Hands-on with the Marathon OSAR-D

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Marathon OSAR-D

I have always been enamored with the Marathon SAR watches, and this Marathon OSAR-D checks a lot of boxes for me. I remember a time, probably 15 years or so ago, when the Marathon JSAR was a grail for me, and when I did get one, it didn’t disappoint. These days, 46mm with a 16-17mm thickness is just too big, and I have always wondered why they didn’t make a 41 or 42mm version of the JSAR. While this OSAR-D isn’t exactly that, it is a 41mm SAR with MaraGlo lume instead of the tritium used on the majority of Marathon watches. It’s also available in two other sizes, 36 and 46mm, and with an Arctic white dial. It’s powered by a top-grade Sellita Sw200-1, and starts at $1800 with the new FKM rubber straps.

Specifications 
41mm Stainless Steel Case
(39.5mm case, 41mm Bezel)
20mm Lug Width
48mm Lug to Lug
14mm Thick
120 Grams
Sellita SW200-1 Top Movement
300M Water Resistant
Sapphire Crystal
Aluminum Bezel Insert
Screw Down Crown
Screw Down Case Back
MaraGlo Lume
Rubber Strap (As Reviewed)
Swiss Made

MSRP $1800

https://www.marathonwatch.com/collections/41mm-sar/products/41mm-original-sar-w-date-osar-d

As I said, these days, I just really can’t pull off a 46mm case, especially with a thick and chunky tool watch such as this. I mean, I guess I can, but I just prefer something a little smaller, more in that 41-42mm range, and that’s where this Marathon OSAR-D comes in. It’s the same iconic case, bezel, and crown as the JSAR, but it’s actually a recreation of the original SAR from 2001/2002 (not sure on exact date) with an even cleaner dial, and the massive applied indices with MaraGlo (Marathon’s version of Super-LumiNova).

At 41mm, while it is a recreation of the original SAR, it’s also basically the same as the 41mm GSAR, with the same case, crown, bezel, and movement, but with a different dial, a dial without tritium. Oddly enough, while many enthusiasts of the brand are complaining about the pricing of Marathon watches, this Marathon OSAR-D starts at $200 less than the current GSAR ($1800 vs $2000). I’ll get back to pricing more in a bit, but for me, I had been wanting a 41mm JSAR for years, and while I would still probably like to see that, I think I like this OSAR-D even more, as it’s a much simpler dial.

I am not, nor have I ever been, in the military, nor have I ever been on a search and rescue mission, so I can’t speak to what the requirements are for a watch in those situations, and while I can Google that, I would just be reguritating third party info. The JSAR may be better suited for the military and SAR teams, with the larger hands, orange accents, and the 24-hour time. While I loved that dial when I was younger, I do tend to gravitate towards a simpler dial these days.

And this OSAR-D is just that, a much cleaner and simpler dial, with the massive oversized white painted indices filled with MaraGLO, very minimal text, the ladder style hands, also painted white, for maximum readability against the matte, slightly tettued black dial, and of course, there’s the giant cyclops on the sapphire crystal to magnify the date 1.5 times. The dial is even less adorned than the original, as it doesn’t have the H3 and radiation logo on the dial (though there were a few different variations of the original through the years, some without the date magnifier as well). And none of them had the maxi-style applied indices either, something else that truly separates it from the original SAR.

The glow of the MaraGlo, pun intended, is nothing short of fantastic. When the watch first arrived, I wasn’t sure how well it would glow and how bright it would be, as it doesn’t appear like there is much in the way of lume coating applied, but I was dead wrong. While many prefer tritium as it never needs a light source, I absolutely love good old-fashioned lume, and this is a lume junkies dream come true.

Now, the case of the Marathon OSAR-D is pretty much like every other SAR they produce; it’s a large block of 316L steel, it’s got that massive chunky bezel with the amazing grip, an almost 8mm knurled crown with large crown guards, and a basic spec sheet case back. The lugs do curve ever so slightly, and they are drilled lugs for easy strap or bracelet removal (note the pins that come with the watch are shoulderless spring bars, so you’ll want to use the drilled lugs for removal). The entire case, crown, bezel, everywhere you look, that there is steel, is completely fine satin brushed, as this is a rough and tough tool watch, and there is no need for polished chamfers.

The bezel of the Marathon OSAR-D, like all others in the SAR lineup, is massive. It’s got an exaggerated bottlecap design, is extremely easy to grip even with thick gloves or when wet, and the insert is aluminum, fully indexed, with a textured finish, almost seems like a spray texture, but I am not sure what is used for the coating. And that is where many, including myself, wonder why they don’t use a more premium insert, such as ceramic, or a steel DLC-coated insert, or, as one YouTube commenter mentioned, tungsten, though this watch is nowhere in the same price range as a Hublot. If you do want ceramic, Gnomon Watches does sell ceramic inserts for this and other SAR models, for $70. So it seems like there are customers who want a different bezel insert.

I have gone back and forth on it myself, as I do like the look, and honestly, beyond scratches, I don’t have an issue with aluminum bezels, and I like that this has that textured coating over a standard brushed and anodized aluminum bezel. What I do have a problem with, or I guess I should say I question the ease with which the bezel rotates. In this example and one other I tried, it’s very easy to turn. It’s not loose in a sloppy way and doesn’t have back play, but in the video I show how easy it is rotate, even with just my thumb. I have to believe this is intentional, but I wish it were a little tighter.

Nothing to really note on the case back, pretty standard fare for a Marathon watch, but unlike the JSAR, which is the only other SAR watch to currently use MaraGlo over tritium, this is not a high accuracy quartz movmenet, rather they went with the same Top Grade SW200-1 automatic movement that they use in the GSAR and many other of their 3 hand automatic watches. The top grade version not only uses the Incabloc Shock protection, which gives better shock resistance to the movement, but also has better accuracy+/-4 sec/day up to +/- 15 sec/day, compared to the standard grade,+/-12 sec/day up to +/- 30 sec/day. So while many will moan and say it’s just an SW200-1, it is a higher grade of movement than used in a lot of watches, such as those in the $1000 and under price range.

It did get me wondering, though, could they have just gone all they way and made it a chronometer? The watches are Swiss Made, so they could have gone this route. On the other hand, for a rough and tough tool watch, would many prefer the quartz movement? Should they make a quartz version of this new OSAR-D?

Marathon offers either a strap or a bracelet (for $400 extra) for this OSAR-D, and I chose the 3-piece rubber strap as I had not seen these in hand yet, and have reviewed many with the bracelet over the years, and quite frankly, I’m not a big fan of the Marathon bracelet, especially the basic and outdated stamped clasp. I quickly, however, became a fan of these new FKM straps, and if you read any of my reviews, you know I am an FKM convert. I always loved natural rubber straps, but FKM is even more pliable, while still being very strong and not floppy like silicone.

The 3-piece strap system is just your standard two-piece strap, but you get an extra buckle side in a longer length. The standard or default is 120mm by 70mm, but if you switch out to the other strap, it’s now 120mm by 90mm. It’s a custom molded strap with a slightly different look than you see on most FKM dive watch straps. I won’t call it unique, but I like it, I think it looks premium, and the back is all stamped with the Marathon logo. The strap also has two keepers with the rubber tabs to hold them in place.

And because of that new FKM strap (I have it on the longer piece for my 7 1/2 inch or 19.05cm wrist, if you are wondering) and the 41x48mm case, this wears like a dream on my wrist. It feels better than I expected, as I wondered if the 41mm diameter with such a thick case would feel a little too bulky on my wrist or sit weirdly, and that maybe they should have bumped it up to 42mm, but I was wrong. It sits relatively flat on the wrist due to the case back, and even though that crown will dig into the back of your hand at times, I have really enjoyed wearing this Marathon OSAR-D.

As a reviewer, I always look at a way to justify or not justify a price by breaking it all down to the materials, movement, etc. There is no denying that Marathon prices have drastically increased; this OSAR-D was $1380 when released in late 2024. Now it starts at $1800. That’s a $420 price hike. And if you want the bracelet, add another $400. Obviously, we know why many things have increased over the last year: tariffs. Marathon is not the only brand that has increased its prices.

As always, you need to look at what you are buying, why you want it, and if you can afford it. Marathon certainly has a good reputation and has been around a long time, and many swear by these watches and do much more with them than the desk diving I do.

There is only one Marathon SAR, though, or in this case, the OSAR-D, and I did find some lower prices for it; such as Long Island Watch, where you can get it for $1680 on rubber, and while not the Marathon bracelet, they do give a free Islander bracelet with a quick adjustment clasp extension. It’s also available in 36 and 46mm if 41mm isn’t right for you.

I still love the design, I love the new dial with maxi indices, and the 41mm is the perfect fit for my wrist. 

Marathon website for more.