Issued, Not Sold: Arux Group x Critical Mechanics

Ethan Ogdee

Co-Founder & Chief Training Officer, Arux Group  ·  Published February 2026

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, special operations units and select military contractors were issued watches as standard equipment. Navy SEALs received Tudor Submariners. Blackwater issued custom Breitlings to contractors. Delta Force and British SAS operators carried unit-specific timepieces. Today, those military-issued watches sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Not because they’re rare. Because they were earned. Arux Group just continued that tradition. Only this time, we made twenty.

When Watches Were Issued, Not Purchased

Before watches became status symbols, they were tools.

Military dive teams needed timepieces that could track oxygen limits during underwater demolition. Intelligence operators required watches that could coordinate extraction timing without radio communication. Executive protection details relied on synchronized timing during dignitary movements where seconds could mean the difference between safety and catastrophe.

Elite units didn’t buy these watches. They issued them to operators who were specifically selected for their respective units and roles.

Navy SEAL teams received Tudor Submariners starting in the 1960s. During BUD/S training, SEALs were issued these watches as standard equipment. Black dial for enlisted. Blue dial for officers. British Royal Navy divers carried Rolex Military Submariners. Delta Force and other special operations units had custom chronographs. Each watch bore unit markings. Each represented selection, trust, and accountability.

If you wore it, you belonged. If you lost it, you answered for it.

Private military contractors continued this tradition. Blackwater issued 150 custom Breitling Emergency watches to contractors deploying to hostile environments. These watches contained emergency radio beacons and represented a promise: we will come get you if you’re in trouble.

That tradition is what inspired this project.

Arux Group’s founders understand this tradition. The paths leading them to each other started in the military. They learned early that performance and trust were proven, not assumed. After their military service, their careers converged in law enforcement, ultimately uniting them on the same SWAT team. In both worlds, selection mattered. Special operations, specialized assignments, missions entrusted only to those who proved themselves. That tradition of careful selection has been part of who they are since they were young men. Today, as owners of Arux Group, they carry that legacy forward by issuing a company watch only to a select few individuals.

The Arux Group x Critical Mechanics Envoy Watch

Arux Group doesn’t believe executive protection is a job. It’s a discipline.

Our operators are entrusted with people, families, and moments that cannot fail. They conduct threat assessments for executives traveling through unstable regions. They coordinate security advances for high-profile events where thousands of variables must be controlled. They stand between clients and threats most people never see coming.

That level of responsibility deserves more than generic gear. We wanted to keep that tradition alive.

Over the course of a year, we searched for the right watch. A watch that spoke to the culture, a watch that we would be proud of. When we found Critical Mechanics, we knew we found something special. Critical Mechanics is owned by two active duty Marine Raiders. Their vision was a watch that could be worn on the battlefield or in a wardroom. Their travels took them everywhere, from foreign embassies to high-stakes environments. They created a timepiece that would be reliable and precise down range, with refined elegance for diplomatic gatherings. Critical Mechanics developed the MK-1, only available to members of the SOF community.

What started as deep conversations at all hours of the day turned into alignment. We recognized we shared the same goals, the same work ethic, and the same uncompromising standards. We came from similar backgrounds and carried the same mindset. As trust developed, it became clear that working together on this project wasn’t just logical, it was natural. We saw how each of us could strengthen the other. As veteran-owned small businesses, a collaboration would be a reflection of that shared commitment. Critical Mechanics had designed their new Envoy. They shared the design and meaning behind the watch.

After getting the opportunity to see the unreleased watch, it became very apparent we met for a reason. The watch we were in search of wasn’t about branding or trends. It needed to represent trust, capability, and standards that were met, not explained. This collaboration is far from convenience or profit alone. It’s about two veteran-owned businesses stepping in when it mattered, trusting one another, and committing to a higher standard. The result was more than a product. It was a reminder of what happens when experience, integrity, and mutual support come together.

Using the Envoy’s design to develop a timepiece built specifically for executive protection work, we went to the drawing board.

We shared the same values. Function first. Integrity always. No mass production.

The Tradition Continues

Those Vietnam-era SEAL Team Tudor Submariners weren’t valuable because of the brand. They were valuable because of the missions they documented and the operators who wore them.

Just as Navy SEALs earned their Tudor Submariners through completing BUD/S and serving on the teams, and just as Blackwater contractors earned their Breitlings through deploying to the world’s most dangerous environments, Arux Group operators will earn these watches through demonstrated excellence in the field. Not by seniority. Not by favoritism. By performance and character.

Years from now, these twenty watches will tell their own stories. Some will document protective details that prevented threats no one ever heard about. Some will travel to locations where American security professionals operate in complex environments. Some will be passed down from operators to their families as reminders of what they did and who they protected.

About the Author

Ethan Ogdee

Co-Founder & Chief Training Officer, Arux Group

Ethan is a former U.S. Coast Guard operator and Clark County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Element Leader and Master Breacher. He co-founded Arux Group in 2023 and oversees all training programs, ensuring every specialist on the team exceeds state and industry standards.

View Full Profile →