Original Search and Rescue
OSAR-D
09 November 2025
“Swiss Made and Canadian at Heart”
Since my first sight of a Marathon time piece in a Griffon Helicopter flying map of the earth infiltrating an objective, I have always been a fan. Here we are over a decade later and that time passing is testament to the survival of Marathon as a company and the fact that their product still hits the right spot between trust, robustness and reliability.
Representing the SBWC on the road is something truly special that still feels a little foreign to me but also feels very purpose oriented. Being out in the field under the SBWC flag and making connections to bring content to our followership is a passion project. I was lucky enough to attend the Toronto Time Piece show where I was able to witness their very first award ceremony, during this ceremony you had awards given out to Oris, Doxa, Marathon and a few other brands within the watch world.
Marathon of course took home an award in relation to their rugged design and powerhouse tool capability. To be able to see the votes of watch world peers be casted and tallied to prove that Marathon truly is a leader in the tool watch category and that in my humble opinion they own that space was something special. Being Canadian I couldn’t be prouder of Marathons Team and Mitchell for keeping this company on point and delivering outstanding time pieces into the field primarily used by Military, First Responders, Outdoorsman, and the like.
The Marathon OSAR
The OSAR-D was originally brought to us back in the early 2000’s to fill a void in Search and Rescue’s arsenal. Rugged time pieces are needed in the most austere conditions, lets face it if SAR is being called its most likely in a nightmare scenario such as a plane crash, capsized ship, injured back country worker or even something as simple yet equally dangerous as a lost hiker.
The OSAR-D was re launched back in 2024 with some new improvements like MaraGlo Illumination, larger indices, and with greater clarity on the date window via a cyclops which I believe brings this watch in from the woods and onto a multi spectrum purpose of everyday watch, explorer and field/diver companion. There are now additional sizes of 36mm-46mm options that can be purchased in both classic black and arctic white dials.
To quote Marathon directly:
“No matter the scenario or the operator, the OSAR-D is mission ready in all configurations”
Unboxing The OSAR-D
Having had previous experience with Marathon unboxing the SSNAV I knew I was in for a treat. Marathons packaging fits the bill to me in more then one way. Those of you who have read my reviews before, know that I am a fan of useful watch boxes and minimal packaging that both have low impact on the environment and my closet. I was fortunate enough to receive the OSAR in more of a care package rather than your typical experience receiving a watch from Marathon. I can say that is a perk I am forever grateful for that comes with being a part of the SBWC Admin team and providing content creation. Special Thanks to Harrison for hooking me up and providing this watch for review!
Opening the box, I was greeted with an Olive Green T Shirt, Sticker package and a coin. Both the T Shirt and Coin were both Luminescent and well done. Now to the watch case a Pelican style case with a sturdy foam cutout inside holding all your pertinent information pertaining to the watch. Your field guide or manual, warranty card and extra strap were included beneath the watch. Picking that watch up I felt the familiar heft that I had felt before handling these pieces at Time Piece shows across Canada. Being on the rubber strap it felt lighter of course but even lighter knowing that this watch was here to stay. The strap feels smooth and does not pull on your arm hair, with a signed buckle and robust hardware you know once secured its not going anywhere. Holding the case itself is like holding a piece of armored vehicle or a machine part. The rugged world-renowned design of the OSAR is second to none and extremely functional. Taking a closer look at the dial now I was able to truly appreciate in my garage lighting the differences in the indices and legibility.
The coin immediately went into the front pocket of my British Desert Camo BDU pants that I had received in a trade with some SBS Soldiers back in 2010 sitting at the boardwalk in Kandahar Airfield, the T Shirt was tossed on along with the watch in preparation for a 13 KM Ruck March. Stepping off I set the bezel to the minute hand knowing full well this March with a 40 Pound Pack would be more than an hour I would be able to accurately track our movements with the bezel.
Moving along Lake Erie entering the bush line I could see the Marathon OSAR-D start blending into its natural habitat. It’s born for exploration and time keeping in austere environments and should be used as such as much as possible.
Detailed Review
Here are the specifications for your information to give you a true understanding of the OSAR and maybe just help you make an informed decision on purchasing one of these for your own collection. (Which I strongly recommend if you need a kickass, tough, and reliable Time piece you need not worry about)
The Case
The Marathon OSAR-D is entirely made from 316L Surgical-grade Stainless Steel. At 41mm in diameter with a case thickness of 14mm and a lug to lug of 48 it holds some serious presence on wrist but as stated earlier is not overbearing and seems to feel slimmer over time wearing it. The 20mm lug width is versatile and the lugs are in fact drilled making strap or bracelet changes a dream. The OSAR-D has a screw down crown that feels incredible in hand with no play in every position. I can only describe the crown as knurled very similar to an Olympic bar at your local gym that makes for ease of operation. Sitting on top of the case is the flat Sapphire Crystal with its new Cyclops over the date window. The Crystal is very clear, AR coated and chamfered around the outside circumference giving it a modern very instrument like feel.
Now to the 60 MIN Uni Directional Bezel, the staple Marathon Dive time bezel which if used in the Bond Franchise, I’m certain would be made into some form or gadget to cut rope or aid him in climbing a mountain. The bezel is very well done with second to none purchase and it’s crisp no back play operation gives you that much needed feeling of reliability. The wide deep cuts along the circumference of the bezel offer a place for gloves in austere conditions to fill those voids and operate the bezel with ease without slipping. The Bezel insert is extremely legible and has deep cut minute markers, filled with white paint and a Luminescent Triangular Pip at the 60-minute marker for accurate time keeping whether above sea level or below.
The Caseback has detailed information about the specific model and specifications pertaining to your watch itself. Around the outer perimeter there are the watch specs listed as Automatic, 26 Jewels, Swiss Made, 30 ATM and of course Stainless Steel. This combination of the case back, Crystal and Crown give this watch a healthy dive rating that few will truly test to its max.
The Dial
Sliding down the brushed stainless chapter ring it fields like you’re looking into a coliseum, met promptly by the minute track painted in white to stark contrast the matte black dial for increased legibility. The Seconds/Minutes track itself has slightly thinner seconds/minutes in between every five-second/minute thicker marker. To the right and left of the thirty second/minute mark there is the Swiss Made ID which always to me invokes this sense of pride in craftsmanship and reliability within, giving you trust in your time piece. Moving inward we are met with the new and improved Indices. During daylight reading the indices appear quite large but not overbearing, walking into a dark room you now see that the indices are a combination of a white border and a MaraGlow Photoluminescent Paint lume application that is accentuated by the border to give you an even better read at night without being too bright. The indices are a combination of a Triangle at the 12 o’clock for proper orientation off wrist with circles in between two rectangles at the 6 and 9 o’clock positions. The date window is a sharp square cut out bellow the cyclops done in black on white to give a quicker reference and an easy read.
Moving inward again, the brand Marathon is done in white under the 12 and below the hand set you have an Automatic also in white with the depth rating in red 300m/1000ft. The hands are Syringe shaped with subtle differences for positive ID between the two. The Minute hand has a white border with three lume applications and the hour hand also with white border has two lume applications. Both hands reach their desired purpose and are easy to differentiate. The second hand is what I would call hunting arrow shaped with the counter being shaped in a “V” like feathers and the red tip reaching the seconds track in a “Arrowhead” shape filled with lume also. Overall, the dial is striking and legible, something that during my time in uniform would have been greatly appreciated. Not only do you need a dial that is legible because of the elements you’re experiencing but in times of stress and lack of sleep, clear and concise data from your time piece is paramount for operational success and Marathon hits the nail on the head with their design.
The Strap
I received my OSAR-D on a rubber strap that is very well done. Smooth to the feel and does not collect dust easy. The strap fits comfortably around the wrist and secures promptly with a buckle and keepers. The underside is etched with Marathon Branding giving it a bit of breathability to help with increased temperatures or different environments. Its no secret though that the drilled lugs immediately challenge you to swap bands and try different combinations. The OSARs color way and tough appeal really does fit a variety of aftermarket strap options my favourite being the WOE (watches of espionages) Natos and a steel bracelet I purchased to provide some micro-adjust.
The Movement
Marathon has an extensive history in using Incabloc shock absorbers that help protect the watches movement. Inside the OSAR-D is a Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement. Marathons watches are hand assembled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland which guarantees a very high level of craftsmanship and accuracy regarding time keeping. The SW200-1 has been utilized for decades and has been proven reliable and trustworthy by many brands. That coupled with Marathons case design give you a package ready for anything this world could throw at you.
My Conclusion
The OSAR-D is an outstanding timepiece in the Marathon collection and is my second Marathon watch in my collection. Being Canadian I am of course biased, but that bias is based in fact. The above detailed review should provide you with the facts needed to understand Marathon is a powerhouse of a watch company and a brilliant brand meant for the outdoors. I couldn’t be happier with the OSAR’s performance, and it frequents my wrist whether I’m rappelling into a tough spot in an industrial setting to weld on a live unit, or if I’m doing any sort of housework or physical training the OSAR truly is an EDC companion. If you’re looking to add a rugged, reliable and a watch with considerable amount of history and proof of its capabilities to your collection look no further than the Marathon OSAR-D!
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