What you need to know
- An alleged Pixel Watch 5 was reportedly found at the bottom of the ocean near St. Martin.
- Photos shared online show “Google” and “Pixel Watch 5” branding, along with references to SpO2, EDA, heart rate tracking, UWB, and IP68 water resistance.
- Unlike most early prototypes hidden inside bulky boxes, the leaked watch appears remarkably complete and close to a retail-ready product.
Google’s next smartwatch may have been leaked in the strangest way possible – and no, it wasn’t left in a coffee shop or seen in a blurry subway photo. On the other hand, what appears to be an unprecedented Pixel 5 Clock He was supposedly found sitting at the bottom of the ocean.
The strange story began when Gearbox Software co-founder Randy Pitchford shared photos on X, claiming that a friend discovered the smartwatch while diving near the Caribbean island of St. Martin. According to Pitchford, the watch was recovered underwater and still appeared to be partially functional even though the battery was apparently dead.
A friend of mine found this watch a few days ago ~underwater~ while diving near St. Martin’s Island. He noted that the back of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, much less released. It seems fine. The face… pic.twitter.com/Mnenov1sFEMay 31, 2026
That alone would make this one of the strangest device leaks in recent memory. But it’s the photos that really caught the attention of the Android community.
Key specifications revealed
The images reveal a smartwatch that appears to be very similar to Google’s existing Pixel Watch line. More importantly, the back case appears to be clearly labeled with “Google” and “Pixel Watch 5.” Also mentioned are some health and connectivity elements around the sensor housing, including SpO2 monitoringEDA, a heart rate sensor, and ultra-wideband (UWB) support. The back panel also references IP68 water resistance.
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If this story sounds eerily familiar, it’s because Google smartwatch leaks have a habit of showing up in unexpected places. In 2022, months before the first Pixel Watch was officially announced, a prototype was reportedly left in a US restaurant. Photos later shared with Android Central gave the world its first real look at Google’s long-rumored wearable, complete with its signature domed display and rotating crown. The incident quickly drew comparisons with AppleThe infamous saga of the lost iPhone 4 prototype.
In some ways, this latest leak is even better than that story. Unlike the restaurant prototype, the alleged Pixel Watch 5 appears to have survived a long period in water. Even more surprising is that the device looks quite complete. Most early leaks of unreleased hardware are camouflaged in bulky protective cases to mask their appearance. This watch looks much more like a finished product than an engineering specimen.
There is still no official word from Google about a successor to the Pixel Clock 4and no one outside of Google can definitively say whether the watch found in the ocean is real. The company has not issued any public comment and the device could always be a well-made counterfeit. Still, several details shown in the images line up with what you’d expect from an actual Pixel Watch prototype, which is why the leak has gained so much traction so quickly.
Adding another twist, Pitchford then he claimed that, thanks to the “magic of the internet”, he managed to identify the owner of the watch and that efforts were being made to return it. That means the supposed prototype could end up back in someone’s hands as mysteriously as it disappeared.
Android Central’s opinion
I like this leak better than most carefully planned teaser campaigns. If the watch is real, then the apparent survival through an underwater excursion is a positive sign for those buyers concerned about durability. But you have to wonder how Google is always in the middle of these strange prototype stories. A restaurant prototype was pretty rare in 2022, but an unreleased smartwatch that supposedly appeared at the bottom of the ocean seems straight out of a tech-themed scavenger hunt. At this rate, Google can spend as much time tracking its hardware as it does building it.
