This Military-Grade Pilot’s Watch Gets a Sporty Retro Makeover

Marathon’s watches are hard to categorize. Most of the Canadian brand’s designs combine elements from dive, field and pilot’s watches. The only box they all truly fit into is ‘military grade.’

One of Marathon’s most successful and adored watches is the Steel Navigator, or SSNAV-D. Designed for Canadian search and rescue pilots, it has been supplied to the United States Air Force, among other armed forces groups worldwide.

Marathon

At first glance, it looks like a dive watch with a 12-hour bezel, but every detail has been purpose-built for helicopter pilots operating in adverse conditions.

The distinct lug-to-lug crown guard prevents the watch from inhibiting wrist movement, tritium tubes on the hands and hour markers provide continuous legibility in low light and the ETA-produced quartz movement ensures long-term accuracy.

Marathon

The limited edition ‘Blue Yonder’ paint job makes this Steel Navigator special. It is inspired by the primary color of the United States Air Force and draws its name from the opening line of the military branch’s official song: “Off we go into the wild blue yonder…”

A splash of color

Marathon offers more than a dozen distinct watch designs, generally broken down into dive, pilot’s and field categories, but they all share the same simple color scheme. Most cases are steel and most dials and bezels are black, with some “Desert” khaki variations, a few “Arctic” white dials and the odd olive drab strap.

Marathon

The Steel Navigator ‘Blue Yonder’ is a notable outlier but still fits the brand’s strict military aesthetic. Navy blue is as much an armed services color as khaki and olive.

I feel confident speaking for long-time Marathon fans when I say this is one of the best-looking watches that the brand has ever made because it is so refreshing.

Marathon

The steel case, white dial and bezel detailing, green and blue lume and red second hand all pop set against blue.

Wherever your adventure takes you

Across the board, Marathon makes some of the best travel and outdoor adventure watches on the market. But the Steel Navigator is one of top options for comfort, reliability and functionality.

Marathon

With that in mind, I’ll address the quartz issue right here: While a $1,200 quartz movement may give pause to many watch enthusiasts, the Steel Navigator uses an ETA-made quartz with an accuracy of +/-10 seconds per year.

Quartz movements are also inherently far more shock-resistant than automatic movements because they have fewer moving parts. Military and personal adventure watches have an overlapping prioritization of accuracy and durability, which this watch offers in spades.

The elliptical stainless steel case promotes wrist mobility, and the tritium tube dial markers never need to be charged with light. The bezel is bi-directional, abbreviating short-term time tracking.

Marathon

While not technically a dive watch, the Steel Navigator has a screw-down crown and sapphire crystal, offering 100m water resistance.

It is a wonderful tribute to the United States Air Force, but the Steel Navigator ‘Blue Yonder’ is also the best-looking version of one of Marathon’s best designs.

Anyone looking for a reliable, high-functioning, all-purpose adventure watch with less of a military aesthetic, your search is over.

Availability and pricing

The Marathon SSNAV-D Steel Navigator ‘Blue Yonder’ is available now from Marathon for $1,200.

It is a limited edition of only 500 pieces, so it will likely disappear soon.

Marathon

Marathon SSNAV-D ‘Blue Yonder’

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	ETA caliber F06.412 quartz
Water Resistance	100m

• $1,200 at Marathon

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