim of watch theft at length, including with a video, but suffice it to say that situational awareness and careful risk mitigation are at the top of the list. We’ve also shared our thoughts on how to travel safely with watches, and the realities concerning hotel safes. Whether we like it or not, if the secondary market value of watches from brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet continues to rise, so too will the numbers for watch theft.
Woman Arrested For Stealing A $30k Rolex In Nash-vegas
Audrey Schump, 24, was arrested earlier this month after allegedly taking a man’s Rolex during a night of partying. (Photo Credit: Daily Mail UK)
It may not have made the top five, but Nash-vegas is also home to its share of watch-related crime. Earlier this month, during a big night out with the boys at the honky-tonks on Broadway, a man convinced a pair of especially friendly young women to accompany the squad back to their Airbnb. According to the arrest affidavit, at some point during the eventful evening, the man removed his Rolex Daytona, stashing it under a hat on the nightstand. But lo and behold, after a quick trip to the bathroom, he spied one of the young ladies reaching across the bed towards the luxury watch’s location.
Nothing puts a damper on a big night with the fellas like losing your coveted Daytona to a lady of the night.
When challenged, the woman in question bolted out of the rented apartment only to be arrested less than a block and a half away with the watch. This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed a watch theft committed by an apparent lady of the night. As it turns out, though it is difficult and borderline offensive to imagine, people actively engaged in committing a sexy crime are sometimes also regular criminals. Still, there are lessons to be learned here. If you’re in the mood for a paid company evening, no judgement, but maybe opt for a F91W.
Disinformation? Iranian General Allegedly Targeted Using A Beacon Embedded In A Gifted Watch
According to a dubious graphic of unconfirmed origin originally posted on X in late May, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Military, Iranian Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri received a watch as a gift from Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir. The watch reportedly contained a beacon that the Israeli military used to target him with a precision airstrike, thus eliminating the country’s highest-ranking military official.
Field Marshal Asim Munir’s last private meeting with Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri on May 27, 2025, when the watch was allegedly exchanged.
Given Israel’s history of embedding technology in innocuous items, including pagers, this is entirely possible, though a watch is not an ideal item for an embedded beacon, given the limited space inside the case. It’s also possible this is disinformation meant to exaggerate Israel’s capabilities, discredit the Pakistani general, or sow distrust of the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI.
Some in the W.O.E. community have suggested this was disinformation originating in India to drive a wedge between Iran and Pakistan, which, while unconfirmed, seems entirely plausible.
While it may also be true, you should immediately be skeptical when you see things like this, especially when the word “watch” is misspelled. This is why we call the great game a “wilderness of mirrors.”
Final Thoughts
As always, the watch world is never just about watches. From stealth bombers and special operations to street-level crime and disinformation campaigns, these stories show how timepieces continue to surface at the crossroads of geopolitics, personal identity, and national security. Whether it’s a Breitling in Port-au-Prince or a Seamaster in a Bond video game trailer, we’ll be here to track it, verify it, and unpack what it really means. Until next month—stay sharp, stay skeptical, and don’t leave your Daytona under a cowboy hat.
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8 comments
I’m not sure 1000 watch thefts in a city of 8 million people is that outrageous. It’s over an entire year. I get that there have been some well publicized thefts of late, but still. If someone is too afraid to wear their watch, they should either move, or not own the watch.
Funny how the same brands that brag about ‘heritage’ and ‘military roots’ are now courting TikTok influencers who can’t tell a NATO strap from a NATO summit. Maybe authenticity doesn’t pay like algorithms do.
If I were travelling outside of Canada, which I may never do again, I wouldn’t even wear my Wedding Ring, let alone the Crown.
“Razin” Caine has the second best Rolex GMT ( the best being Coca Cola GMT )
Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but I hate to think that the only thing a prostitute cares about is money. People used to have some pride in their profession.