For collectors of military-issued watches, the Marathon GSAR is close to essential. Reference WW194006SS-0109 presents the 41mm Large Diver's Automatic in brushed stainless steel with a black dial on a matching steel bracelet, a configuration that captures exactly why enthusiasts keep coming back to this model.

Part of the appeal is authenticity. Marathon has been a military supplier since 1941, its SAR watches were developed to Canadian Government requirements, and they have been used by elite members of the Canadian and U.S. militaries as well as other government agencies. Part of it is execution: the watches are Swiss-made in La Chaux-de-Fonds and designed by the family-owned company in Ontario, combining a Sellita SW200-1 automatic, a sapphire crystal and 300m water resistance with tritium illumination on the hour markers and every hand.

Collectors also appreciate how many GSAR variations exist, from Arctic white dials to maple leaf and USMC editions. This black-dial steel version on a bracelet is the natural place to start, and the benchmark every later addition gets measured against.

Collector's Notes: Marathon GSAR WW194006SS-0109

• Reference number: WW194006SS-0109
• Model: GSAR, 41mm Large Diver's Automatic
• Case: brushed 316L stainless steel, 48mm lug to lug, 20mm lugs
• Movement: Sellita SW200-1, 26 jewels, Incabloc, approx. 41-hour reserve
• Water resistance: 1000 feet (300 meters)
• Crystal: sapphire
• Lume: tritium gas tubes (markers, hands) and MaraGlo (bezel pip)
• Dial: black, syringe hands, 24-hour scale, date at 4:30
• Bracelet: stainless steel

Start the collection right, or round it out with the one that matters most.