Introducing The Marathon Navigator – Now With A Steel Case!

Ok, a quick history lesson before we dig into this new steel Navigator. The original Marathon Navigator was designed as an electronic (quartz) for pilots and was originally released back in 1986. Made in partnership with Kelly Air Force Base, the Navigator was largely sold through government contracts (which still make up the bulk of Marathon's business), and the steel case version was produced until a new military standard (MIL-STD-46374F, for those curious) allowed Marathon to explore working with composite case materials. 

This led to the modern Pilot's Navigator model which is 41mm wide and uses a case made out of Composite Fibreshell. Today, the new steel SSNAV-D joins the Navigator family in a single specification (that being with a date) and a few strap options. This is both the first time that a steel Navigator has been openly offered to the public and the first time that a steel Navigator has had a date function. 

Similar to the composite models, the SSNAV-D's 316L steel case is 41mm wide, 11mm thick, and 48mm lug-to-lug. Water resistance is 100 meters with a screw-down crown, the lugs are 20mm wide and have been drilled, and the field-serviceable caseback remains even for us civilians (there is a small port that can be opened with a coin when you need to swap in a new battery). 

The crystal is sapphire, the bi-directional bezel is steel with an engraved and painted 12-hour scale, and the date is located between 4 and 5 on the dial and uses a black-on-white date display. 

Also common to the composite Navigator watches, the steel example has a matte black dial, and the markers, hands, and a bezel pip are set with tritium gas tubes. The tubes use a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is not dangerous and provides a soft and continuous glowing effect. If you haven't experienced a watch with GTLS-based lume, it lacks the initial brightness of conventional lume (which has to be exposed to a light source) but glows constantly and provides a very legible and functional low-light glow for reading the watch in even complete darkness. 

Inside the entirely matte-finished steel case, Marathon has selected a high-performance quartz movement to manage timekeeping. The movement in question is the ETA F06.412, a battery-powered quartz movement that is accurate to ± 10 seconds per year. 

The movement also features ETA's PreciDrive thermo-compensation and the HeavyDrive system, which can detect a shock to the movement and use the motor to prevent the hands from skipping. The movement is mounted in the case using a screwed metal movement mount (which is not common for quartz watches or a given at this price point, where plastic movement mounts are common).

While the SSNAV-D Steel Navigator is intended to join Marathon's other watches as part of the lineup they offer via government contracts (everything from military to LEOs, fieldworkers, and search and rescue outfits, with the NSN 6645-01-698-4275) the watch will also be available for sale via Marathon's website and other points of retail starting at $800. 

For that price, you get a single-pass nylon strap with a soft keeper or, for an additional $30, you can option their NATO-style DEFSTAN strap with steel hardware. 

Over the years, I have owned a handful of their watches, including both a T-SAR (a quartz version of their mil-spec diver) and a composite Navigator. With the SSNAV-D, it feels like these two watches have almost merged, but in reality, steel is where the navigator started and, as a civilian who really only has to worry about buying one watch for my wrist, I think it's great that they are offering a steel version and I expect this to be a major release among the brand's cult following.

I've been wearing the SSNAV-D for the past week or so and, despite starting with rather high expectations, I really like it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's a no-nonsense and deeply pragmatic take on a pilot's watch. And, assuming you like your watches exceedingly practical and you don't mind quartz and a complete lack of anything even approaching fauxtina, the steel Navigator should be on your list. I for one have come to very much appreciate quartz watches and am happy to see that the bump in price over the $450 0f a date-equipped composite Navigator is not based solely on the move to a steel case, but also the inclusion of a higher-spec quartz movement (the ETA F06 found in the composite Navigator is rated to -0.3 t0 +0.5 seconds per day). 

10 seconds a year is awesome, especially if you only have room for one quartz watch in your collection. Add to that the predicted battery life of around seven years and you might only have to correct for less than one minute when you swap in a new battery. Speaking of that battery swap, I love the little screwed door (marked with a maple leaf for Canada). An uncommon element among quartz watches, it's one that Marathon offers because it's far less expensive to give a service person a fresh battery and a gasket than it is to have them send in an entire watch for services. This way, the battery can be swapped in the field with a coin being the only tool required. Love that. 

Since this Introduction is becoming a Hands-On, I have to say that the SSNAV-D wears beautifully. On the black DEFSTAN strap it weighs only 80 grams and the new steel case has been reshaped to be both thinner and more ergonomic on wrist. I found that it sits low, feels light, and is supremely comfortable on my 7-inch wrist. It's also the sort of watch that is just built for a NATO-style strap (I went for grey, naturally). 

The bezel action is good, with 72 clicks and all the functionality of the 12-hour scale, which has been engraved and then painted for an effect that feels much more refined than I expected. The bezel grip is excellent, having been redesigned from the original and fine-tuned to work with both bare or gloved hands. The crown screws down with no stress and is easy to grip thanks to the shape of the asymmetrical crown guard design common to the Navigator's case.

Of the two available straps, I would likely option the less expensive single-piece ballistic nylon. Not only am I a sucker for a soft keeper (where there is a loop of the same material as the rest of the strap that the tail threads into) but the DEFSTAN NATO-style strap isn't designed to allow the tail to be folded over and threaded back through both keepers. 

I know, I know. This is specific and nit-picky, but I prefer to wear my NATO straps by taking the tail and sliding it back through both of the keepers, so it's a tight fold and minimal bulk. With the Marathon strap, the tail is meant to go over the first keeper and then thread into the second keeper closest to the buckle. This appears intentional as the first keeper has a more narrow channel for the strap that doesn't fit two layers. 

Considering the above factors  – tritium tubes, the highly accurate movement, and the wearability – I think this will prove to be a very popular model for Marathon and they've done a great job in translating the original into a product that makes sense for today and for the non-contract side of Marathon's business. 

While I'm sure some folks will balk at the $800 asking price for a quartz watch, the price doesn't bother me at all and I think this new Navigator will make a great grab-n-go package for those that want a legit and fuss-free tool watch with excellent legibility, exceptional timekeeping, and just enough modern technology to balance its classic military appeal. 

Brand: Marathon
Model: Navigator Date
Reference Number: SSNAV-D

Diameter: 41mm
Thickness: 11mm
Lug-t0-lug: 48mm
Weight: 80 grams with the black nylon DEFSTAN strap
Case Material: 316L stainless steel
Dial Color: Black
Indexes: Applied, tritium tubes
Lume: Tritium gas tubes
Water Resistance: 100 meters (with screw-down crown)
Strap/Bracelet: Black nylon single-pass ballistic strap (with soft keeper) or a black nylon DEFSTAN strap with steel hardware (for $30 more). 

Caliber: ETA F06.412 Quartz
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Battery life: 86-94 months (with EOL indication)
Jewels: 3
Accuracy: ± 10 seconds per year
Additional Details: Features both Heavy-Drive (shock protection) and PreciDrive ETA technology. Movement is additionally secured against shock via a screwed metal movement mount within the case.  

Price: $800 on the single-pass nylon strap or $830 on the NATO-style DEFSTAN strap.
Availability: Immediately

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