Among military watch aficionados the American "Navigator watches" take a special place. These are dedicated aviation watches which provide precision timing (admittedly not too difficult with a quartz movement these days ... ) and the tracking of a second time-zone with a rotatable 12h bezel which also doubles as a time-elapsed bezel. In addition, they are water-resistant, the crystal is secured against low outside pressure and there is a requirement for increased protection against magnetic fields.
The two watches reviewed here are the two composite Navigator watches freely available on the market today as NIB items. (The review does not address collectable, genuinely issued timepieces.)
The Marathon Navigator (G model):
(picture borrowed from http://www.gnomonwatches.com )
The Traser/H3 P6500 (also available without date):
(picture borrowed from http://www.rltwatches.com )
History:
The history of the American aviation and navigator watches goes back to the "Weems" watches of the late 1920s featuring a rotatable 60" bezel to allow for synchronization with the then non-hacking center second hand. In WWII the A-11 became a famous common production standard for aviation watches for the American watch manufacturers Elgin, Waltham and Bulova; Hamilton produced a similar watch, though not under the A-11 designation. The clarity and the basic features of the A-11 design (white Arabic numerals on a black face, identically shaped hour and minute hands differentiated only by their respective length) have continued as a dominant style influence of American military watches to this day.
After WWII prominent American aviation watches were the A-17 (in the 1950s), the DTU 2-A/P (1960s; based on Mil-W-3818B) and the GG-W-113 (from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980's). They, too, were relatively small (30-35mm) hand-wound mechanical watches. None of these watches (except for the Weems, for the reason cited) had a rotatable bezel, and no chronographs were issued for military aviation purposes in significant numbers that I am aware of. The Air Force GG-W-113 specification merged into the Mil-W-46374-D specification in 1986 and effectively became the "type 1" watch of that military specification (hand-wound, hacking, maintainable, 15 jewels minimum).
An immediate precursor of the navigator watches which are the subject of this review were the so-called "Adanac" and Marathon Steel Navigators (NSN 6645-01-150-8115), produced in several runs by Marathon in 1986 and 1988 (marked "Adanac" on the dial, Air Force contract no. F41608-85-0-179) and again at least in 1990 and 1991 (marked "Marathon" on the dial, Defense Logistics Agency contract no. DLA400-90-C-5144). ("Adanac" is "Canada" spelled backwards, as Marathon is a Canadian company.) They had quartz movements and a stainless steel case (the overall case design is reminiscent of the Benrus Type I and II dive watches produced according to Mil-W-50717), the dual-use second time-zone/time-elapsed bezel (much the same as on the Benrus divers), a screw-down crown, and at first a conventional tritium-lumed type II dial and ladder-style hands, and later tritium vials. Ned Frederick - one of the authorities on American military watches - thinks that these stainless steel Navigator watches were made under the Air Force specification PD-496B which was (presumably) merged into and/or superseded by the Type 6 portion of MIL-W-46374F in October of 1991.
Mil-W-46374F and the official introduction of the "Navigator watch"
The "Navigator watches" were officially introduced as "Type 6" in the <a href="http://assist.daps.dla.mil/docimages/0000/58/27/25404.PD8">F-version of the military specification Mil-W-46374</a> of 1991. Therefore, Navigators used to be affectionately called "type 6 watches" for short; Confusingly, however, these watches are "type III class 1" under the current G-version of the military specification. Their characteristic features include a combined second-time-zone/time-elapsed bezel, a quartz movement, and tritium vials. Their black composite case is made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.
Two Navigator watches were produced and issued by the U.S. government according to this military specification: The Stocker and Yale (SandY, S&Y) P650 - produced between 1995 and 2000 - and the Marathon Navigator (Marathon model no. 211). Being manufactured to the same specification, they share the NSN 6645-01-364-4042. Please note that the composite Marathon Navigator-F shares the Marathon model no. 211 with the stainless steel Navigators described above, but not the NSN.
<a href="http://home.earthlink.net/%7eexresearch/InfoPages/W46374F.html">Pictures of Marathon Navigator-F and SandY P650.</a>
You will note that there are a few differences between the P650 on Ned's website and the Traser/H3 P6500. This is because the P650 was produced in three series. Ned's picture represents a watch from the first and second series. They had a different bezel style (without the additional 12 index marks under the numerals) and a fatter second hand. The third series (1999/2000), after which the P6500 is patterned, has the index marks on the bezel and the smaller, javelin-type second hand which is identical to that of the Marathon. Incidentally, the first series P650 was without date wheel, whereas the third series has a date mechanism but it is covered up by the dial. Somewhat confusingly, the P6500 has been produced in at least two series, too, with the first one (which was sold out after a few months) patterned after the first-series P650 (i.e. fatter second hand and no index marks on the bezel, and a different dial font was used). Personally I like the third-series design better: the index marks are helpful when using the bezel to measure elapsed time, and the smaller second hand looks so much nicer.
MIL-PRF-46374G and the Marathon Navigator:
The 1991 F-version of the military specification was superseded in 1999 by the <a href="http://assist.daps.dla.mil/docimages/0001/91/20/46374G.PD0">G-version of MIL-PRF-46374</a>:
After Stocker & Yale went out of business in ca. 2000/2001, only Marathon has been producing Navigator watches according to the G-version of the military specification. Thus the only currently issued Navigator watch is the Marathon Navigator-G (Marathon model no. WW 194001, NSN 6645-01-364-4042 which is the same as the SandY P650 and the Marathon Navigator-F). Marathon is the sole supplier of this watch.
Please note, however, that many US military watches are purchased by units (not centrally), and that units are pretty free to choose which watch they want to acquire. They are not bound by the military specification. There are rumors that some units have purchased Traser/H3 P6500s, among many other types of watches including higher-end watches like the Omega X-33 - I cannot substantiate or refute these claims.
The Traser/H3 P6500:
Mb-microtec in Switzerland is the patent holder of the tritium vials (which are also supplied to Marathon) and original manufacturer of the SandY P650s. The <a href="http://assist.daps.dla.mil/docimages/0001/95/64/46374-56.PD2">Qualified Products List of February 2000</a> lists mb-microtec as one of the manufacturing plants for Stocker & Yale. Mb-microtec has been producing tritium vial watches under their own "traser" label for some time, and there exists a licensing agreement with Luminox (the infamous "Navy SEALs watch"; Luminox has a monopoly for the U.S., e.g.). The Traser and Luminox watches are technically largely identical, with different dials, casebacks and bezels.
In 2003 mb-microtec has re-issued (or cloned, or hommaged, or copied, or produced a replica of ... ) the P650 as the P6500 under their new "H3"-label. It comes in a date and a non-date version (model no. P6500.400.33.01 for the date version, and P6500.405.33.01 for the non-date version). The P6500 is WR-rated to 3 atmospheres only (whereas the equivalent composite Luminox 3001 is rated to 20 atmospheres). This, according to one principal distributor, is due to the desire to conform to the original military specification, and to licensing agreements with Luminox. But technically there is no difference between the P6500 and the Luminox (both have a double O-ring seal of the non-screw crown), and - again according to the distributor - the P6500 has been aftermarket tested to 10 atmospheres. I cannot vouch for this information, obviously.
The P6500 is technically slightly superior to the SandY P650 (a better movement with 5 jewels is used in lieu of the SandY 1-jewel movement - but please note that there have been reports of P6500s with 1-jewel movements as well). Visually the Traser/H3 is identical to the third series P650 (1999/2000), both with the smaller second hand and the 12 index marks on the bezel in addition to the numerals. The only visible difference are the printing on the caseback and the absence of the four distinctive holes in the case of the Traser/H3 at 3 and 9. The P6500 is availabe in both a non-date and a date version. In the former, the date wheel is covered up like on the 3rd series SandY P650. Personally, however, I find the date function a great advantage in daily use.
Another difference between the P6500 and the P650 is that the bezel mechanism was decidedly wobbly and prone to inadvertent turning on all series of the P650, whereas the P6500 has a very firm and precise bezel mechanism. Both the P650 and the P6500 have monodirectional bezels (counter-clockwise) although the military specification called for a bi-directional bezel. The mono-directional bezel is a characteristic feature of dive watches (to prevent exceeding the dive time when the bezel is inadvertently moved), whereas in aviation the emphasis is on being able to quickly adjust the bezel which is easier achieved with a bi-directional bezel.
The Lighting System and the H3-Logo:
Both watches use tritium vials (called "trasers" by the manufaturer mb-microtec). In a nutshell, gaseous tritium and the lume are mixed and sealed in a glass vial. This is a major step up from painting the lume/tritium mix directly onto dial and hands. For one thing, the vials are brighter and therefore, while the half-life of tritium remains unaffected, of course, at ca. 12.3 years, since there is more brightness to start with, the luminosity should last longer than conventional tritium-based lume. The manufacturer indicates a useful life of the vials of 10 to 20 years. Another, equally crucial advantage is that humidity - the major enemy and degrading factor of lume - does not affect the encapsulated light source. Mil-W-46374F actually requires the use of tritium vials in military watches. Mil-PRF-46374G does not mandate a particular lume system but sets forth an 8-hour readability requirement.
The tritium vials on the Marathon are affixed directly to the hands and dial, whereas the dial vials of the Traser/H3 reside in a separate ring external to the dial. I have no information about replacement options - presumably both watches would need sets of new hands, and the Traser/H3 a new ring with tritium vials and the Marathon a new dial.
Here are some infos from mb-microtec concerning tritium vials in general: http://www.mbmicrotec.com/DesktopDefaul ... n&tabId=41
And here are some infos on the use of these vials in watches: http://www.traser-watches.com/DesktopDe ... n&tabId=72
Tritium, technically known as "3H" (it would be correct to have the 3 in superscript), is the radioactive isotope of the chemical element H in the form of an atom with two additional neutrons. The American military specification requires that the use of this radioactive material (under 26 millicuries for each watch, by the way) must be indicated on the dial of issued watches by both the "H3" and the propeller-type radiation logos. It is the American way of marking the presence of tritium, and the equivalent of the circle-T on British issued watches, or the red circle-3H logo on German issued watches. (Incidentally, the "H3" mandated by the American military specification is an incorrect representation of the chemical element tritium as it would actually denote a molecule consisting of three regular 1H atoms...)
Data Comparison (Traser/H3 - Marathon):
Diameter 8-2: 42mm (both)
Diameter 9-3 (including crown): 45mm - 43mm
Diameter of the dial (including tritium vials): 28mm ? 27/29mm
Height (at caseback): 10mm - 12mm
Height (incl. lugs): 11mm - 13 mm
Lug-to-lug: 45mm - 47mm
Bar-to-bar: 40.5mm - 43mm
Lug width: 22mm - 20mm
Weight (without strap): 30.5grams - 36.5 grams
Weight (with 22mm/20mm Beefy strap): 41 grams - 44 grams
Movement: Ronda 715 (5 jewels)* ? ISA 1198 (1 jewel)
[*N.B.: there have also been reports of a 1-jewel Ronda movement]
Hacking: yes (both)
Battery type: 395/9.5x2.6mm - 395 (SR927SW)
Battery life: 40 months - min. 30 months (as per the military specification)
Crystal type: flat hardened mineral - domed acrylic
Crystal position: recessed within bezel - exposed
Bezel: monodirectional (counter-clockwise) - bidirectional
Crown type: push-in, non-screw down crown (both)
Crown material: dull gray stainless steel - black-painted brass
Caseback type: backplate with four small screws - snap-on back
Caseback material: stainless steel (both)
Method of battery change: removal of entire caseback (both)
Water resistance: 3 atmospheres (both as per the military specification)*
[*N.B.: Marathon indicates a WR rating of 6 atmospheres for the Navigator, and the Traser/H3, being technically identical with the 200m-Luminox, has been aftermarket tested to 10 atmospheres]
Antimagnetic resistance: 10.000 A/m = 125 Gauss (both)
Low-outside-pressure requirement: 10'700 meters/35'000 feet for 60 minutes (both)
Expected service life: 5-10 years (both as per the military specification)
Availability:
Both the Marathon Navigator-G and the Traser/H3 P6500 are currently freely available. The Marathon is the same watch as sold to the US military, and is available through military surplus channels (e.g. CountyComm and MWR) from ca. US$ 135, and in Europe from GnomonWatches for ca. US$ 175.
The Traser/H3 P6500 can be had for anything between US$ 135 and 200 Euros, depending on location. The watches have also been sighted on eBay. Despite initial licensing issues which allegedly prevented these watches from being sold in Luminox territory (mainly the U.S.), these watches have been offered with shipping to the U.S. by many internet dealers so that the restriction against sale in the U.S. must be considered obsolete. Apparently there are also distributors located directly in the U.S.
Pros and Cons:
I have owned both watches for nearly a year, and I have noticed the following differences:
- The movement of the Traser/H3 P6500 (5 jewels) is one notch up over the Marathon (1 jewel)
- The bezel printing of the Marathon is prone to flaking off after just a few weeks of use
- The bezel mechanism of the Marathon is made of plastic. The Traser/H3 has a metal-based mechanism which is much more solid. On the other hand, the Marathon's bezel is bi-directional (as it should be for an aviation watch), whereas the Traser/H3's is monodirectional like a diver's.
- The crown of the Marathon is made of painted brass and much less solid and wear-resistant than the steel crown of the Traser/H3
- The Marathon has a snap-on stainless steel back, the Traser/H3 has a metal backplate that is affixed to the case by four small screws.
- The Marathon has a beautiful domed acrylic crystal, while the much flatter Traser/H3 has a hardened mineral glass (mine is scratch-free after one year), slightly recessed within and protected by the bezel.
- One thing that the Marathon does better than the Traser/H3 is the dial . I find its dial layout (the hands are the same on both watches) with the radial index marks much more pleasing than the Traser/H3's separate index mark ring, although the latter will presumably facilitate the eventual replacement of the tritium vials.
- The Traser/H3 takes a 22mm strap over regular spring bars (I have exchanged mine for shoulderless bars), whereas the Marathon takes a 20mm strap over semi-fixed metal bars embedded in the composite case. The 20mm strap width is much more versatile and affords a much wider range of straps, whereas the conventional spring bars on the Traser/H3 make the changing of straps easier.
- The case of the Marathon is flusher and altogether much nicer than the Traser/H3's, and were it not for its inherent asymmetry, I would much prefer it over the Traser/H3 (which is absolutely symmetrical, including the counterbalanced crown guards).
Straps:
I rotate my Traser/H3 between a 22mm American Beefy strap, a 22mm Black Rhino one-piece strap, and a 24mm Waterborne two-piece strap. The Marathon is on a 20mm American Beefy strap. They all fit very nicely. <a href="http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3056">Here are some more infos on nylon straps</a>.
Conclusion:
The Navigators may not be the greatest aviation watches of all time. A pilot might prefer a chronograph, a true GMT-watch or a multifunction watch over the simple quartz watch with rotatable bezel. But the precise quartz movement and the ability to measure short elapsed time or to indicate a second timezone (especially when one does not require these functions all of the time) without adding a complication to what is at heart a robust movement or increasing the size/weight of the timepiece, make this type a great all-around, everyday watch for non-aviators as well.
What came as an absolute surprise to me was that the composite glass-fiber-reinforced plastic case of both watches wears very well. It is lightweight and surprisingly scratch- and ding-resistant. (Please note that the bezel of the Traser/H3 is made of a softer, apparently non-glass-fiber-reinforced variety of plastic and scratches more easily; I don't know about the Marathon bezel.) I would not want to go back to steel again - but then again, I am very much a fan of lightweight watches, bucking the trend here ... In fact, I am amazed that not more manufacturers have taken advantage of the combination of light weight and strength of the glass-fiber-reinforced (Traser says that the glass fibers amount to 30%) plastic for their cases, at least in the lower price band. This material is not to be confused with cheap all-plastic cases like in Swatches etc.
My Marathon sits in a drawer, because - in a nutshell - using it would degrade the bezel. Besides, I never quite got used to the asymmetric case, but this is a strictly personal thing. However, if the Marathon were available in a version that was better finished (bezel mechanism and printing, crown, movement, date function) I would happily fork out twice its current price and make it my daily beater on the strength of the dial and case designs, and the beautifully domed acrylic crystal. But Marathon as a company is not in the civilian market, and they are unlikely to respond to public demand. They excel at cutting costs, corners, and quality; They are a proverbial government supplier, and in a monopolistic position to boot.
The Traser/H3 is altogether the more solid watch. It is not reminiscent of a CBP ("cheap black plastic") like the Marathon. You can tell that it is a watch made to the standards of being successful in the civilian market against substantial competition. The P6500 was originally bought as a proverbial "beater" for the hot summer months. It has become my most favorite watch. It is a very solid and reliable watch that has worked its way into my heart, and I wear it more than all my other watches combined. I just love it. What more can I say?
Helpful Links:
Marathon Watches Homepage: http://www.marathonwatch.com/cgi-bin/ca ... s=1&mcat=7
(Please note that the site has not yet been updated and still reflects the F-version of the military specification.)
Traser Watches Homepage: http://www.traser-watches.com/DesktopDe ... px?tabId=5
Ned's Field Watch Page (the authoritative site for the US military specification Mil-W-46374x): http://home.earthlink.net/~brendo81/46374.html
Hyunsuk's Milwatch Page: http://www.mochanni.com/~hseung/album/mwr/
Review of Traser/H3 P6500 by Ron Engels (Watch-U-Seek Pilot's Watch Forum):
http://www.watchuseek.com/cgi-bin/anybo ... =2&gV=0&p=
Development of the Navigator watches: http://www.timezone.com/library/cjrml/c ... 2675690324
Review of 1986 "Adanac" Navigator: http://www.broadarrow.net/adanacnav.htm
Many thanks to Ned Frederick and to Strela (WUS) for helping with the research for this review, and to the members of <a href="http://www.tz-uk.com">TZ-UK</a> and <a href="http://www.watchuseek.com/pwf.htm">WUS-Pilot's Watch Forum</a> for their comments!
Date: 20 August 2004
), but know that a lot of reviews (in fact, I think, most) of the ADANAC/Marathon watches point out the Canada backwards connection, and seem to say it's a secret or subtle way for canadians to poke fun at their pushy southern neighbors. I just wanted anyone reading your review, who would later read other reviews (or have already read others) to know that a canadian pointed out that it is a common brand in Canada, so not to read anything too purposeful into it. I think it is an amusing idea, and so caught on with all the reviewers, and like an urban legend, got passed on as gospel since it was printed on the internet.