Quick Facts:

  • 41 mm diameter 14 mm width case
  • Swiss 25 jewel ETA 2824-2 automatic movement
  • 3 mm anti-reflective sapphire glass protection
  • Made per US government specifications
  • Tritium tubes last for 25+ years
  • Incredible quality
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The Marathon GSAR (government search and rescue watch) is one of the most robust automatic watches under $2,000 available. ISO 6425 certified, this is a watch that is certified to withstand extreme conditions. It's the perfect watch for scuba diving and any other outdoor activity. Yet, no part of its design comprises on its stylish looks which instantly grab the eye conveying quality. Let's see what features this functional watch is holding.

Features

  • Self-illuminated tritium gas tubes
  • 3 mm anti-reflective sapphire glass protection
  • 41 mm diameter 14 mm width case
  • Self-winding automatic movement with manual wind
  • 316L surgical-grade stainless steel composition
  • 300 meter / 1000 feet water resistance
  • Vanilla scented vulcanized rubber strap
  • Swiss 25 jewel ETA 2824-2 automatic movement
  • Easy-set date function

Pros

  • Hand-made in La Chaux De Fonds, Switzerland since 1939
  • Made per US government specifications
  • Designed for search and rescue
  • Professional dive rescue watch
  • Italian-manufactured strap
  • Fully automatic – no batteries, no winding
  • Tritium tubes last for 25+ years
  • Maraglo hands for low light clarity and readability
  • Photoluminescence doesn’t fade
  • Great fit to any sized wrist
  • Anti-reflective and scratch resistant

Cons

  • Slightly thicker than competing watches

Summary

Marathon has used the Swiss-manufactured 25 jewel ETA 2824-A2 automatic movement. This movement is viewed by watchmakers to be better than those used by Rolex. It’s a far higher caliber automatic movement than you find it entry level watches, maintaining a high degree of accuracy and barely losing any time at all. It’s considerably lighter than you’d expect and carries an attractive clear to read 42mm diameter watch face.

The Ultimate Dive Watch

This is the watch that defines quality for dive enthusiasts. You’ll struggle to find a better watch for emergency operations in harsh conditions. The simple design has a clear display, but the tritium tubes do increase the depth of the watch making it quite thick. Yet, this increased depth doesn’t detract from its sleek look. Even though this is clearly a utility watch, it looks casual enough for daily use.

Unparalleled Quality

There is not much that you can criticize about this durable watch. The tritium illumination is proven to be 100 times brighter of a prolonged period than any other lighting method used by today’s watches. Illumination is rated at an average of 25 years for tritium tubes.

It gives incredible brightness and readability at night, leaving all other watches far behind in terms of clarity and brightness. Between the 316L surgical grade stainless steel and the 25 jewel movement, the Marathon WW194006 GSAR is one of the most versatile options around.

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