Marathon has been one of those brands we’ve always had a soft spot for here at TBWS. Well, at least me. They’ve been making mil-spec watches for the U.S. military since World War II, and that history speaks for itself. Now, with 2026 marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, Marathon is celebrating the occasion with a limited edition automatic pilot’s watch. It’s called the U.S. 250 Anthracite Stainless Steel Navigator with Date, and at first glance, it’s a lot of watch to take in.
The Marathon Navigator design is based on Marathon’s SSNAV, which was originally developed in 1986 as a joint initiative with Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio. These aren’t heritage callbacks manufactured by a marketing department. Marathon actually made the watches that went into service. The 41mm case here is 316L stainless steel with ion plating in the brand’s Anthracite finish, giving it an all-black look that Marathon says was inspired by “the twilight’s last gleaming.” Make of that what you will, but the blacked-out aesthetic does land well with the pilot’s watch format.
Inside, Marathon went with the Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1, a 26-jewel automatic with an Incabloc shock absorber. Visible through an exhibition caseback, the movement sits beneath a crystal printed with an American flag and the national motto “In God We Trust.” Other patriotic details are scattered throughout. There’s a 1776 logo beneath 12 o’clock surrounded by a Betsy Ross-style star arrangement, a red tritium tube at 12 to reference the National Anthem, and a bison leather strap as a nod to America’s national mammal. You also get a bidirectional elapsed-time bezel and both 12- and 24-hour markings on the dial.
I’ll be honest. I love Marathon, I love the Marathon Navigator platform, and I appreciate the intent behind a release like this. However, looking at the press photos, the dial feels a little crowded to me. There’s a lot going on between the commemorative logo, the dual-format hour markings, dial text, and all the patriotic touches layered in. Compare that to something like the limited edition Khaki Field Mechanical that Hamilton recently put out, which took a cleaner approach to a similar kind of celebration. Sometimes less really does let the design breathe. I can see how the density of detail might be exactly what appeals to the buyer Marathon is targeting here, especially someone who wants a watch that tells a story at every angle.
Pricing is set at $1,776, which is obviously intentional, and only 250 units will be produced. That’s a small run. The watch is available now on Marathon’s site. Whether these move quickly probably depends on how much the anniversary theme resonates with Marathon’s existing audience. It’s the kind of release where the story might matter more than the specs, and for a brand with Marathon’s actual military provenance, that story carries more weight than it would from most.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.