# Canadian Military Watches?



## Paul Raposo

Hi All.

Hopefully not a silly question, but I've been googling and can't seem to find out what type of watches the Canadian military are issued; or wear.

Do they also use the Marathon watches issued to the US gov't? What was issued in the past? Any good sources for Can/mil watches?

Thanks all


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## Dr. Robert

Hello P. can't help you w/ inquiry....but I love the 3 Stooges quote(I love the Stooges:-!) NYUK, NYUK:-d


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## TZAG

I think canadian coastguard used to have some contract with marathon.


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## lysanderxiii

The Marathon SAR has a Canadian NSN.


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## Paul Raposo

Dr. Robert said:


> Hello P. can't help you w/ inquiry....but I love the 3 Stooges quote(I love the Stooges:-!) NYUK, NYUK:-d


Hey, Doc, no problem :-!

Glad you appreciate the quote. It's funny how often watches, or clocks played a part in a one liner, or sight gag in the Stooges' movies, with the above quote being one of my faves.

Take care.


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## floatflyer

The Marathon (SAR) Dive Watch 2006, is offered with a maple leaf desgin on the bracelet clasp.

I dont know much about this seller but here is a link:

http://www.broadarrow.net/sale.htm

http://www.broadarrow.net/sarb.htm


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## Billy

Paul Raposo said:


> Do they also use the Marathon watches issued to the US gov't? What was issued in the past?
> 
> Thanks all


The Canadian Gov. has issued a number of watches in the past including Omega, Lemania & Rodania one-button chronographs, the Elgin model-10616-C-S-12 (essentially the same as the US A-11, but with different hands and dial), Rolex Tudor Subs, several different Marathon dive watches to name but a few.

Kind Regards - Billy


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## HalifaxNS

My father was a diver for the Canadian military, now works in dive safety and UXO.

In the mid 70's he was issued this Tudor sub, theres no higher grail watch for me.










Great question, im looking forward to the answers.


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## TZAG

IMHO I like it more than its bro Rolex |>


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## Helodriver

Hi paul,

The Canadian Forces haven't "issue" watches for a while. Couple years ago I saw some marathons (couples of basic field watch and few SAR). But now the members buy their own watches and if a specific watche is "really" needed they get one with a local purchase with the unit. Some commercial watches are already in the system and have NSN even if the number isn't engraved like the marathons. 

Marathon is canadian company that ensure to have NSN (nato stock number) for their products so they can sell them more easily to different govt. The NSN is a standard way to catalog the items. The US Govt. is the biggest client for Marathon and they buy a lot of watches. They even made a bracelet with the US seal at their request. By the way the maple leaf on their previous bracelet wasn't because it's military, it's because of the canadian company. Also most the watches parts are Swiss made.

P.S: I know and worked with SAR technicians (the ones that are supposed to use the marathon SAR) and the everyday watch they use isn't really the SAR (even if I know one that have it). They use what ever they like and need for their daily jobs. Some have divers (other than SARs) and have some chrono watches (quartz or auto).

Hope it help,


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## HalifaxNS

Great post, thanks |>


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## k_sze

"SAR" as in "search and rescue" or "sea air rescue"?


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## NSG1Tausend

Search and Rescue.
2 Marathons I currently enjoy wearing.
Regards
Robt


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## jdc222

Police and Military still get a significant discount from Marathon, when buying a watch. A confirmation of employment is all you need.


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## Ray C

The last I checked Combat Engineers who finished thier dive course were issued Marathons. That was about a year ago when a buddy of mine was the OC responsible for the training and the issue of those watches were coordinated by his staff. Unfortunately they didn't have any extras (or parts) kicking around nor could they get any for me...


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## papazulu

Issued from the past;
Pilots watches...Breitling

















Rodania

















































I´ve got a couple of others as well, but I´ll have to look where I stored the pictures 

Jimmy


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## Jme.

Very interesting thread.


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## Manks

papazulu said:


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I can't tell you how much I love those watches! Especially the RCAF ones!


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## Javy

Here is my Canadian.


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## lsettle

In 2006, a shipmate who was a ships diver showed me his issued dive watch, it was a Seiko SKX173. Fast forward to 2010, while on course, I asked a diver for the Canadian Forces East Coast Fleet Diving Unit (FDU) to bring in and show me his issued dive watch, again it was a Seiko SKX173. There were not any marks on the watches to say they were DND issued dive watches.

Lawrence
Canadian Navy


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## cal..45

For some reason, I see Timex watches more worn by Canadian soldiers than any other army. I mean they are very popular among all armys (along with Casio and Suunto), but nearly any Canadian soldier I've ever worked with wore a Timex. Gotta admit that I've never seen one wearing a Marathon....


cheers


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## MichaelB_Can

Here is a Canadian Navy Issue Tudor Submariner
View attachment 1014909
View attachment 1014911

From the 70's. these where bought through an AD not directly from Rolex Switzerland .

Mike B , Canada ⌚


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## Jme.

cal..45 said:


> For some reason, I see Timex watches more worn by Canadian soldiers than any other army. I mean they are very popular among all armys (along with Casio and Suunto), but nearly any Canadian soldier I've ever worked with wore a Timex. Gotta admit that I've never seen one wearing a Marathon....
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That is because, unfortunately, we pay the members of our military very poorly.


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## Ray C

For some reason I can't post pics from the computer I am on, but here is a link to a post I made yesterday showing two mil watches of mine. Both are Omega HA-60s. One was given to me by the Navigator to whom it was issued in 1963 and the other was given to me by a Supply Tech who was suppossed to put it in the garbage....

https://www.watchuseek.com/f20/my-new-addition-sweet-vintage-omega-835018.html


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## Javy

cal..45 said:


> For some reason, I see Timex watches more worn by Canadian soldiers than any other army. I mean they are very popular among all armys (along with Casio and Suunto), but nearly any Canadian soldier I've ever worked with wore a Timex. Gotta admit that I've never seen one wearing a Marathon....
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Indeed, the vast majority wear whatever watch they purchase themselves. Timex, Casio, Suunto are what you'll likely see on their wrists. For that matter, I've never seen any Americans (soldiers) wearing Marathons either despite the fact that the United States government is Marathon's biggest customer.


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## bellero

I remember the QM having cheap timex military watches available for issue in the early 90's but very few guys went for them. I don't know if they were acquired thru a LPO or if it was a real DND procurement at national level.


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## spleenrippa

Hi guys,
I'm an Avionics Tech in the RCAF and I just wanted say that one of my colleagues actually wears a Marathon! So there you go, there's at least one serving Canuck with a Tritium-filled wrist accessory 
As for myself, I wear a cheapo Seiko 5 at work, as A/C tend to have a lot of sharp edges...


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## armybuck041

Jme. said:


> That is because, unfortunately, we pay the members of our military very poorly.


I'm not about to complain currently in the CF: DGCB - Regular Force and Class C Officer Rates - 2013


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## armybuck041

I've been in the Canadian Army since 1993. I have been issued from time to time the old Marathon wind up Field Watches. None seemed to last very long on the wrist of a Sapper before breaking. Those then disappeared from the shelves around the late 90s, but you still see the odd old guy wearing one of the originals. Wrist watches are no longer scale of issue items for regular army personnel. However our Combat Divers and Navy Clearance Divers (Specialists) still get GSARs (Ironically most have "US Government" on the dial), and occasionally the original Luminova SARs from 2001-2005 are still seen on a wrist or two (But not MSARS, TSARS, JSARs, or CSARs). Bracelets are not part of the scale of issue (I checked), only the Rubber Strap although I see guys running them on Nato's or Zulu's. I have seen Tudors as well (a Combat Diver Buddy has one), but again, we're talking about Divers from the late 80s and early 90s. I can't speak for the Air Force, but I think they are in the same boat. Special Forces get... well whatever they require.


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## pilotswatch

Here are my Canadian military watches. Two issued,Waltham and the Breitling chronograph.
The Tudor came with a few other Tudors. The retired military who sold them to me was a diver for the Canadian military
in Germany in the 70's. As for the Omega flightmaster I bought it from a retired RCAF pilot,it was his personnel watch.


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## CMcG

The other day, I noticed a Timex Ironman on the wrist of my buddy who is currently in the Army Reserve in Ottawa.


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## ansang

RegF member of the CF here. The guys I work with wear mostly Gshock, Timex and Marathon. I've seen a few Trasers too. 
You probably won't see many people wear Marathon because of the trade. Marathons are issued to Combat Divers and therefore I see them being worn on a daily basis. I myself wear a Marathon TSAR and a Gshock on most days.


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## northbranch

Was regular force infantry(PPCLI) and airborne(2CDO CAR) in the mid 70's and didn't have a watch although I was just a trooper, nco's kept time and most had the leather covered engineer or sapper style bands. I used a compass a lot but didn't get a watch till I got out. 

I like the marathon navigator now for flying, simple, light and easy reading for gmt.


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