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.
Here are some more infos on nylon straps.
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?
