The Arctic Steel Navigator gets a mechanical heart. The Marathon SSNAV Auto Arctic, reference WW194029SS-0503-KIT, combines a sterile white Type II dial with a Swiss Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement in a 41mm 316L steel case, delivered on a black DefStan nylon strap.

A self-winding movement changes how you relate to a watch. Rather than running quietly on a battery, the SW200-1 is powered by the motion of your wrist, with a rotor that winds the mainspring as you go about your day. It runs on 26 jewels and stores about 41 hours of reserve, and the seconds hand sweeps rather than ticks. For many enthusiasts, that living, breathing quality is what makes a watch worth owning.

The Arctic dial keeps the face bright and easy to read in sunlight, and tritium gas tubes on the hands and markers make it equally legible at night. Free of insignia, the sterile layout lets the white dial and bold indices speak for themselves. The case is a compact 11.5mm thick and 48mm lug to lug, sealed by a screw-down crown to 10 ATM and topped with sapphire. Its bi-directional 12-hour bezel tracks a second time zone, a feature that dates to the Navigator Marathon built with Kelly Air Force Base in 1986. The DefStan strap's Parkerized hardware adds a matte, field-ready finish.

Arctic SSNAV Auto WW194029SS-0503-KIT Specifications

• Reference: WW194029SS-0503-KIT
• Case: 41mm 316L stainless steel, 11.5mm thick, 48mm lug to lug
• Movement: Swiss Sellita SW200-1 automatic, 26 jewels, ~41h reserve
• Water resistance: 10 ATM, screw-down crown
• Crystal: sapphire
• Bezel: bi-directional 12-hour
• Lume: tritium gas tubes
• Dial: Arctic white, sterile, Type II
• Strap: black DefStan nylon with Parkerized hardware, 20mm

A bright-dial pilot's watch that runs on your own movement.