or half a century, Marathon Watch Company shunned the spotlight, with much of its history cloaked in relative obscurity until recent years. If North America had its own version of the fabled ‘Dirty Dozen’ – the twelve military watch suppliers to British forces during the Second World War that now captivate modern collectors – Marathon would undoubtedly be among them.

Remarkably, this 85-year-old company has outlasted many of its peers, remaining in the hands of the Wein family for three generations. After the war, Marathon slipped off the civilian radar, becoming deeply involved in government contracts and virtually invisible to the public. It wasn’t until the rise of online enthusiast forums that the company’s presence began to resurface.

Through cycles of war and peace, Marathon’s creations have been silent witnesses to countless special missions. “We’ve invented a lot of things,” says Mitchell Wein, who has been involved in the business for much of his life and steering operations since 2012. “We’ve developed a lot of clock systems and watch systems. We even designed a special stopwatch for Victoria-class submarines to time torpedo launches.”

Mitchell Wein, President of Marathon Watch Company

Wein reveals that some of their official drawings are recorded not only in Ottawa, the nerve centre of Canada, but also at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, and in Virginia, home to the Pentagon and other U.S. defence agencies. He acknowledges, “We have some crazy products. In the government world, we’re always developing new products.”

The TSAR is the quartz version of the GSAR, powered by the high-torque ETA F06 calibre, providing the consistent accuracy required by governments for precision timing.

Founded in 1939, Marathon has been producing clocks and watches in Switzerland to meet the specific needs of national agencies and select foreign forces. Yet its horological roots date back to the early 20^th century when the Wein family in Russia was already involved in the trade. One brother established a base in Geneva, supplying parts and complete watches to other sibling brands later spread across the United States.

Marathon offers three signature collections to the public: the diver’s SAR with its flagship model GSAR, the pilot’s Navigator, and the General Purpose. Prices range from $250 to $5000 USD.

Marathon was a spinoff of this franchise, by way of Montreal, eventually planting its flag in Vaughan, just north of Toronto. It has continued to operate in various watchmaking capacities with a close-knit family network, including Hampden Watch Company in Chicago. Today, Marathon stands as one of the last true watchmakers to equip military units with its own factory in the Swiss Jura.

The company confirms that all its watches are developed in accordance with precise specifications (MIL-SPEC), around 90% of which are certified with NATO Stock Numbers (NSNs). The range of quartz and mechanical instruments is built to endure the harshest and most hostile conditions for a variety of tactical and professional uses. Beyond the battlefield, they also serve peaceful purposes, such as timing tremors and earthquakes for the Department of Agriculture.

Once labelled “ugly” by Wein’s father when thin watches were in style, the GSAR turned out to be a runaway success for the company because soldiers needed a sturdy, practical watch for deep water conditions.

Among the company’s most notable developments is the GSAR (Government Search and Rescue), a dive watch remodelled by Mitchell Wein back in his 20s. Initially created for Canada’s Department of National Defence to accompany coast guards and submersibles in deep ocean environments, the watch is a standard search and rescue watch for many other militaries to this day.

Decades in this specialised domain have given Marathon a laser focus on product integrity. This translates into delivering top-tier reliability and a guaranteed lifespan at the lowest possible cost, respecting taxpayer dollars. Wein explains, “It’s a bit different than regular business. We don’t have to make much money because the government always pays so we put all our money in quality.”

Marathon is obsessed with accuracy and tolerance. Wein elaborates, “It costs a lot to maintain a lab, perform tests, and produce test reports.” Consequently, the company has historically avoided unnecessary frills, not to mention advertising. Holding a small, plain paper box in his hand, he says, “This is the original box. This is how we shipped all our watches up until 20 years ago. They’re not getting anything fancy, but they’re getting a real tool.”

The use of tritium gas tubes promises a constant, self-powered glow while the MaraGlo technology provides bright, rechargeable luminescence.

While outwardly, Marathon’s watches have evolved quietly over the decades, their internal components are incessantly refined, and materials modernised. Wein points out, “Because we haven’t changed how they look that much, people may not see the improvements. But inside, from Incabloc shock absorbers to magnetism handling, and even vibration tests on the hands, we’re always upgrading.”

All mechanical models (except the 34mm) are equipped with Sellita 200 series movements and Incabloc shock absorbers, delivering the best value-to-performance balance to ensure efficient use of tax money.

Nevertheless, the pressure of fulfilling military contracts is unforgiving. The margins are razor-thin, and any slip in manufacturing standards jeopardises more than an operation, as it puts lives at stake. The Gulf War in 1990 highlighted vulnerabilities in Marathon’s supply chain, with sub-supplier issues threatening the company’s ability to deliver 150,000 watches and special timers for the U.S. forces.

Recognising the imperative for greater control, Wein strategically restructured production, shifting from working with assemblers, such as the Galet and Frey families, to opening their own factory. He notes, “We decided to bring everything in-house, keeping it all within La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, where even the engraving of hands and dials is done locally.”

Marathon has been operating its own factory in Switzerland for three decades.

This move proved pivotal not only for product engineering and quality assurance but also for reducing their carbon footprint. “We’ve been able to work more closely with our suppliers, hand in hand. They’re all local, so if there’s an issue or an emergency, we get there fast. No airplanes,” Wein says, adding, “It’s very important to a Canadian to care about the environment, not just the Canadian environment, but the world environment, because we see it changing.”

Once closely guarded, Marathon’s utilitarian watches were issued to a few hundred thousand veterans over the years, accessible only to those with a need to know. Outside those circles, acquiring one wasn’t always possible. “People didn’t know where we were or how to get a hold of us,” Wein recalls. “There would be letters asking to buy them, but my father always said no.”

Interestingly, Marathon has never been restricted from selling to civilians. “There are some watches we’ve sold to government agencies that the public doesn’t know about, and certain confidential commissions for private companies,” Wein admits. However, there’s no watch they can’t offer to everyday people unless the company itself sees a conflict of interest. Wein has long favoured the idea of embracing a broader audience, so he began forging connections that extended Marathon’s reach beyond its usual confines.

Wein: “If our watch were a car, it would be a Jeep. It has always been affordable to good, hard-working people. This is a beautiful design, the quality is excellent, and even the rubber straps are made in La Chaux-de-Fonds.”

Since then, Marathon watches have found their way into the hands of enthusiasts through its own e-commerce platform and a worldwide dealer network. The brand has also embarked on new projects, allowing the team to unleash their creativity. This year’s licensing partnership with Jeep was particularly successful, surprising even Wein, who now hints at a forthcoming launch with a well-known global name this fall.

With Marathon’s recognition growing, the company receives increased interest in collaborations but remains highly selective about who they work with. “It’s important that when something is co-branded with you, it represents you and shares the same values,” Wein stresses. As the custodian of a family business, he reflects, “There are brands that only care about money. I have to leave a legacy. Marathon may not be my last name, but it really is.”