A Watch That Tells Time on Mars (And Why That Makes Sense to Me)

If you know me at all, you know two things right away. I am always up for an adventure, and I am a fledgling watch nerd in the best possible way.

If you’ve been following this blog, you’ve already read about my long relationship with my Rolex Explorer II, a watch I wore daily for more than eight years, and my more recent acquisition of the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea James Cameron. Those watches didn’t earn their place on my wrist for the hype or the status. They earned it through use. They were designed for environments most of us will never see, yet somehow, they feel perfectly at home in everyday life.

Which brings me, unexpectedly, to Mars.

The Scene That Stopped the Show

My wife Michele and I have been watching For All Mankind on Apple TV+. In Season 4, Episode 2, Have a Nice Sol, there’s a scene where a group of new Helios employees arrives on Mars. The whole sequence feels like military boot camp, just swapped out for red dust and reduced gravity. During the initiation, the supervisor casually tells them they’ll all be issued watches that tell Mars time.

That line stopped me cold.

I paused the show, grabbed my iPhone, and disappeared down a very familiar rabbit hole.

Discovering the Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer

That search led me straight to the Omega Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer, and I think I may have found my next watch.

This isn’t a space-themed novelty piece. The Marstimer was developed with assistance from the European Space Agency, and it shows. It’s a modern instrument built for humans who actually leave the planet. The titanium case is large but purposeful, the analog-digital display is clear and utilitarian, and the functions are designed around real mission needs rather than nostalgia.

What really got me, though, is that it doesn’t just reference Mars. It actually tracks time there. The watch accounts for the longer Martian day, displaying “Sol” time alongside Earth time. It’s a reminder that time itself changes when you change worlds.

For a brand that put the first watch on the Moon, this feels less like a gimmick and more like a logical next step.

“But You’re Never Going to Mars”

That’s true. I’m also never going to the Mariana Trench or the final resting place of the Titanic, both of which my Sea-Dweller was engineered for. Still, I dive with it. I trust it underwater. I use it for what I do, not what it was theoretically built to survive.

My Explorer II has traveled with me across countries, time zones, and environments that would destroy lesser watches. It doesn’t care where it is or what I’m doing. It just works, quietly and reliably.

That’s the point of these kinds of watches. They’re not about where you will go. They’re about what they represent and how they fit into a life built around movement, curiosity, and experience.

Why the Marstimer Fits My World

The Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer wouldn’t replace my Rolexes. It would sit alongside them, each watch representing a different kind of adventure. The Explorer II is my go-anywhere travel companion. The Sea-Dweller is my overbuilt, purpose-driven dive tool. The Marstimer would be something different entirely. It would be forward-looking, technical, and unapologetically niche.

It’s the kind of watch that sparks conversations, not because of its price or brand, but because of what it’s designed to do. It reflects a belief that exploration isn’t finished and that tools still matter, even in an age of screens and satellites.

The Bottom Line

Watches tell time, but the good ones tell stories.

My Explorer II tells the story of years of consistency and movement. My Sea-Dweller tells the story of depth, pressure, and trust. The Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer tells a story about where humanity is heading next.

I may never stand on Mars, but my life has always been shaped by exploration, curiosity, and a willingness to step into the unknown. Wearing a watch designed for the next frontier feels less like fantasy and more like a natural extension of that mindset.

And yes, it would make one hell of a conversation starter.

By the way, are you interested in taking your team to the next level? The Peak group coaching program might be just the ticket to take the next leap.