Is the Arctic SSNAV-D worth it?

If you want a tough, accurate quartz navigator with tritium lume and a 12-hour bezel, it does that job well. At $1,080 at WatchMasters as of November 3 it sits near its recent high, so it is a weaker buy than at its $950 low.

How accurate is the ETA F06.412?

Marathon rates it at about ten seconds a year thanks to thermocompensation. That is far better than a standard quartz watch, which typically drifts several seconds a month.

How does it compare with the standard black-dial SSNAV?

The movement, case, bezel and strap are the same. The difference is the white dial, which is easier to read in bright or snowy conditions but shows dirt and glare more than the black version.

What is the water resistance?

10 ATM, or 100 meters, with a screw-down crown. That covers swimming and surface water sports but not diving.

The watch on the black DefStan nylon strap, with Marathon paperwork. A second strap or bracelet is not included.

Its recent range runs from about $950 to $1,100, so watch for drops toward the low end. The current $1,080 at WatchMasters as of November 3 is near the top.

Where can I buy the Arctic SSNAV-D?

3 stores we checked sell it, including Watch Gang, eBay, Gnomon Watches.

Arctic SSNAV-D

Last price we saw

$850.00at Gnomon Watches, last seen Oct 31

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Our take on the Arctic SSNAV-D

The Arctic SSNAV-D (WW194013SS-0503) is Marathon's 41mm steel Navigator with a white dial, date at 4:30, tritium gas tubes and a 90-click bi-directional 12-hour bezel. Its ETA F06.412 PreciDrive quartz is thermocompensated to roughly ten seconds a year, and the watch is rated 10 ATM with a screw-down crown and sapphire crystal. It comes on a black DefStan nylon strap with Parkerized hardware. The latest best price is $1,080 at WatchMasters as of November 3, near the top of its recent $950 to $1,100 range.

Best forPilots and navigators who use a 12-hour bezel

What reviewers say

Owners of the steel Navigator line praise the legibility, the tritium lume and the set-and-forget quartz accuracy. The main complaints are the price and the strap rather than the watch itself.

Pros

Bright white dial is easy to read outdoors
Tritium tubes stay visible all night
PreciDrive quartz holds time with almost no adjustment
Slim case wears comfortably

Cons

Expensive for a quartz watch
DefStan strap divides opinion
Bezel markings can be hard to read at a glance

About the Arctic SSNAV-D

Black DefStan nylon, Parkerized hardware and a white dial: the Marathon Arctic SSNAV-D, reference WW194013SS-0503, is a study in contrast. This 41mm Steel Navigator with Date blends a bright face with a strap that looks straight out of the supply room.

The DefStan strap is a big part of this watch's character. Its matte grey Parkerized buckle and keepers cut reflections and pick up a subtle patina over time, a nice counterpoint to the brushed 316L stainless steel case. It is the kind of strap that looks better the more you wear it, and it gives the Arctic dial a rugged frame rather than a dressy one.

The Arctic white dial, free of government markings, was created for legibility in bright or snowy conditions, and it carries a date window at 4:30 alongside tritium gas tubes that glow through the night. The Swiss ETA F06.412 PreciDrive quartz movement inside is thermocompensated and keeps to about ten seconds a year. The 11mm case uses a screw-down crown for 10 ATM water resistance and a sapphire crystal. Rounding things out, the 90-click bi-directional 12-hour bezel is the same navigation tool Marathon designed with Kelly Air Force Base for U.S. Air Force pilots in 1986. The steel Navigator returned in 2023.

Arctic SSNAV-D on DefStan: WW194013SS-0503

• Reference: WW194013SS-0503

• Case: 41mm 316L steel, 11mm thick

• Movement: ETA F06.412 PreciDrive, Swiss thermocompensated quartz

• Water resistance: 10 ATM

• Crown and crystal: screw-down; sapphire

• Bezel: bi-directional, 12-hour scale, 90 clicks

• Dial: Arctic white, no government markings, date at 4:30

• Lume: tritium tubes

• Strap: 11" DefStan nylon with Parkerized hardware, 20mm

A bright dial on a strap with grit, and plenty of character in both.