There are many brands that draw inspiration from the military, but there are very few brands that actually make genuine, military-issued watches. Marathon is one of those brands. Founded in 1939, the family-owned brand is based out of Canada, but manufactures their MIL-SPEC watches in Switzerland for the best quality. Ranging from resin-cased field watches, to search and rescue divers, Marathon?s watches are truly as tough as they get. But, that?s not all they make, with a variety of analog and digital clocks, as well other accessories, being a part of their diverse catalog.
For this guide, we wanted to focus on a few Marathon items stocked in the Windup Watch Shop, starting with the small, but mighty MSAR, and complement them with a few other goods that share their spirit for quality and toughness.
Marathon MSAR (Medium Search and Rescue Diver)

The MSAR is one of those watches that leaves an impression. At 36mm in diameter, it?s a rarity in the world of 300m meter divers, with all of the ruggedness of its larger brethren but in a package that fits any wrist. The design is then pure military (it is built to MIL-SPEC, after all). The dial feels like it?s pulled from a classic field watch, with both 12 and 24-hour tracks, as well as tritium tubes for high legibility in the dark. Syringe hands tell time at a glance, and the 60-minute bezel with full markings allows for easy tracking of elapsed time.
Inside of the MSAR is the Sellita SW200, Swiss-made automati...