No 247 - Glycine Airman no.1

I thought it was really exciting when Glycine announced the re-issue of their first Airman. Being 36mm I knew it would be too small for me but it looked so nice and perfect it had to be given a chance anyway. It wasn’t that pricey but I didn’t want to get a new one when I knew it wasn’t going to stay. Lucky for me my flipping-buddy Björn got a hold of a fairly new one quite soon after the release which I took over when he was done. I mostly wore it on a nato but he also gave me a flex bracelet which enhanced the vintage feeling and made it look quite cool. I also tried it on the Strapcode shark mesh which I had used for my Squale 50atm and Eterna Super Kon-Tiki but it was a little too thick and gave the impression of the watch being smaller than it actually was. I loved it for being a purist version which I still think is the best and most logical way to display time.

#247 - The Glycine Airman no.1, ref 3944.

On the shark mesh from Strapcode.

Sadly Glycine has disappointed me every year since this release. I guess being bought by Invicta says it all. We’re talking about a company with a never ending catalogue of hideous creations taking over a legendary brand with several beloved classic timepieces and what happens? That’s right, they produce even more hideous creations and turn good things to shit. Truly a sad story. I think that was the main reason why I decided to let Glycine go. I didn’t like the classic Glycine models to be associated with the new trashy ones. I’ve had the same problem with Doxa and I’m not entirely over that whole situation as well but to Doxa’s defense I think they have done a better job of preserving their heritage than Glycine ended up doing.  

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 152 - Glycine Airman Vintage 1953

My first Airman, the Airman 2000, really got me going and when Glycine presented this new model in 2012 I knew I just had to have it. A watch colleague had a good contact at a Glycine AD and could get me a really good price on a new one and I asked him to order one for me. It took quite a while for it to arrive. I was hoping I was going to receive it before I went to Florida for vacation in November but I wasn’t that lucky. It showed up a day or two after I’d left. Yeah yeah, whatever. I figured it might be nice to have something to look forward to when I was flying home; leaving the palm trees behind to soon be replaced by snow and ice. The thought of soon having a new watch on my wrist could perhaps ease the pain a little.

Product picture (borrowed from Glycine).

When I finally came home my acquaintance, who lived outside the city, had left the watch to another acquaintance, who lived pretty close to me. The thing was just that the this guy had recently become a father and I was not on his list of priorities at the moment. So I had to wait for the watch an extra couple of days after I’d come home to finally get a hold of it. But you know what they say - good things come to those who wait. And I can tell you, it was good alright!

#152 - The Glycine Airman Vintage 1953, ref. 3904.

See through case back with a nicely engraved rotor.

For starters I loved its small wooden box it was delivered in. So simple and nice. I loved the off white dial. I loved the fact that it was a three hand purist version and only available with the 24h configuration. The only downside, which I also mentioned regarding the Airman 2000, was its size. 42mm excl. crown. 40mm would have been perfect. Now it felt a little too wide and flat. I mostly wore it on a brown crocodile strap which I think enhanced its looks compared to the dull black nato strap. I honestly think I could have gone OWG with this one if it had been just a tad smaller. 

Resting on my Fender Custom Shop 50's Closet Classic Telecaster.

This is how I mostly wore it.

When Glycine re-launched their Airman No.1 I was ecstatic! It looked absolutely perfect. Unfortunately it turned out to be too small with its 36mm (didn’t stop me from trying it though! More about that one later). But when they released the Airman DC 4 the year after, I was praying and hoping that they finally had come to their senses and given us a 40mm version. But no. It was also 42mm. Damn. The DC 4 really looked fantastic.

I will continue to hope and pray that a day will come when Glycine give us an Airman with good proportions.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 137 - Glycine Airman 2000

How can you not love the Airman-series? At least the classic ones. I’m not taking Glycine’s latest abomination, The Airfighter, into account. Yuck! The Airman 2000 on the other hands is a perfect example of a classic looking Airman and I bought mine back in July 2012. I went hardcore and started off directly with the three hands 24-hour purist version which means the hour hand only moves one lap per day. I think this feature is insanely cool and really is how you should read all watches. To me it feels natural. Only problem is that if you keep switching back and forth with an analog watch with regular time display you easily become confused. The Airman’s are also available with four hands where the three main hands operate as usual and the fourth as a GMT-hand. I would say a purist Airman is the perfect watch for the so called OWG’s, One-Watch-Guy’s, that buy one watch and then are settled for life. Oh how I sometimes wish I could be like one of them…

#137 - The Glycine Airman 2000 ref. 3764.

Aside from being a little too wide (42mm excl. crown) I liked my Airman 2000. As long as I wore it and no other watch all was good. It was plain and simple, just black and white and no colored details. It really is a great every day watch and with features like the screw down crown I would consider wearing it on more places than just behind my desk. 

The Airman is a watch with a lot of history that dates all the way back to the 50’s. I think they’re awfully cool and I would recommend going for the purist version if you decide to try one. I’ve wondered many times if I would be able to settle down with a purist Airman. There is only one problem. It should be easy to find one you like since they come in many different styles but they keep insisting on their odd sizes. 36, 39, 42, 44 and 46mm. What the hell! Why nothing in between 39 and 42mm? To me the 39mm feels too small and thick and the 42mm is too wide and flat. A 40/41mm version with 20mm bracelet would be perfect! Why has it not been made yet Glycine? Why?

Out for a walk in the sun.

Breakfast at work.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 53 – Glycine Combat SUB quartz

I loved this watch! What a great beater. Pretty much the same look as its automatic brother except that it’s a little thinner and not as wide. 40mm excl. crown if I remember it right. It wore great and I mostly had it on a black nato strap. I was just lucky when I found mine. Put out a want-to-buy add and immediately got a bite. I had mine during October 2010. Bought and sold it for about $200. Nowadays they’re rarely seen for sale. If you see one, buy it.

#53 - The Glycine Combat SUB quartz. Ref. 3864.

Resting on my modified Fender Stratocaster Eddie Van Halen tribute.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 41 & 124 – Glycine Combat SUB

This is what I would call a true homage to the Submariner and far from a direct copy. It has borrowed the design from a Sub but it has got its own details to make it more unique. It’s a little beefier with its 42mm and 22mm lug width but it’s still a slim watch. This color-combo of the Combat SUB is the one I like the most. The others not so much.

I paid about $400 for my first Combat SUB. It was used and came without the bracelet but on the original rubber. It felt like some well spent money for a used watch in comparison to what I got; a well-built automatic 200m diver with a screw down crown and with a cool design from an acknowledged and well reputed brand.

#41 – My first Combat SUB. Here back in June 2010 together with my newly bought Shimano Sonora 400FD fishing reel.

Photographed in the sun on the balcony.

Nice caseback with two cute seals.

Having a beer after a day of pike fishing in June 2010.

Captured during a walk in Stockholm.

I bought my second one, the same reference but on the bracelet this time, in March 2012. The bracelet was a little bit too solid for me and didn’t taper very much. I hate bracelets that doesn’t taper towards the buckle. Bought a Citizen-like rubber from Bonetto for it which it looked quite good on. Owned it for a month and then flipped it for something else. Lost dough.

#124 – The second Combat SUB. Here on bracelet.

A wrist shot at work.

On a Bonetto rubber.

I really like Glycine watches and especially their Airman collection. The Combat SUB is a cool and affordable watch which I definitely can recommend and I think you should give it a try if you get the chance. This is another brand I feel is genuine and have confidence in.

 

Product image of the Glycine Combat SUB ref. 3863.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.