You never know who’s going to hit the headlines next. It could be you. A couple of months ago did unassuming 30 year old former CIA Analyst Edward Snowden have a clue that he was suddenly going to make his way to the top of America’s most wanted list?

He’s been holed up in Hong Kong for weeks following allegations of theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorised person, according to court documents.

Now earnestly sought by US authorities on espionage charges, bespectacled Edward Snowden has led US law enforcers a merry dance. He left Hong Kong for Moscow and was due to take a flight from Moscow to Cuba. 30 journalists joined the flight hoping to have access to the NSA whistleblower, but he simply failed to show. Whether or not you agree with what Mr. Snowden has done, and whether he is right or wrong, in the time it takes to Twitter he has become an elusive global celebrity.

So here at Click Tempus we ask, what watch does a man choose when he’s on the run from the might of the CIA and the world’s press.

While in Hong Kong he would have had the pick of fine watches from dozens of stores in Causeway Bay or Kowloon Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. With the funds no doubt sent to him from anti-surveillance sympathisers he would be spoilt for choice.

Here then are our watch recommendations for a man on the run from the most sophisticated national security agency in the world.

Omega Planet Ocean

If you elect to join the James Bond lifestyle of espionage and subterfuge, you might as well opt for the official James Bond watch. That’s currently the Omega Planet Ocean, a rugged, dependable watch water resistant to 600 metres. The Planet Ocean is fitted with the non-lubricant dependent co-axial escapement developed by the late George Daniels. It’s a good thing too, as Mr. Snowden is going to need to save his oil to grease plenty of palms if he is to succeed in a life on the run.

Girard Perregaux ww.tc Shadow Flyback Chronograph

The Girard Perregaux ww.tc Shadow Flyback GMT Chronograph is the first Girard Perregaux watch to use a ceramic case. The movement is housed in an internal titanium case and is the automatic GP calibre GP03387 which displays the times for all of the world’s time zones. This excellent world timer from Girard Perregaux will help Mr. Snowden to keep his eye simultaneously on several time zones. If it’s 2pm in Washington, what time is it in Ecuador, or Havana, or Vladivostok. For a life in the shadows, the Shadow Flyback could be just the watch.

Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Bullit

This is one of the new crop of El Primero’s from Zenith. The legendary El Primero movement is featured in this new 45mm watch with a ceramicised aluminium case. The dial is made of carbon fibre. With the date at 2 o’clock, the watch features 2-counter chronograph, a central chronograph hand, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. High-tech materials and state of the art time telling for a man who is El Primero with a bullet on the top of the CIA’s list of men they are most anxious to talk to.

Kobold Himalaya 41

Before a couple of months ago Edward Snowden probably never spared a thought for Kathmandu. But now, the small watch making enclave developed there by Michael Kobold must seem cosy, remote and very tempting. Kobold took the unusual step of enticing former Himalayan sherpas into trading high plateaus for haute horology. This elegant retro 41mm timekeeper was made in Nepal, and also comes in a 44mm casing. The Himalaya face is as crisp and clean as the mountain ranges themselves. Edward Snowden may like to consider this landlocked capital as a hiding place.

Vostok Komandirskie Soviet Aircraft Carrier Naval Pilot

The Vostok Company was founded in 1942 when one of the Moscow watch-making plants of the First Moscow Watch Factory was evacuated to Chistopol, a small town located on the Kama River in Tatarstan. Only defense equipment was produced during the war years, but as soon as the war was over the company started making mechanical wrist watches. However, the Company did not begin using the “Vostok” brand name until the 1960s. The company was appointed an official supplier of watches for the Defense Department of the Soviet Union in 1965. One of the few places on earth where Edward Snowden may be able to find sanctuary is on board a Soviet aircraft carrier. This watch, with automatic movement was made for Soviet Naval Pilots.

They say almost no one knows where Edward Snowden is. Only time will tell.