When we think of Marathon’s watches, usually we tend to conjure images of hardcore tools designed for military service. The brand has made a name for itself as a supplier of military units, and the watches sold to civilians tend to reflect the sober designs you’d expect for such purpose built timepieces. But every once in a while, Marathon gets a little whimsical and likes to have a little fun, and they’ve done that this week with the release of the Arctic Red Maple GSAR and an accompanying limited edition, both of which pay tribute to Canada, the longtime home of Marathon’s headquarters.
The Arctic Red Maple GSAR is a white dialed take on the brand’s popular GSAR model, which most would agree is the brand’s core tool watch. GSAR stands for “Government Search and Rescue,” and the watch itself is a hearty hunk of steel with a 41mm diameter. The GSAR is currently available with both quartz and mechanical movements, but the Arctic Red Maple variants are both powered by a Sellita SW200. The “Red Maple” refers to the red maple leaf on the dial, a well known bit of Canadian iconography. These watches were officially released yesterday, July 1, which is Canada Day for our neighbors to the north, who are celebrating the country’s 157th birthday.
The limited edition release seen here is known as the ADANAC Arctic Red Maple GSAR Limited Edition, which distinguishes itself from the non-limited variant with the printing of “ADANAC” on the side of the case. “ADANAC” is Canada spelled backwards, and the significance of its inclusion in this LE is a reference to Marathon’s 1980s output. During this time, their government contracts frequently prohibited any branding on the watch dial, so “ADANAC” would be printed instead to note that the watch was Canadian made.
The ADANAC LE is a really charming way to convey a bit of Marathon’s history to their customers – the specificity in the storytelling behind this watch makes it truly worthy of the limited edition treatment. It’s also, of course, just a really solid everyday watch, with 300 meters of water resistance, a dive-style bezel for timing events, and an ultra legible dial with high contrast black Arabic numerals, and an interior 24 hour track. Luminescence is handled through tritium gas tubes placed at each hour and on the hands, which is a fun party trick and a longtime Marathon signature.
The retail price for the Arctic Red Maple GSAR and the ADANAC Arctic Red Maple GSAR Limited Edition is set at $1,600 (the non-limited variant is also available on a bracelet for $300 more). The limited edition is a run of 157 pieces, and both are available now. Marathon
