marathon watches
Marathon makes watches with a real job behind them.
Founded in 1939, the Canadian family-owned company has supplied timing instruments to Allied forces since 1941. Today, its watches are designed in Canada and made in Switzerland, with collections developed for ground operations, high-altitude flight and professional search and rescue.
From compact General Purpose field watches to Navigator pilot models and 300-metre SAR divers, Marathon keeps the focus on legibility, durability and equipment that is built to be used.
all Marathon watches
Official Marathon Partner
About Marathon Watches
Built for Service Since 1941
Marathon has been producing timing instruments for Allied forces since 1941, building equipment around the demands of military use rather than simply borrowing the look.
Today, the fourth generation of the Wein family continues that work across watches and instruments designed to measure time, temperature and distance, combining military specification with Swiss engineering and manufacture.
about marathon watches
Field, Flight and Search & Rescue
Marathon does not build one military watch and change the size or strap. The main collections were developed around different jobs.
General Purpose watches keep things simple for ground use, with compact cases and clear military-time displays. Navigator models were developed around aviation, including cases and crystals designed to handle rapid changes in air pressure. Search & Rescue watches move into much heavier-duty territory, with steel construction, rotating dive bezels and up to 300m water resistance.
That makes choosing a Marathon less about which one looks toughest and more about what you want the watch to do.
about marathon watches
The Right Movement for the Job
Marathon watches use proven Swiss ETA and Sellita calibres, chosen around what each watch is expected to do. Automatic models such as the GSAR and MSAR use the 26-jewel Sellita SW200-1 with Incabloc shock protection, while the Steel Navigator Automatic uses an enhanced SW200-1 with Marathon-specific modifications.
Marathon also secures the movement inside a dedicated steel mounting ring to protect it against vibration, torque and impact.
Built to Specification
Marathon watches are not simply styled to look military. They are purpose-built around military and government requirements, with construction, legibility, water resistance, shock resistance and accuracy all treated as part of the brief.
about marathon watches
TRITIUM GAS TUBES: Built to Stay Visible
The illumination is built a Marathon watch, not simply painted onto it. Many models use self-contained tritium gas tubes in the hour markers and hands, giving them a constant glow in darkness without needing to be charged by sunlight or a torch first. Marathon states that the tubes can provide low-light visibility for up to 25 years.
On models such as the JDD, a double tritium marker at 12 o’clock gives an immediate sense of orientation, while the bezel uses Marathon’s brighter MaraGlo material so the timing marker can be picked out quickly. On the GSAR, tritium runs through the hour markers and full handset, again paired with a MaraGlo bezel pip.
about marathon watches
Marathon Since 1939
The roots of Marathon go back to 1904, before Morris Wein founded Marathon Watch in 1939 and began supplying precision timepieces across North America.
By 1941, the company was producing timing instruments for the Allied Forces. That military relationship became a defining part of the business and continues into the modern range, from General Purpose field watches to the Navigator and Search & Rescue families.
Marathon is still family owned today, now in its fourth generation. The watches are designed in Canada and made in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, combining a long military supply history with modern Swiss movements and manufacturing.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions
Marathon Watches are sent with for free Royal Mail Tracked delivery, with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 4pm Monday to Friday.
International orders are dispatched same day when placed before 2pm UK time,
Every new Marathon watch comes with a two-year international manufacturer warranty. Watches purchased from an authorised Marathon dealer like WatchNation can be registered with Marathon for an additional third year of cover.
International orders are typically delivered in 2–5 working days within Europe, and 5–7 working days for the rest of the world.
Marathon watches are designed in Canada and Swiss made, with production in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Many Marathon watches use self-contained tritium gas tubes in the hands and hour markers. Unlike conventional photoluminescent paint, they illuminate continuously without first needing to be charged by sunlight or another light source. Some models also combine tritium with Marathon’s MaraGlo material, particularly on bezel markers.
Yes. Marathon has supplied timing instruments to Allied forces since 1941, and current watches are still built around military and government requirements. For example, General Purpose watches are made to U.S. military specification MIL-PRF-46374G, while the Search & Rescue range was developed to Canadian Government requirements.
