When people picture a modern-issue American field watch, this is usually the one they have in mind. Reference WW194004BK-0901 is the Marathon General Purpose Quartz in black with the "U.S. Government" dial, a 34mm tritium-lit Swiss quartz watch built to the military's own performance specification.

The GPQ is manufactured to MIL-PRF-46374G, Type I, Class 1, a standard with roots in the GG-W-113 field watch specification of the 1960s. Marathon's dial reads "U.S. Government" at the top, and government markings are repeated on the caseback, which marks this as the procurement configuration rather than a civilian homage. The company has supplied the Canadian and U.S. militaries and other agencies for decades, with military orders going back to 1941.

The practical details are just as authentic. A black composite fibreshell case keeps weight to a minimum, tritium tubes on the markers and hands glow without charging, and the Swiss ETA F06.115 HeavyDrive quartz drives the hands with high torque and flags low battery with an end-of-life indicator. Sapphire crystal, 12- and 24-hour scales and a black one-piece nylon strap complete a watch that is as at home in civilian life as it is in uniform.

Marathon GPQ U.S. Government Specifications

• Reference: WW194004BK-0901
• Case: 34mm black fibreshell, 11.5mm thick
• Movement: ETA F06.115 HeavyDrive Swiss quartz with EOL indicator
• Water resistance: 3 ATM
• Crystal: sapphire
• Lume: tritium on hour markers and hands
• Dial: black, U.S. Government marked, 12- and 24-hour scales
• Strap: black one-piece nylon, 16mm lug width

The real thing, marked and made for service.