Battle of the Military watches
In the ever ongoing debate on what my next watch should be, I am being drawn towards the military style reissues from brands like Marathon and CWC to fill my field watch slot.
Both have interesting history, and unique design language. So I thought it would be fun to do my first poll.
Pick your favourite and let me know why in the comments.
Let’s see who wins when put to the Crunchers!
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Dean
Arise, arise, Riders of Watch Crunch! Fell deeds awake: temptation and financial ruin! Bracelets shall be shaken, Crystals be splintered, a Seiko day, a Rolex day, ere the moonphase rises! Ride now, r...
Southern Utah
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Both excellent watches ,but here's another the company's called Sterling and is run by a currently serving member of the UK forces ,I've just pre ordered his latest model the Fraser,he also test his watches in real military environments and 10%of the cost goes to a military charity
I’d also recommend Nite watches which is another British company supplying UK special forces https://www.nitewatches.com/
They do a lot of tritium watches at reasonable prices, I have an Alpha
I own a CWC G10 from 1990 and owned an automatic Marathon general purpose field watch. My pick is the CWC.
I have a CWC and think it's an amazing quartz watch. As much as my brain knows that nothing will happen, I can't bring myself to get a tritium watch knowing that a radioactive device would be sitting in my closet.
I have a CWC and think it's an amazing quartz watch. As much as my brain knows that nothing will happen, I can't bring myself to get a tritium watch knowing that a radioactive device would be sitting in my closet.
Somehow that is both drawing me to and averting me from the marathons. The fact that it has radioactive gas in it to light up when it’s dark is both incredibly amazing and seems like a bad idea😂 I’m still not sure on which side I’ll land.
Somehow that is both drawing me to and averting me from the marathons. The fact that it has radioactive gas in it to light up when it’s dark is both incredibly amazing and seems like a bad idea😂 I’m still not sure on which side I’ll land.
Yeah that struggle is real. ☢️☢️
There also the bulova hack, which is a nice military watch. Just don’t swim with it.
There also the bulova hack, which is a nice military watch. Just don’t swim with it.
I’ve been noticing a lot of these military field watches don’t have the best water resistance. I doesn’t need 200m + or anything, but you would think they’d make them able to wade through a river out in the field or something. Interesting.
I’ve been noticing a lot of these military field watches don’t have the best water resistance. I doesn’t need 200m + or anything, but you would think they’d make them able to wade through a river out in the field or something. Interesting.
30m is more than enough for wading through rivers...
I recommend the Marathon SSNav, it's the upgraded version of the Navigator.
30m is more than enough for wading through rivers...
Sure, but being military watches I guess I would expect some overergineering. Plus more water resistance than needed gives me peace of mind. I suppose that’s not the military’s first concern though😂
Nice to see some other UK options!
It’s gotta be the CWC from the orig options though.
Forget about the trit, it doesn’t last forever.
Nice to see some other UK options!
It’s gotta be the CWC from the orig options though.
Forget about the trit, it doesn’t last forever.
I am leaning CWC more and more. I also think the tritium will be more of a gimmick. Really awesome for a little bit, but then after a while it’s just like any other lume to me
Between the two personally I'd go Marathon. But that's because I've been issued them.
Also don't over estimate tritium. It has lasting subtle glow that never fades for years and years.
Far as hazards go, tritium aka H-3 is hella light and evaporates hella fast.
So even IF somehow the extremely minute amounts were somehow released, they would be dissipated so fast you wouldn't notice. Not a nuclear physicist but we're talking micro seconds.
It would need to be a quite a large amount (we're talking metric volumes or pounds of heavy water) in an enclosed environment to be an issue. And then it's more of an issue when inhaled/internalized.
https://www.watchgecko.com/blogs/magazine/tritium-watches-your-questions-answered-here#:~:text=How%20long%20does%20it%20last,consistency%20than%20traditional%20watch%20luminescence.
Far as longevity goes see above article.
It WILL outlast lume because science.
It will not maybe glow as crazy bright after a charge like lume, but it will last longer to your eyes the more you stay in a dark environ.
Again see article.
I love the CWC but I found it small on my 71/4 inch wrist.
Even my wife told me it looked like a button on me
Something that I have never heard mentioned about the Marathon is the ticking. The high torque movement is SO loud! I owned one until recently and I could hear it ticking from across my room at night. I did enjoy the tritium lume but it ultimately didn't get enough wrist time to justify keeping.
Maybe you had a defective one, because neither of my Marathons tick any louder than my mechanical watches. My ST19 powered Seagull is much louder.
i.e. I need to hold it directly against my ear to hear it.
Nice to see some other UK options!
It’s gotta be the CWC from the orig options though.
Forget about the trit, it doesn’t last forever.
Nothing lasts forever, and Marathon will replace the tubes during service if required.
I am leaning CWC more and more. I also think the tritium will be more of a gimmick. Really awesome for a little bit, but then after a while it’s just like any other lume to me
I believe the tubes last 10-15 years with a constant glow. If I remember correctly.
I love my Marathon TSAR, it’s a tank of a watch!
Another nice feature of the Marathon is the 12 hr, bidirectional bezel. Extremely useful for simple travel. GMTs are great, but unless crossing or tracking multiple timezones, a navigator/poor man's GMT bezel is handy.
If I had a space for a quartz diver, I’d be rushing straight for the CWC SBS Diver. Beautiful and current issue to the SBS.
Get a vintage RAF Pulsar chrono for £500, looks like the CWC just cooler
Have you considered the sinn 104 st sa A? Arabic numerals and a countdown bezel, pretty sweet
Have you considered the sinn 104 st sa A? Arabic numerals and a countdown bezel, pretty sweet
Way higher price point on those. Looking for about $500. Thanks for the suggestion though!
I have a CWC and think it's an amazing quartz watch. As much as my brain knows that nothing will happen, I can't bring myself to get a tritium watch knowing that a radioactive device would be sitting in my closet.
I think there's NRC regulations on any products that has radioactive material, and as far as I know, those are quite stringent.
I don’t have a CWC but I do have a marathon which I love. There are many other choices for a lot less money, like a Deep Blue which I also own. Take a look!
I think there's NRC regulations on any products that has radioactive material, and as far as I know, those are quite stringent.
Oh for sure, but my brain says I'm gonna glow in the dark in the next 15 years. 🤣
I’ve been noticing a lot of these military field watches don’t have the best water resistance. I doesn’t need 200m + or anything, but you would think they’d make them able to wade through a river out in the field or something. Interesting.
CWC has an upgraded version of the G10 with sapphire, screw down crown, 200M water resistance, and 10 year battery Ronda movement. Check out the GS Sapphire section of their website. SS and black PVD options.
Personally I'd go for an issued CWC. Cheap enough to have a real military watch that's actually seen service. Very cool 👍