The company that became Marathon Watch was founded in 1904 as Weinsturm Watch, later named Wein Brothers. In 1939, Morris Wein founded the brand and supplied fine timepieces famed for their precision throughout North America. Since the 1940s, Marathon has been manufacturing time instruments for the Allied Forces. Today, the horological baton has been passed on to the fourth generation of the Wein family which continues to strengthen the brand’s reputation by producing a wide range of instruments that measure time, temperature and distance. All these traits are unveiled in their latest offering today - the Marathon Official USAF Pilot’s Navigator Ref. WW19001BK-USAF. The watch is the official watch worn by the United States Air Force (USAF) pilots and is endorsed by the US Department of Defense.
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Marathon Official USAF Pilot’s Navigator Ref. WW194001-BK-USAF
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The Pilot Navigator was born out of a request from Kelley Air Force Base in the US. In 1986, the base needed watches that could endure extreme changes in pressure when used at high altitudes, while remaining legible and accurate. Marathon created this watch to meet those demands. The Pilot’s Navigator is meant for pilots and paratroopers during missions and has been issued to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Marathon Official USAF Pilot’s Navigator celebrates form over function - a non-flashy watch that was built with the sole purpose of aiding the USAF with their missions. This particular reference stands out from its counterparts as the winged USAF logo is proudly applied onto the dial at 12 o’clock, showcasing the watch’s pedigree as the official watch of the United States Air Force pilots.
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Made in Switzeland, Approved by US Government
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Marathon based this watch on the military specification MIL-PRF-46374G and has supplied them for the US armed forces till today, albeit with several revisions, leading them to be the longest-running specifications required by the US government. This particular model follows the Type III/Class 1 variation. The specifications specify that the watch needed to have a rotating bezel equipped with an elapsed time ring, an electrical quartz movement that is able to maintain long battery life, the ability to withstand magnetism, water and corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand high altitude. Furthermore, the watch needed to have a nylon strap attached to it, and tritium is to be used for its luminous hands and markers - allowing them to glow for 8 hours or more in total darkness. The case must be made out of a fibershell high impact case with a steel back, allowing it to be durable while staying lightweight. All of these traits can be found on the Marathon Official USAF Pilot’s Navigator, making it as tough as nails.
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Tribute to MIL-W-50717
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The Marathon USAF Pilot’s Navigator is an excellent tool watch with a unique personality. Its unique case shape is entirely made with high-impact fibershell in a matte black tone, measuring 41mm wide, with a height of 13mm and a lug-to-lug of 48mm. The bi-directional bezel is also made of the same fibershell material, removing any source of inessential reflections, while still being immaculately executed. The matte stealthy case pays tribute to the original MIL-W-50717 mil-spec that was also anti-corrosion. The dimensions of the timepiece stay true to military watches of yesteryears, which enables one to feel its sturdiness and with all sense of purpose, to be out in the field.
Moving on to the case profile, the Pilot’s Navigator has a sleek sense of masculine attractiveness to it, thanks to its tactical colour of choice. When the watch is viewed from the side, it exudes the aura of a no-frills tool watch, complemented by its short lugs and hour bezel. However, when one views it from the top, it is where it shines with its unique case profile, with the lugs streamlined together with its masculine yet unique side profile. This results in a striking look, and the watch feels substantial with its unique asymmetrical case.
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Asymmetrical case design
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The L-shaped lugs are flushed together with the overall case, and further feature drilled lug holes to allow easy strap change. As part of the required military specifications, the watch is also able to withstand high altitudes of up to 35,000ft. On the caseback, you can admire the essential government markings and specifications fully engraved. The engraving can be considered as the credentials of the USAF Pilot’s Navigator - manufactured according to the specific instructions of the US Government and especially for the USAF.
Underneath its flat sapphire crystal, Marathon has affixed 14 tritium gas tubes (Isotope H3) on its hour markers and syringe-style handset, allowing one to view the time with maximum legibility even when you are in the dark for more than 24 hours. No more charging them by external light sources like conventional Superluminova. The dial features Arabic hour markers right beneath the tritium tubes, only to flange further a set of 24-hour markers reading inside. The dial gets additional markings with the “H3, hazard emblem” to indicate tritium gas usage. All this information on the watch is easy to determine, even at a glance. The dial of the USAF Pilot’s Navigator is a direct re-make of its MIL-W-46374, save for the use of the tritium gas tubes.
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Tritium gas tubes and MaraGlow™ that glows 24 hours
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Inside the watch’s heart lies the Swiss ETA F06 Quartz movement. The movement guarantees you a high degree of accuracy. It is accurate to -0.3/+0.5 seconds per day and also includes an End of Life (EOL) indicator that will advance the seconds hand once every 4 seconds to inform you that a battery change is needed. The replacement battery would be a 371 cell.
Attached to the USAF Pilot’s Navigator is a matching 20mm high-quality black nylon textile strap. It allows one to strap on the watch like it is supposed to, and would feel sturdy even if it gets wet. The nylon strap matches the military theme, elevating its sportiness and ruggedness as a whole.
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Essential Govt Markings on Case-back
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All in all, it is apparent that Marathon timepieces are manufactured with the utmost care and undergo stringent quality checks before they are launched. This attention to detail and finesse is embodied in the Marathon Official USAF Pilot’s Navigator Ref. WW194001BK-USAF, which bears testament to the expertise of the Swiss watchmaker. Military-style tool watches are becoming increasingly popular in the market, where consumers have a whole range of options to choose from. However, not all of them meet the high standards of the US Government whilst still being able to stand out with their unique design unlike anything else on the market. Marathon watches are always built with a purpose and offer startling value for money for us watch collectors.
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