Episode 34: Mitchell and Martin from Marathon Watches

Whiskey&Watches

Spence had the opportunity to sit down with Marathon Watch company Executive Mitchell Wein and Martin Cohen, from their marketing area. Marathon is a Canadian watch company that has a manufacturing facility in Switzerland and is a supplier of watches to the US and Canadian militaries and government agencies.
Despite being a close neighbor, the guys had not heard of Marathon Watch Company until Hodinkee's Cole Pennington penned an article about the 36mm Marathon JSAR arctic dial he took on a recent road trip. Upon seeing the watch, we knew we wanted to know more.
Mitchell, the grandson of the founder, was able to fill us in on our knowledge gaps. We talked about the founding of the company, how it got its name, its history of supplying the Canadian military with watches in WWII and beyond, and what watches it supplies to various militaries currently.
We also chatted about the design process when working with a government contract. Marathon organizes their watches based on what use they are for: air, and, and sea. Each is built to a specific purpose, high standards of reliability, and extreme toughness. The toughness tests, even for their clocks, are more extreme than we ever imagined (not sure if a certain travel clock is up to the same standards) and involve a pendulum, a brick wall, and a high rate of speed. The story of their dive watch may also involve winning a government contract over a certain brand that is known for dive watches and may have a crown in their logo...
We really appreciate Mitchell and Martin taking the time to speak with us. You do really get the feel that this family owned company holds themselves to a high standard because of the important role their watches can play in the areas where they see action. Keep an eye out over on Zeitz watches for reviews coming soon!