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Anthracite Large Diver's Automatic (GSAR) US Government Markings - 41mm
SKU: WW194006BK
Anthracite Large Diver's Automatic (GSAR) No Government Markings - 41mm
SKU: WW194006BK-NGM
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2581/7358/files/WW1940061.pdf?3360818916032544764
August 21, 2020 by Ariel Adams
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/watch-review-marathon-anthracite-gsar-automatic-ww194006bk/
Canada’s Marathon Watch Co. currently has but one “blacked-out” watch and that is the anthracite color-coated steel large diver’s automatic “GSAR” 41mm-wide watch. I’ve personally nicknamed the this Marathon reference WW194006BK watch the “GSAR Knight Rider” because the one red line of “300m / 100ft” text reminds me of the bouncing red light on the otherwise black “KITT” modified Pontiac Trans Am featured in the 1980s TV series called Knight Rider. The General Search & Rescue (GSAR) watch by Marathon is a fantastic tool-style watch that is noteworthy for being a rare modern timepiece that is still officially issued to various government active professionals (including some elite soldiers). That also implies the watch meets military standards for durability and functionality.
Most GSAR watches look the same as the Anthracite PVD-coated model, save for the black coloring on the case components including the case, bezel, and crown. Watch lovers have known for years that a mere color change can, in many instances, remarkably alter the personality of a watch. In all black, the 41mm-wide GSAR actually feels a bit larger simply because the dial appears larger. This is due to an optical effect caused by the inner wall of the dial being in black to match the black dial, versus in steel-tone. Similarly, the bezel appears larger because there is a seamless visual integration between the bezel itself and the black-colored insert.
When I first started to wear the Anthracite GSAR, I felt that the design was beautiful, functional, and a little bit Darth Vader-esque. But it doesn’t feel like the bad guy’s watch, even though the timepiece does have a sinister “tactical gear” vibe to it at times. No, the watch is more a celebration of durable tools and the sometimes-wild things people do while using them. Nothing celebrated that concept more than the entertainment car culture of the 1980s. Speaking of Star Wars, if you watch the video clip above, when David Hasselhoff’s Michael character first sits in KITT’s seat, he muses that it “looks like Darth Vader’s toilet.” So, I wasn’t all that far off in my association.
Produced at Marathon’s own manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the GSAR is powered by a Swiss Made Sellita automatic movement (that I believe is produced with some unique elements just for Marathon). The case is 41mm-wide, 14mm-thick, and has a roughly 48mm lug-to-lug distance. It wears smaller with 20mm-wide lugs but doesn’t feel small given the case thickness and tall bezel (which has become a signature Marathon watch look). As a sport/professional watch, the GSAR has a sapphire crystal, is water-resistant to 300 meters, and uses self-illuminating tritium gas tubes for darkness illumination on the hands and hour markers.
- MOVEMENT: Self-winding automatic 25 jewels
- SCALE QUANTITY: 2
- SCALE RANGE: 1-12 (13-24)
- LUMINOUS FEATURES: Tritium gas tubes and Maraglo™
- CASE: 316L Stainless Steel
- SUBMERSIBILITY: 30ATM
- BEZEL TYPE: Uni-directional
- CRYSTAL TYPE: Sapphire
- CROWN TYPE: Screw-in
- DIMENSIONS: 41mm Diameter / 14mm thickness
- CALENDAR: Date
link to article
Click Here to View Watch Spec Sheet
Click Here to View Product Manual
Marathon Search and Rescue Anthracite Review
Aug 11, 2020
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