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Windy City Watch Collector team travels to Switzerland to visit the Marathon Watch Team

A Marathon timepiece is finished by a skilled watchmaker.
Melanie Bernhardt & Chris Hooper

Time travel….Ahead of Marathon’s latest product launch of the new Steel Navigator Date (SSNAV-D), Chris Hooper and Melanie Bernhardt of Windy City Watch Collector traveled to Europe to visit the Marathon Watch Company team.  Our trip included meeting Marco Pedrali, head of EU operations in Bergamo, Italy and visiting the Marathon factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.  In Italy, we gained a better understanding of how the EU operation is organized and how they work with the Swiss factory.  While at the factory we were able to see the new Steel Navigator date watches being assembled and meet with Marathon’s President, Mitchell Wein, Worldwide Sales Manager, Martin Cohen and the Director of the Swiss factory, Nathalie Huguenin.  It was fascinating to see how the production process is organized and also to meet the actual watchmakers who produce the Marathon products.

Skilled Swiss watchmakers at work.
Chocolate Easter Eggs in local shop.
Nathalie Huguenin & Jean-Maurice Huguenin , Chief Watchmaker
Martin Cohen, Chris Hooper and Danny Conforti
Bee hive of Industry,
La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Martin and Melanie
Early Navigator spotted in local antique store
Chris and Martin discuss upcoming watches
Mitchell Wein and Chris make a discovery in the store room.

In addition to getting a preview of the new Steel Navigator Date watch, we took time to talk about future product possibilities – some of which we hope to be able to share with you later this year or early in 2024.

We are very excited about the introduction of the Steel Navigator.  Chris has been wearing it for nearly 3 weeks and absolutely loves it!  We know you will too!