Great review of a Marathon GSAR...

This is an excerpt of a great written as well as video review of the Marathon GSAR/TSAR from Watchreport.com by Jason Morningstar:

How often do you find a watch as unique as the Marathon GSAR? Here is an industrial, machine-tooled case with a gear-like bezel twice as thick as most others bezels. Inside the near bomb-proof case is the renowned ETA 2824 Swiss automatic movement providing timekeeping on par with many very high-end COSC certified Swiss watches.

I have several watches with the swiss ETA 2824 movement, and it is quite superb in accuracy and reliability. It is a mechanical automatic (self-winding) movement featuring a sweeping second hand due to the escapement frequency of 28,800 cycles per hour, or 4 hertz. (This is same frequency as the Rolex 3135 movement.) The effect of the second hand is very elegant as it smoothly sweeps around the dial. Automatic watches have a winding rotor that winds the mainspring with the movement of the wearer's wrist. That means if the watch is worn every day, it will remain wound and will not require manual winding. It can therefore run pretty much indefinitely.

Now there is no mistaking the Marathon GSAR for anything but a tool watch. It is large, heavy, and very chunky looking. In other words, this is one serious piece of equipment. The thick, chunky shape of the GSAR tends to make it snag and catch on things as the wearer moves around. Mine already has a few battle scars and is usually too large to fit under the cuff of dress shirts. But no matter — while it sits out in the open, it begs to be stared at.

This watch comes with a standard rubber strap, which is perfectly adequate, but if you have the cash, you just gotta get the stainless steel bracelet. Besides looking fabulous, it is a very nice piece of workmanship. Bracelets are available with either a Canadian Maple Leaf, or a U.S. Great Seal insignia embossed into the clasp. NICE! It is solid stainless steel with a dive extension, and the links held together with a unique system of two-piece floating screws that act as strong pivot bars — unlike the more common system of threaded screws that fit into links with matching tapped holes. The addition of such a solidly-built bracelet certainly maximizes the equipment. I find the elegant but subdued look of the GSAR makes it a great daily wearer.

If you do order the steel bracelet, it should be installed and adjusted by an experienced watchmaker with appropriate tools. This bracelet is precision made, and fits very precisely to the watch, so it would be very easy to damage if not done properly. (Many retailers will install and adjust the bracelet for you free of charge if purchased together.)

The Marathon GSAR generally goes for $700, and the optional bracelet, for $170.

The orginal content is here: http://www.watchreport.com/2010/01/review-of-the-marathon-gsar.html

Here is the video:



I really love my GSAR! I think it is because it doesnt pretend to be anything other than a rugged tool/dive watch! Here is a picture of mine...

Nice watch, I must say. Like my favorite people, my favorite watches are also unpretentious.

merichar wrote:

Nice watch, I must say. Like my favorite people, my favorite watches are also unpretentious.

Mark,

What's the weight like on that watch?

They are good looking watches...

...case size?

Anomaly wrote:

They are good looking watches...

...case size?

From watchreport.com

The specifications:

• ETA 2824-A2 automatic movement with 25 jewels.
  
• 316L grade stainless steel case.
  
• Water resistant to 30 ATM, 300 meters, or about 1,000 feet.
  
• Case diameter of 39.5mm (excluding crown and crown guard), or 46mm including the crown.
  
• Case height of 13.55mm.
  
• 2.8mm thick sapphire crystal.
  
• 105g (with the rubber strap).
  
• Screw-down caseback and crown.
  
• Date display between the 4 and 5 o'clock markers.
  

andrema wrote:

Anomaly wrote:

They are good looking watches...

...case size?

From watchreport.com

The specifications:

• ETA 2824-A2 automatic movement with 25 jewels.
  
• 316L grade stainless steel case.
  
• Water resistant to 30 ATM, 300 meters, or about 1,000 feet.
  
• Case diameter of 39.5mm (excluding crown and crown guard), or 46mm including the crown.
  
• Case height of 13.55mm.
  
• 2.8mm thick sapphire crystal.
  
• 105g (with the rubber strap).
  
• Screw-down caseback and crown.
  
• Date display between the 4 and 5 o'clock markers.
  

The bracelet sounds like a tank from the description, my question was the weight with it. 105g with rubber is not very heavy given the overall look of the watch.

Docrwm wrote:

Mark,

What's the weight like on that watch?

Its solid but not too heavy, the case, at 41mm is on the lower end for me size wise. I say 41mm because thats the diameter from bezel edge to bezel edge, the bezel is slightly wider than the case itself. Bracelet is not real thick compared to a lot of the current dive type watches, and it tapers from 20 to 18mm. I have yet to wear it on the rubber strap I got with it. Thats not really a very precise answer, if you want I can take it to work tomorrow and put it on a scale.

Does 40mm seem small...


...or does the crown make up for it?

merichar wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

Mark,

What's the weight like on that watch?

Its solid but not too heavy, the case, at 41mm is on the lower end for me size wise. I say 41mm because thats the diameter from bezel edge to bezel edge, the bezel is slightly wider than the case itself. Bracelet is not real thick compared to a lot of the current dive type watches, and it tapers from 20 to 18mm. I have yet to wear it on the rubber strap I got with it. Thats not really a very precise answer, if you want I can take it to work tomorrow and put it on a scale.

The exact grams is less telling to me than your description. Thanks. Sounds like its on the lighter side for current SS bracelets.

merichar wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

Mark,

What's the weight like on that watch?

Its solid but not too heavy, the case, at 41mm is on the lower end for me size wise. I say 41mm because thats the diameter from bezel edge to bezel edge, the bezel is slightly wider than the case itself. Bracelet is not real thick compared to a lot of the current dive type watches, and it tapers from 20 to 18mm. I have yet to wear it on the rubber strap I got with it. Thats not really a very precise answer, if you want I can take it to work tomorrow and put it on a scale.

I agree with you Mark, it is actually pretty light for a SS watch. I wear it with the bracelet and I hardly notice it!

Excellent review Mark ! What's really neat about this watch besides
the Tritium tubes, is the quality ! The watch looks invincible, plus I think
the height of the bezel makes the watch look and feel bigger too ! Even
the inner aluminum chapter ring adds a nice depth with the dial. Throw
in the crown and the watches look pretty large ! It has to be nice having
one of these too, because you don't see them on everyone's wrist, as
they are evidently hard to get or buy ! Some TERRIFIC watches !
Thanks !

with the unsized bracelet attached its 175grams.not a light watch when you consider its size.A kremke subzilla weighs 242 grams on bracelet.
All links are solid as well as the seperate endlinks.Standard clasp and flip lock.considering how good these are the price is pretty good although most buy them on the used market.