Latest news with #MitchellWein
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Arctic search and rescue watch adds durable features
A company that's been constructing military-grade watches for the U.S., Canada and other nations since World War II has added an arctic version of a premier search and rescue watch to its inventory. Company owner Mitchell Wein's grandfather had the good fortune of housing his watchmaking business in the same building as the Canadian Army's procurement office as the nation entered the WWII. It had only been a few years since the Marathon Watch founder had broken off from the family watch business to design his own product. Those first watches went on the wrists of soldiers headed to fight in Italy. The company eventually delivered an estimated 160,000 watches during WWII, Wein said, and has remained in the military watch game nearly ever since. 'Combining military-grade durability with precise engineering, the Original Search and Rescue with Date, or OSAR-D, builds on Marathon Watch's legacy of the original 41mm SAR, which set the standard for Search and Rescue timepieces in the early 2000s,' according to a company release. The expanded OSAR-D family of watches maintains the enhanced features introduced last year with the launch of the 41mm OSAR-D with black dial. Those include the improved MaraGlo illumination, larger indices and increased clarity on the cyclops date window. The company also added the Arctic white dial, which is designed to improve legibility in bright conditions, offering unparalleled readability in extreme environments. All the company's timepieces are powered by Marathon x Sellita automatic movements. The SW-200 movement drives 36mm and 41mm sizes. The 46mm jumbo edition is equipped with the new SW600 movement, which includes a 62-hour power reserve, now the largest power reserve Marathon has to date. Each OSAR-D model is also fitted with an Incabloc shock absorber to reinforce its durability. The 41mm size watches are available for preorder, with shipments slated for mid-May, company officials said. Prices start at $1,500 with the 3-piece rubber strap kit. The stainless steel bracelet option costs $1,800. The 36mm and 46mm sizes will be available in late 2025, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. The company built its general-purpose mechanical watch in 1976 for the U.S. military and started building chronometers for ships in the early 1980s, Wein said. 'We didn't really make money on the government watches,' Wein said, adding that they would get orders of 7,000 or 11,000 watches and make between $3.50 and $5 per watch. One of the reasons mechanical watches remain part of military inventory in an age of their smart counterparts is that mechanical timekeeping remains impervious to electromagnetic pulse tactics that could blow out any electronics in range. They also do not emit a signal that can be detected by electromagnetic warfare tools. And then there's the battery, or lack thereof, which adds to their long-lasting durability. The watch can operate for 30 years, as compared to a traditional quartz watch that usually requires a new battery every six years. Special, synthetic oil blends keep the watch going. Those only need replacement every 15 years or so, Wein said. Tritium gas tubes that provide glow in the dark features stay bright for 12 to 25 years.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Marathon Watch Expands its Iconic Search and Rescue Collection with an Extended OSAR-D Family
Leading supplier of genuine military timepieces unveils new OSAR-D size options and a striking Arctic white dial TORONTO, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Marathon Watch, the leading supplier of genuine military timing devices, announced the expansion of its OSAR-D collection (Original Search and Rescue with Date), building upon its legendary Search and Rescue series. Revealed during the Time to Watches Geneva exhibition, this expanded family introduces two additional sizes and a new striking Arctic white dial option for the existing 41mm size and the two new sizes (36mm and 46mm). Combining military-grade durability with precise engineering, the OSAR-D builds on Marathon Watch's legacy of the original 41mm SAR, which set the standard for Search and Rescue timepieces in the early 2000s. As not all operators nor missions are built the same, the expanded OSAR-D collection offers more size options while maintaining Marathon's signature craftsmanship and military-grade quality. "The original SAR was meticulously crafted to meet the demands of Search and Rescue professionals," said Mitchell Wein, President of Marathon Watch. "The OSAR-D family furthers that legacy while evolving to meet the diverse needs of today's operators. Blending technological advancements with time-honored craftsmanship, the OSAR-D continues to perform while maintaining the trusted reliability that Marathon is renowned for." The expanded OSAR-D family maintains the enhanced features introduced in 2024 with the successful launch of the 41mm OSAR-D with black dial, including improved MaraGlo illumination for increased visibility, larger indices for faster reading, and increased clarity on the cyclops date window. The addition of the Arctic white dial is designed to improve legibility in bright conditions, offering unparalleled readability in extreme environments. Each timepiece is powered by bespoke Marathon x Sellita automatic movements. The venerable SW-200 movement is the engine driving the 36mm and 41mm sizes. The jumbo 46mm edition is equipped with the new SW600 movement, which boasts an impressive 62-hour power reserve, now the largest power reserve Marathon has to date. Each model in the OSAR-D family is also fitted with an Incabloc® shock absorber, reinforcing its durability for high-stakes missions. The OSAR-D family exemplifies Marathon's dedication to durability and the evolving needs of those who rely on their equipment in the harshest environments. With this latest expansion, Marathon continues to set the standard for delivering high-performance, mission-ready timepieces. The 41mm Arctic OSAR will be available for pre-orders on beginning April 1st, with shipments starting in mid-May, and will be priced at $1,500 USD with Marathon's 3-piece rubber strap kit, or $1,800 USD when paired with a stainless steel bracelet. The 36mm and 46mm sizes will be available in the second half of 2025, with prices ranging from $1,000 – $2,500. For more information about Marathon Watch, visit and follow @MarathonWatch on Instagram, Facebook, and @MarathonWatchCompany on YouTube. About Marathon Watch: For nearly 85 years, Marathon Watch has been a family-owned company specializing in an extensive array of precision instruments designed to measure time, temperature, and distance. Today, all Marathon watches are built with industry-leading standards at the company's own factory located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Many people know Marathon as a long-standing supplier of timepieces to the allied armed forces. Today, Marathon is the Allied forces' only remaining official supplier of watches. Marathon is also proud to supply high-quality tools to law enforcement and rescue professionals whose jobs absolutely require reliability and value. For more information about Marathon Watch, visit and follow the brand on social via @MarathonWatch on Instagram, Facebook, and @MarathonWatchCompany on YouTube. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Marathon Watch Sign in to access your portfolio
