# Marathon Navigator vs Traser P6500



## aaronlam (Oct 29, 2009)

I have been trying to decide between sterile versions of both. The sterile Navigator has no date... does that matter?

Love to hear your opinion...

Thanks!


aaron


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## deepcdvr (Dec 31, 2007)

Does the no date bother you? Bugs me (but I'm old).

I've had both watches and found the Traser a bit more robust (had the SS version). I think the Navigator has a low depth rating too, not sure though. The Traser is also bigger, I believe.

Good luck on your choice!


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## aaronlam (Oct 29, 2009)

No date = bugs me a little. But I am trying to talk myself out of it. I could always get the Navigator non-sterile with date.

I guess I kind of like the way the Navigator looks better but without having seen them in person, it's hard for me to judge. I have trolled through as many photos as I can get a hold of online.

Dive depth won't matter as this wouldn't be my dive watch.


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

The Traser is by far the sturdier watch ... see my thoughts here: http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6447


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## aaronlam (Oct 29, 2009)

Oh man.. thanks. That's exactly the info I was looking for. Great review. And I love your website's tagline


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

aaronlam said:


> And I love your website's tagline


It's not _my _website ... this here is, in a way. ;-)


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## ecalzo (Oct 18, 2006)

Crusader said:


> The Traser is by far the sturdier watch ... see my thoughts here: http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6447


i have to agree Martin....
but the marathon does have it's own scent in my opinion.....
that's why , after some traser p5900, p6500, p6502 and luminox i ended
buying this one......
marathon navigator US-government tritium tubes used in aircraft watch....
:-d:-d


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## withthesword (Apr 16, 2008)

between the two of them, i love the authenticity of a Marathon Navigator, but the acrylic crystal gets to me every time, and i feel like i have to baby it to keep it looking good. the traser wins ONLY because of the mineral crystal.

if there was a way to replace the crystal on my navigator, i'd do that right quick.

here's a side by side shot from my watch box for your viewing enjoyment.


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## Beau8 (May 24, 2008)

Marathon if you want a genuine issued watch~Cheers! ;-)


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## Doug507 (Dec 3, 2006)

I love the style and provenance of the Marathon, but it is nowhere near the watch the Traser is, quality-wise. I own the traser, but I still want a Marathon Navigator, even though it'll just sit in a watch box.


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## jbaca (Oct 20, 2007)

I think Crusader probably gets two cents for each forummer buying one this one is on its way to me a Traser code blue The pic I borrowed from the seller


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## Frode (Mar 23, 2006)

withthesword said:


> between the two of them, i love the authenticity of a Marathon Navigator, but the acrylic crystal gets to me every time, and i feel like i have to baby it to keep it looking good. the traser wins ONLY because of the mineral crystal.
> 
> if there was a way to replace the crystal on my navigator, i'd do that right quick.
> 
> here's a side by side shot from my watch box for your viewing enjoyment.


IMO acrylic crystal is way better than mineral crystal. Scratch the latter and either live with it or replace it. Scatrch acrylic crystal and all you have to do is rub it with polywatch and, it's as good as new!


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## withthesword (Apr 16, 2008)

true enough. i've scratched and chipped my share of minerals, but i've also scratched and gouged my share of acrylics too. the scratch resistance of mineral is a plus for myself, cos acrylic scratches waaaay too easy on my wrist and it annoys me to no end haha

just me though. pros and cons on both sides, i suppose.


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

I find the mineral crystal fof the P6500 much, much less reflective than the domed acrylicof the Marathon Navigator ...


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## Beau8 (May 24, 2008)

If having the date is important to you, there is a dated version of the Navigator too~Cheers! ;-)


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## ecalzo (Oct 18, 2006)

at this point i owned both luminox traser marathon navigators series and uzi tritium...
the best overall it's the traser for sure....;-)


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## little_w (Jan 21, 2009)

sorry to disturb your little comfort zone but Traser DOES NOT have a mineral glass. it's a sapphire! you need a diamond to scratch it (or anything else with hardness of 9 on the hardness scale). it was the first thing i've tried when i bought my traser - to scratch the glass. no luck :-!

anyhow, i am now buying the marathon, military issue. simply because of its authenticity, as someone said before me.


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## withthesword (Apr 16, 2008)

it's mineral crystal. i've scratched the hell out of the crystal on my old p6500 before it finally died on me. then i got a p6508 and scratched that one too; gave it to my brother. and my new p6500 i sold before i had the chance to give it any battle scars.

also, please refer to the official Traser website HERE which clearly states that it is a mineral crystal.

don't get me wrong, still tough as hell, but not nearly as resiliant as sapphire.


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## Crusader (Apr 30, 2005)

The 6500 has a mineral crystal (our dog scratched mine ;-)), bu tthe higehr end Trasers have sapphire.


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## davec (Aug 26, 2007)

The Marathon Navigator is actually a cool watch but it isn't exactly what'd I'd deem quality. The dial is the only redeeming feature with nice bright tritium vials, everything else screams cheap. The stainless version is great but impossible to find for a reasonable price now and with all tritium vials the older the watch, the dimmer the dial.


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## GarageBoy (Oct 9, 2008)

Yeah, the plastic one is VERY "budget" feeling, though I worry about the screw in (4 screws) caseback on the P6500


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2009)

.


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## ecalzo (Oct 18, 2006)

Mike. said:


> I have e.g 4 screws in caseback on my old Timex Ironman and I have no problem ...


90% of the G-shock watches does have 4 srews caseback and they're all 200m - 660f water resistant.....with no problem at all..... :-!


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2009)

.


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## GarageBoy (Oct 9, 2008)

I'm worry about stripping them, as there aren't any metal inserts


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## spydie fanatic (Dec 24, 2009)

jbaca said:


> I think Crusader probably gets two cents for each forummer buying one this one is on its way to me a Traser code blue The pic I borrowed from the seller


Congrats!! :-! I bought a code blue recently and love it. It has a 5 jewel 715 rhonda movement and has been +- 0 seconds over 2 weeks period with one of my 15 jewel quartz wengers.

Excellent quality and the blue is preferable over green (IMHO) ;-)


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## withthesword (Apr 16, 2008)

as they say: blue is the new green.

personally, i prefer bright green lume. blue just doesn't do it for me.


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