Greatest "sleeper" chronograph ever

Charlie Mike

Charlie Mike

Sober since 1-7-14 (still a Paranoid Nutjob)
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Messages
28,365
So I've gone through a side-quest to find the perfect self winding mechanical chronograph ever since I bought a HT oven early last year. That has taken me from Breitling, Marathon, Omega, Revue Thommen, and now I'm finally content.

Turns out this watch that cost $750 (shipped overnight from Switzerland) has brought me more satisfaction than watches I've spent almost 4X more on.

This is an unbranded Marathon CSAR. Same 7750 movement, same tritium vials... Only difference is the DLC finish and the shorter bezel height. (Bezel height on the CSAR was per government contract to enable manipulation while wearing flight gloves) Timekeeping is +3 seconds/day, well within COSC. Depth rating is 1000' with screw in crown and pusher collars.

It can be found on "that river site" ;) if you know what I mean.


15077082220621381970349.jpg
 
How is it as far as scratches?...how long have u had it?...just curious, I like the marathons but this seems as nice and cheaper...thanks for the review. Ryan
 
No scratches yet and its been my weekday watch for the last 4 months. I'm a knifemaker so you'd think it would scratched by now.
 
Looks very interesting. I've thought about getting one of the standard Marathon models- GSAR or JSAR. I have a Steinhart Ocean Black and its DLC coating is holding up very well, as was the DLC coating of the Steinhart Airforce Orange that I used to have. I owned one watch with the V7750- a Hamilton. It was a nice watch but I didn't use the chronograph so I eventually sold it. I'm generally drawn more to diver style watches.
 
This is definitely a diver.
 
Thanks for the review that just cost me $750. I'm excited to check this watch out, I've never owned a chrono before but had been looking for a while. This seems to be a exceptional option.
 
What do you think of it?
 
Charlie Mike said:
No scratches yet and its been my weekday watch for the last 4 months. I'm a knifemaker so you'd think it would scratched by now.
Click to expand...

Sapphire/synthetic sapphire makes a BIG difference.
My wife works in a hospital and used to destroy 2-3 watches a year (crystals took a beating).

I bought her a Bucherer with a sapphire crustal 18 years ago and she's worn it almost every day since then.
Not a scratch yet.

Helluva price on your watch versus the branded version...
 
Charlie Mike said:
So I've gone through a side-quest to find the perfect self winding mechanical chronograph ever since I bought a HT oven early last year. That has taken me from Breitling, Marathon, Omega, Revue Thommen, and now I'm finally content.

Turns out this watch that cost $750 (shipped overnight from Switzerland) has brought me more satisfaction than watches I've spent almost 4X more on.

This is an unbranded Marathon CSAR. Same 7750 movement, same tritium vials... Only difference is the DLC finish and the shorter bezel height. (Bezel height on the CSAR was per government contract to enable manipulation while wearing flight gloves) Timekeeping is +3 seconds/day, well within COSC. Depth rating is 1000' with screw in crown and pusher collars.

It can be found on "that river site" ;) if you know what I mean.


View attachment 778898
Click to expand...
Seems like a lot of bang for the buck.

I owened a luminox 16 years ago and can attest to the tritium.

I have yet to have a chronograph, Just 4 three handed autos. Have also never had a pvd coated watch
 
The only thing that will bump this off my rotation is if Rolex makes a 44mm Daytona.
 
I'd also love to see a 44mm chronograph Submariner.
 
JBoone said:
Seems like a lot of bang for the buck.
Click to expand...

This is a good price for a watch with a good mechanical chrono movement. Most will be considerably higher. I had a Hamilton with that same movement about 8 years ago. It was in the $600 range back then, probably would be higher than $750 now. I haven't looked at Marathon prices recently but as I remember their non-chrono models were close to $750 so that is a good price for the chrono model.
 
This is my scandal, Matt.

Had an H3 Luminox for like 10 years, modded by Bill Yao over at MKII, he changed the dial for me, it was a stainless body, polymer bezel. Bill's work is flawless imo, fwiw.

The bezel cracked and was unrepairable, and Luminox was not making that model anymore, and I was SOL. That's not bad for that length of time for the cost( at dealer price, it was less than $300.00 when the dust settled. with mod)

My question is.....ASSUMING that the build quality is solid, will this watch have parts available and re-lume possible after the 10 years or so of tritium vial half life?

I got's lot's of watches including a pretty damn hard-to-kill quartz Seiko chrono that is 30 years old.....don't need another 10 and done expensive version....and you know I gotta Rolex SeaDweller at the top, that will last me until I die, so while intrigued, need some assurance on this expenditure, otherwise it's pointless. G-Shock auto illumination is pretty slick for an ana-digi model, and has some cool multi-time features that the automatics can't touch, at less than $100.00 for an edc that will last easy 5-10 years with proper care.

Lemme know, bro!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Been wearing my Rolex Deepsea for almost 4 years (longest I've owned a single watch) so we'll see if this chrono lasts in my rotation. I only own 2 watches.
 
How's this holding up Matt? I've got a hankering for a new watch;).

~Chip
 
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