Out on open water, the sun comes at you from above and below at once, and that is where an Arctic dial earns its keep. Marathon reference WW194006SS-0515 is the Standard-Issue Arctic GSAR: a 41mm Swiss automatic dive watch with a white dial free of government markings, a brushed steel case and a stainless steel bracelet.

Sailors, anglers and boaters will appreciate how the GSAR is built. The case is sealed to 300 meters by a screw-down crown with guards, so spray and a full dunking are non-events. The unidirectional 60-minute bezel can time a fishing drift or an anchor watch, and tritium gas tubes on every marker and hand glow through night watches without needing to be charged.

The watch traces its design to Canadian Government search and rescue requirements, which is reassuring when you are far from shore. A Swiss Sellita SW200-1 automatic with 26 jewels keeps time, Incabloc protects it from shocks, and a sapphire crystal stands up to salt and abrasion. Rinse the bracelet with fresh water after a day out and it is ready for the next.

Marathon Standard-Issue Arctic GSAR (WW194006SS-0515)

• Ref. WW194006SS-0515, Standard-Issue, no government markings
• Arctic white dial, 4:30 date, 24-hour inner scale
• 41mm brushed 316L stainless steel, 48mm lug-to-lug
• Sellita SW200-1 Swiss automatic, approx. 41-hour reserve
• 300m (1000ft) water resistance
• Screw-down crown with guards; sapphire crystal
• Tritium tubes on markers and hands, MaraGlo pip
• Stainless steel bracelet, 20mm lugs

Fair winds, a bright dial, and a watch you never have to worry about.