Marathon - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

Marathon is a watch brand founded in 1939 in Montreal by Morris Wein; designed in Canada and made in Switzerland (La Chaux-de-Fonds), its watches supplied Allied forces from 1941 onward and remain associated with military specifications, NATO Stock Numbers (NSN), and night readability based on tritium and MaraGlo.

From Allied supply to modern MIL-SPEC compliance

Beginning in World War II, the company delivered timing instruments and watches to Allied forces, forging a direct link between operational requirements and the finished product, and that contractual relationship with armed services has defined the brand’s DNA.

Over the decades, various references have been built to U.S. military prescriptions (e.g., MIL-PRF-46374G) and carry NSN identifiers used by procurement agencies, and this documented MIL-SPEC compliance sets Marathon apart from purely “military-styled” designs.

A key milestone is the pilot’s watch developed in 1986 with Kelly Air Force Base, whose light, hardy case inaugurated a lineage dedicated to flight and parachuting, and this co-development with an air base embodies the “need first, design second” ethos.

SAR: a family mapped by sizes and powertrains

The “Search & Rescue” range is easy to parse by contrasting diameters and movements—oversized for extreme contexts, mid-size for general duty, compact for smaller wrists—with quartz workhorses, three-hand automatics, and a big automatic chronograph, and this pragmatic layout helps buyers decide without getting lost in SKUs.

Dive-ready references employ 316L steel cases, unidirectional bezels, tritium indices complemented by photo-luminescent paint, screw-down backs and protected crowns, and the result is a “tool-first” package focused on ergonomics, resilience, and at-a-glance clarity.

Several models are built and tested to ISO 6425 professional diver criteria, typically to 300 m with codified readability, and where stated, that certification provides an objective benchmark for aquatic use.

• Marathon GSAR — 41 mm automatic “Government Search & Rescue”; 300 m, tritium + MaraGlo, engineered for professional duty.
• Marathon TSAR — 41 mm quartz three-hand; reinforced legibility, simple upkeep, stable battery-driven accuracy.
• Marathon MSAR — 36 mm (auto or quartz); same tool ethos in a compact footprint, 300 m water-resistance.
• Marathon JSAR — 46 mm “Jumbo” quartz; XXL readability and high-torque quartz, 300 m, aimed at harsh environments.
• Marathon CSAR — 46 mm automatic chronograph; timing to 12 h with decimal scale, 300 m, flight-friendly ergonomics.

Navigator: from 1986 fibreshell to the 41 mm steel SSNAV

The pilot’s watch born of the 1986 program evolved into a “Navigator” line apart from the dive family, with light cases, sapphire crystals, screw-down crowns and fabric straps, and the appeal lies in a watch designed for altitude, pressure swings and gloved handling.

More recently the 41 mm steel “SSNAV” reintroduced a traditional case in both quartz and automatic variants, sometimes with date, while preserving the original emphasis on legibility and toughness, and this return to steel broadens daily wear without abandoning flight-tool intent.

• Marathon SSNAV — 41 mm steel, high-accuracy quartz; 100 m, tritium tubes, 12-hour bezel for quick zone tracking.
• Marathon SSNAV-D Auto — 41 mm steel, automatic; date at 4:30, screw-down crown, slim build for long wear.
• Marathon SSNAV Arctic — “Arctic White” high-contrast dials tailored to very bright environments.

Clarity and endurance: H3 tritium and MaraGlo, two complementary paths

Most “mission” references rely on sealed tritium micro-tubes for night reading—self-powered and constant for years—eliminating dependence on prior light charging, and that steady low-level emission aligns perfectly with military needs.

Alongside, the brand deploys its proprietary photo-luminescent compound to complement or, on some models, replace tritium, glowing strongly for hours after exposure, and this MaraGlo solution neatly covers civilian scenarios where radioactive autonomy isn’t essential.

The tritium / MaraGlo pairing also informs dial hierarchy—tube markers at cardinals, reinforced hands and contrasted bezel inserts—so that the “one-metre, one-glance” check remains valid, and that legibility grammar applies equally underwater and in the cockpit.

Positioning, indicative pricing, distribution and service

The lineup spans from accessible field and pilot pieces to specialised divers and the large automatic chronograph; by way of guidance: composite-case Navigators in the lower mid-band, GSAR around the mid/high, and CSAR clearly higher, and those tiers track material, movement, and functional complexity.

Design takes place in Canada with assembly in Switzerland (La Chaux-de-Fonds), sold direct via the official site and authorised dealers, with a standard two-year warranty and clear reference/NSN documentation, and this short channel streamlines after-sales and parts traceability.

Dial-marked editions (“US Gov,” “Maple Leaf”) sit alongside “Arctic” white-dial variants and occasional collaborations, letting buyers choose between strict tool execution and identity-driven signatures, and variety remains anchored by a common, real-use brief.

Conclusion

At Marathon, product coherence springs from a simple rule: build for the mission first, then for everyday life. Buyers navigate quickly—SAR for water and intervention, Navigator/SSNAV for flight and field, GPM/GPQ for lightweight duty. Next comes diameter by wrist and context, then power (carefree quartz, automatic, or chrono) by service preference. Night reading—either constant or photo-luminescent—closes the loop. To align these cues with lived experience, a practical compass remains Dialicious customer reviews.

(Updated September 2025)