Thank you for the great review. I just got mine in 36mm and black dial. I am so grad I got the airman no1 purist. It is really nicely made the quality and feels like antique feeling. Glycine should be more highly rated.
Thanks for this beautiful video, Peter. My Airman 42 luminous will be arriving today. I’ll let you know how it goes! I love the tool aesthetic and the rich history of these watches. I also like that they’re also not quite as common.
Hey Peter! I’m two days into wearing this beauty, and I’ve got to say that I absolutely love it. My other watch is the Seiko SBDC055 which I love to death. I’m glad I added the Airman next as it’s just so different from a Seiko diver, providing contrast, which makes it exciting. The Airman exudes a tool aesthetic, but feels very refined. That long seconds hand is lovely, and having a higher beat rate adds to the whole ‘instrument’ vibe. It seems I can’t post a photo in the comments section.
Hey Peter. Another great post mate. I really cannot comment enough on how good your videos are. From production quality to your depth of knowledge. A very high standard indeed. Funnily enough I watched a 'Caseback Watches' YT post that mentioned an Airman, maybe even this piece, just last night. My initial thought was 'That design...' There's A Lot going on on the outer rim of that dial and on the bezel, yet its SO legible. An incredible feat in itself. And it's such a masculine piece. It looks really rugged. Yet I can see a woman wearing it too...and probably looking hot whilst she does! I'm a massive fan of domed acrylic. Sometimes it even beats Double domed sapphire IMHO, depending on how the AR coating is applied of course. The watch is almost perfect (from a viewing POV - never seen one in the wild unfortunately). The lume and the red date font are enough to make it pop. That asymmetric 2nd crown goes a long way towards giving the piece its tool-ish ruggedness too. I initially thought that maybe a 20mm strap width might've given the piece more balance, but in retrospect I'm not so sure. I have a feeling the originals may have come in at 38mm? If that's true, the 22mm strap makes sense as far as scaling the piece up goes. I guess what I'm trying to say is that an 18mm strap on a vintage piece coming in at, even a relatively large ( for the time) 34-36mm will appear the same proportionally as a 22mm strap does on a 40mm watch. I always love your choice of straps BTW mate. You know how to dress a watch. BUT if you are in the market for a riveted flieger style strap or two, I stumbled across an incredibly good one at an incredibly good price...on Aliexpress of all places, but don't let that put you off. This strap is very good indeed, and I'm pretty fussy! Cheers mate and thanks again. A.
Peter Kotsa - It's worth it. You get what you pay for - as always, but sometimes you find a bargain. You just have to use common sense. I suspect the strap in question is made in China (possibly) for the Swatch Group - it looks suspiciously like the Hamilton riveted pilot watch straps but without the branding - and sold factory direct. I don't know if that's correct though... I bought one for my Flightmaster, about $25AUD. I couldn't believe the quality when it arrived and it looks pucca my Flighty!
I believe the 1953 version did not have the GMT hand, only the rotating bezel. The GMT hand came after. For that reason, I like the version without the GMT better.
Good stuff, I bought a slightly larger/different version of the Airman when I got the watch collecting bug some 4 years, 50 ish pieces later, when I trim down to the final say dozen, this is my low cost keeper. Tremendous value for price.......I bought on the grey market, I do this for watches that sell below say about 1000$. At 3K and above I normally prefer to try and get a deal from AD. Your channel is going to do well I predict, loved your Omega AT vid, I have an 8500 based version in 41.5 mm as I have a 7.5” wrist when it’s cool.....that stays as well.
Hello Pierre, very nicely said my friend. I have to agree with you on certain keepers, they have something special about them, whether they are priced in the 10's of thousands or less than 1K, if the watch is value for money or speaks to you, then it definitely stays in the collection. Thank you for the feedback, cheers Peter
I never paid attention to the Airman’s watch but it’s amazing! I am not much into GMT ones and just have the Tudor Pepsi GMT. Now considering to give a space in my collection to one of those. Great vid ! Ty!
Peter Kotsa congratulations! You have really great taste. By the way how much I should pay for one of those bad boys ? (Thinking in steal one). Enjoy the new baby !
@@PeterKotsa Cool vid, where can I get one from? any trusted dealer in mind? from where did you get yours. If you can please send me the details to roman.bartkevych@gmail.com. Thanks in advance
Enjoy mate, stunning piece. Although i'm more on a simple dial GMTs, this one is very good looking. I love the domed glass, off white/ cream dial and solid steel bezel, makes for an authentic vintage look hard to bit. Plus the date colour is briliant detail. If i may say, you should try this one on a maroon strap, will pop it up quite a lot or maybe an azure to feel/smell like aegean sea right now.... Cheers
Thanks for that, yeah I just swapped out the strap again this morning for a tan leather nato and this thing has a whole new character. It actually sits really comfortable on this nato due to ist thinner case height and stable 22mm lugs..thanks again, ahhh the Aegean, what I wouldn't do to be there right now..
The "look" of a Glycine airman No.1 is unique, especially the 36mm version. It lets the world know its owner MUST know the time, vice something nice to know.
Late to reply to this, but certainly not late to the Airman game. I've owned a variety of 5 Airmans. In order, Airman 42, DC-4, Airman 18, The Chief, and a No. 1 with cream dial like yours, Purist version and 36mm. I've been wanting to get one back into my collection ever since I had sold them all. Never should have sold The Chief which was my favorite next to the 18, but they were all pretty great in their own ways. I'm waiting for delivery of the latest upgraded Chief model just like my previous, but it is a 4-Hand GMT Model this time instead of Purist before, and the upgrades include sapphire crystal and I believe slight upgrade to WR.. I think it's up to 50m, if not 100m vs the mealy 10m, or was it 30m?, the older ones had. Although I dig the vintage charm of the acrylic crystal before, and using some polywatch to clean up fine scratches was easy, I welcome a more maintenance free crystal. Besides it unique and original design, I appreciate it is an underdog in the GMT game despite it's history and beating Rolex to be first commercially available GMT watch... And, it has not been homaged to death unlike the GMT Master.
Just check the GMT hand on that watch, make sure it aligns at the hour markers when the minute hand hits the 12 o'clock. Good looking watch, was gonna buy, but sort of can't be bothered learning to read 24 hr time. Sometimes its too much for my brain lol
great review...just wondering, can the hour hand be set independently of the GMT hand? no reviews show the function of the time/gmt setting...keep up the quality content! Thanks
You can set the hour hand to a specific time zone, then set the GMT hand to another time zone, then use the external bezel to get a third time zone..hope that makes sense..PS thanks for the feedback about my vid's really appreciate it. cheers Peter
Yeah, that pesky lug to lug. Keeping my fingers crossed on the one I just ordered. Thankfully returnable (or resellable) and I could purchase a model with a more modest size.
Hi Michael, thats correct, he broke the rules back then and probably upset Omega by doing so..but hey..why not? after all it was his personal watch "as well" as the offical speedy..:)
Hi Benjamin, I picked this on up form a local guy here, he purchased it a month ago and found it a tad difficult to read, so I bought it off him. cheers mate
Just subscribed to your channel. Like your video presentation. I had been eyeing Glycine, the purist version which comes with sapphire crystal and glass back, 200m water resistance, and it is truely a 24 hour hour hand, just like my current Vostok Komandirskie 24 hour dial. Wished Glycine GMT movement had both hour and GMT hand are going one circle for 24 hours.
Hi Peter, excellent review. I have many varieties of the Airman, including the limited edition and chronos. I like the larger case models personally, but do have a few 42mm. I was curious about the mention that this piece was GMT "and" Purist. Can you elaborate ? I first though you meant a version of the GA version, with the reverse of a standard GMT, but thought it better to just ask. Thank you for sharing !
Hi Randy, thanks for the feedback. The model i have is the GMT version, there is also a purist version which does not feature the GMT "extra hand". The original came out with 3 hands (hour, minutes, seconds) and functioned on a 24 hour dial. The external bezel was used to read the GMT scale. This version I have has 4 hands (hour, minute, seconds, GMT). It functions on a 12 hour basis and the GMT hand goes around the dial once on 24 hours. The internal 24 hour markers on the dial are used to read the GMT hands setting and the external bezel 24 hour scale is used to set another time zone coinciding with the same GMT 4th hand. In other words you can get 3 time zones on this model the purist model with the 3 hands can only get 2 time zones.. I have probably confused you..YES?..lol Hopefully not, i will try to explain it in my followup video I do in about a week or so with this watch. thats again for your feedbag btw cheers Peter
Peter Kotsa Thanks for the friendly reply Peter. No, you didn’t confuse me at all, I think I confused you lol! I fully understand the GMT (4 hand) vs original Purist versions. I have many of each, including a 4 time zone 1/300 Airman, with 5 hands. And a “reverse” movement GA (General Aviation) Airman, that is a Purist model WITH a 4th (blue) 12-hour hand. I just misunderstood you and thought you said your was GMT and PURIST both. My misunderstanding. But thank you for the reply and great review ! Reminds me a bit of a GMT DC-4 model ‘53 version. Great watch, enjoy !
Busy. You want to see busy you can look at the restaurant edition 806 Breitling navitimer 1959. Now that's busy. Seems to be a lot of these re editions coming out now. I have serval.
I get your fascination with the watch. It has a very distinct and refined vintage look. And I do like the brand Glycine. But watches with acrylic crystal - something stops me from buying them. I know scratches can be buffed out easily, but I would probably give it little wrist time because maybe on a subconscious level I'd be afraid to scratch it, so it would end up in the watch box most of the time. Look at the Oris 65, doesn't it have a lovely piece of sapphire on it, just as beautiful?
The first watch I ever purchased for myself was an Omega Speedmaster reduced (acrylic crystal). I loved the watch, however I ended up selling it because i put a scratch on the acrylic very quickly into ownership. Now many years later, i feel I have 'grown up' and I ma ready for another acrylic..LOL I agree with you Alexander, it is very easy to mark the crystal, however that gives me now more excuse to 'baby' this watch, which considering its delicate nature, i am happy to do so. cheers mate
@@PeterKotsa I don't wanna buy watches to 'baby'. I don't think I am particularly clumsy with my watches one day something might happen, Murphy's law...and it did happen to me. I wore a Tissot an hit a doorframe with it. I was devastated at first until I managed to buff out the nasty scratch. This experience has had a lasting impact on me. Cheers, mate
Sorry if I missed it, but why did you purchase this particular model, color, etc., over any other? (By the way, about 30 seconds into the video, I paused it and bought one, then finished the video. I'm not sure how the lug to lug length will work on my 6.75" wrist, but I went for it!)
haha, I have done the before too..where I paused a vid and snapped one up as well..you are not too unlike myself..LOL. The reasons why I purchased this one are: 1: its looks, I like the cream dial..I almost got the black, but I have so many black dials in my collection. 2: being the GMT, the normal hands operate on a standard 12 hour cycle, so I can read the tie mat a glance as I normally do with any other watch ( the rust version has a 24 hour normal hands, so you have to read the scale on a 24hr basis and I did not want that. 3: Als again being a GMT I can out 3 times zones which iw anted when I travel (when our borders open up again) 4: lastly, the smaller version was too small for my 7" wrist so I opted for this unit. I am currently sporting it on a Leather Nato and it sits superbly on the wrist... PS Scott, which one did you get ? cheers Peter
@@PeterKotsa I could only track down one exactly like this one. I looked for the smaller diameter to no avail... Of course, I wanted to grab this one ASAP since they seemed kinda scarce at a decent price. This one is beautiful (my wife actually approved ❤️). I've been looking at various Glycine GMTs for weeks and just decided to do it today.
Another great enthusiastic and informative review! I've got the GL0245 The Chief on order as it was a good price on Amazon (over the half the MRRP - though I know these can be dubious, especially given the reputation of Invicta who own Glycine now albeit having said they are hands off the brand's management). I was wondering if the difference between yours and mine was simply the hands (blue versus white steel) and the case finish (gun metal finish versus normal shiny steel)? I think your strap choice is excellent and helps set off the vintage look v well. My friend and I both loved the charm of the watch but couldn't decide between the black and white/cream faces. The white is of course what the first Airman came with but the black face does look very retro/vintage. I ordered one of each and we will choose. Though I am drawn to the cream face as I have several black face modern watches and my vintage ones are white/cream.
Hi Kevin, the cream dial is very nice, although I think the black would offer better legibility. Either way you really can't go wrong, a really pleasing vintage look. Whatever you choose out fo the 2 you ordered, ENJOY !!!! Cheers
@@PeterKotsa I remain slightly undecided but having worn my white dial watch for several days now it has grown on me. It is actually very legible though sometimes you can confuse the GMT hand with the minute hand. Both are blue but the minute hand also has lume down the centre and is slightly thicker. And at night the GMT hand is less visible as it isn't lumed. In fact the blue metal edges to the lumed main hands are striking against the white background and arguably more visible than the silver hands of the black dial version. And the white dial often looks creamy through the mineral lens from most angles and sepia at the edges where the curve of the domed glass slightly distorts the edge of the dial. You can still read it from all angles but the slight distortion coupled with the dial's creaminess invokes vintage nostalgia.
An excellent piece of aviation history..I spend more time looking and admiring this watch on my worts than actually reading the time..LOL..I absolutely love it, style, delicate feel, design and history..enjoy it my friend..cheers
One thing your viewers need to know about this model series is that it's a limited edition, and thus difficult to come by. Watchgooroo Ebay store has a few of the 40mm GMT versions left, but none of the 36mm or any of the purists. Hopefully Glycine will release more in the future as this model ticks a lot of boxes.
Thanks David, maybe I should have mentioned that too..:) I was originally thinking of getting the 36mm variant when they were released, but after careful consideration I waited and decided to get the 40mm as my wrist can cater for it and I did not want to have any regrets (I've done that before..LOL) Thanks again mate
@@PeterKotsa I was able to get one of the last 36mm GMTs available new. It's rare that you find models available in multiple diameter/lug-to-lug sizes to fit different wrist measurements as you so nicely covered in your video tutorial. The L2L on the 36 is 46mm, so fits my 6.5" wrist perfectly.
This is the second video I've watched in which Ozzies completely fail to understand how this watch works, and they simply can't read 24 hour time. I'm stunned. Really, just stunned. For example, at 7:00 in the video, the watch is displaying 20:15, and you're calling it 10:15 am. I mean, what the general fuck?
When they looked down to read the time back in the day and saw a big scratch on the crystal they wished someone would have invented a material that didn't scatch so easy. To day we have saphire. It just dumb to use acrylic on a watch made in 2020. Other than dropping the ball on the crystal it is a stunner.... Great vid.
Thanks Derek, for this type fo watch I like the acrylic, for what I have planned for it, I think its perfect. I will share my full thoughts in the followup vid in a couple of weeks. Cheers mate
Glass rules, scratch resist = easy crash, so , it's better than there is NOTHING cause saphire crashed after a good bump... Also the looks and light when you see through this is priceless mate...trust me.
I was dissapointed to hear that it wasn't a 24 hr watch. I thought that was the tool function of this watch. Having been in the military that would have been a great feature.
The purist is 24 hour, I opted for this for now, but I will probably grab a 24 hour purist down the track too.. love its layout and practical 1950's design. cheers Peter
Not my cup of tea, I am new to horology, so I am taking all the info in... then go from there. Excellent video though. I will support your channel sir.
This one is not my cup of tea. I love the red date, the case and the crown at 4 o'clock. But too many hands for my taste. And the minute one seems a bit skinny compared to the hour one.
In the beginning you said the words "It (the watch) is entirely hand finished..." No. No, it's not hand finished. I'd be willing to bet nothing about this watch is hand finished.
Hi Blake, I remember reading it in an article recently, I could be wrong though, I will have to re find that article. Nonetheless, this is just a first impression of the watch. It has quite a striking presence and finish. The polishing on the sides of the case is absolutely top notch, I am comparing it to quite a few top end watches I have handled over the years. Nonetheless, if I come across that article again I will forward it on to you, thanks for the feedback cheers Peter
@@PeterKotsa I appreciate the reply. Typically, to get a watch thats case has been hand finished, you'd have to spend many times the amount of the cost of this piece. Now, that doesn't mean it's not well done, as there are many degrees of machine finishing that can be beautifully polished. I'd be interested to see the article as that would be truly impressive on this watch at that price point. Regardless, the watch is a tremendous piece with truly special history and the review was well done, per usual of your channel. 👍
@@blaketaylor9317 thanks for that, yeah I will endeavour to find it again, it was a while ago I read it..either HODINKEE or something, hopefully I find it, I will try to go through my History on my browser. Thanks again for the kind words re- my channel, I really appreciate it. cheers mate
I agree with you, I am thinking of maybe taking the watch to my watchmaker and getting him to modify the hands for me. Paint them matt black..what do you think? I like its looks as it is, but I do want more legibility for proper usage..Let me know your thoughts. cheers Peter
That counterweight (or tail extension) has a purpose though, on the purist version, when the hour hand points at say 1600 hours, the tail points to the 12 hour equivalent across the dial, in this case 4 o'clock. So it has an intended purpose as it did on the original back in 1953.. Personally I don't mind it, I think it brings 1950's styling and design back and it gets you thinking.. Thanks for the feedback btw, cheers Peter
I might have considered following you but I do NOT subscribe to anyone who plays muzak which they then try to talk over. It is awful and distracting. Take a tip from Jody at JOMW and remember, if it doesn't add it detracts. I'm out.
Hi Paul, thanks for the feedback. I suppose everyone has their own personal taste. I like Jody from JOMW, I watch him from time to time, however because we are all individuals, we all have differing styles and ideas. Thank you once again for the feedback though, I appreciate your time, cheers Peter
Beautiful watch, I bought the 36 mm version of this watch and it's just right for my slender wrist. This is my February 2024 watch :) .
Thank you for the great review. I just got mine in 36mm and black dial. I am so grad I got the airman no1 purist. It is really nicely made the quality and feels like antique feeling. Glycine should be more highly rated.
Great stuff, enjoy it and wear it in good health
Thanks for this beautiful video, Peter. My Airman 42 luminous will be arriving today. I’ll let you know how it goes! I love the tool aesthetic and the rich history of these watches. I also like that they’re also not quite as common.
Great stuff Nathan, i am sure you'll love it. I am extremely pleased with mine to say the least. Send through a wrist shot if you get a chance, cheers
Hey Peter! I’m two days into wearing this beauty, and I’ve got to say that I absolutely love it. My other watch is the Seiko SBDC055 which I love to death. I’m glad I added the Airman next as it’s just so different from a Seiko diver, providing contrast, which makes it exciting. The Airman exudes a tool aesthetic, but feels very refined. That long seconds hand is lovely, and having a higher beat rate adds to the whole ‘instrument’ vibe. It seems I can’t post a photo in the comments section.
I just came across this review. Very nice review. I own the same model with a black dial. My thoughts on it are very similar.
Hey Peter. Another great post mate. I really cannot comment enough on how good your videos are. From production quality to your depth of knowledge.
A very high standard indeed.
Funnily enough I watched a 'Caseback Watches' YT post that mentioned an Airman, maybe even this piece, just last night.
My initial thought was 'That design...' There's A Lot going on on the outer rim of that dial and on the bezel, yet its SO legible. An incredible feat in itself.
And it's such a masculine piece. It looks really rugged. Yet I can see a woman wearing it too...and probably looking hot whilst she does!
I'm a massive fan of domed acrylic. Sometimes it even beats Double domed sapphire IMHO, depending on how the AR coating is applied of course.
The watch is almost perfect (from a viewing POV - never seen one in the wild unfortunately). The lume and the red date font are enough to make it pop. That asymmetric 2nd crown goes a long way towards giving the piece its tool-ish ruggedness too.
I initially thought that maybe a 20mm strap width might've given the piece more balance, but in retrospect I'm not so sure.
I have a feeling the originals may have come in at 38mm? If that's true, the 22mm strap makes sense as far as scaling the piece up goes.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that an 18mm strap on a vintage piece coming in at, even a relatively large ( for the time) 34-36mm will appear the same proportionally as a 22mm strap does on a 40mm watch.
I always love your choice of straps BTW mate. You know how to dress a watch.
BUT if you are in the market for a riveted flieger style strap or two, I stumbled across an incredibly good one at an incredibly good price...on Aliexpress of all places, but don't let that put you off. This strap is very good indeed, and I'm pretty fussy!
Cheers mate and thanks again.
A.
Great stuff Anthony, thank you for that. I have never used Aliexpress personally, might look into it..cheers Peter
Peter Kotsa - It's worth it. You get what you pay for - as always, but sometimes you find a bargain. You just have to use common sense.
I suspect the strap in question is made in China (possibly) for the Swatch Group - it looks suspiciously like the Hamilton riveted pilot watch straps but without the branding - and sold factory direct. I don't know if that's correct though...
I bought one for my Flightmaster, about $25AUD. I couldn't believe the quality when it arrived and it looks pucca my Flighty!
I believe the 1953 version did not have the GMT hand, only the rotating bezel. The GMT hand came after. For that reason, I like the version without the GMT better.
I'm like also more the purist version. "Pure" essence of the 1953 original version
Good stuff, I bought a slightly larger/different version of the Airman when I got the watch collecting bug some 4 years, 50 ish pieces later, when I trim down to the final say dozen, this is my low cost keeper. Tremendous value for price.......I bought on the grey market, I do this for watches that sell below say about 1000$. At 3K and above I normally prefer to try and get a deal from AD. Your channel is going to do well I predict, loved your Omega AT vid, I have an 8500 based version in 41.5 mm as I have a 7.5” wrist when it’s cool.....that stays as well.
Hello Pierre, very nicely said my friend. I have to agree with you on certain keepers, they have something special about them, whether they are priced in the 10's of thousands or less than 1K, if the watch is value for money or speaks to you, then it definitely stays in the collection. Thank you for the feedback, cheers Peter
Nice watch and nice review! i am currently looking for this model and your review really help :)
I’ve had it for several hours now and I can tell you the movement in this watch is superb. Nice nostalgic feeling so far
I never paid attention to the Airman’s watch but it’s amazing! I am not much into GMT ones and just have the Tudor Pepsi GMT. Now considering to give a space in my collection to one of those. Great vid ! Ty!
Thanks, I grabbed this for purely aesthetics and it was a relatively cheap buy for a decent Swiss movement and great styling. :)
Peter Kotsa congratulations! You have really great taste. By the way how much I should pay for one of those bad boys ? (Thinking in steal one). Enjoy the new baby !
@@PeterKotsa Cool vid, where can I get one from? any trusted dealer in mind? from where did you get yours. If you can please send me the details to roman.bartkevych@gmail.com. Thanks in advance
Another great video Peter. I've also liked the Glycine GMT so look forward to the review.
Thanks Tim, will do mate cheers
Enjoy mate, stunning piece. Although i'm more on a simple dial GMTs, this one is very good looking. I love the domed glass, off white/ cream dial and solid steel bezel, makes for an authentic vintage look hard to bit. Plus the date colour is briliant detail. If i may say, you should try this one on a maroon strap, will pop it up quite a lot or maybe an azure to feel/smell like aegean sea right now.... Cheers
Thanks for that, yeah I just swapped out the strap again this morning for a tan leather nato and this thing has a whole new character. It actually sits really comfortable on this nato due to ist thinner case height and stable 22mm lugs..thanks again, ahhh the Aegean, what I wouldn't do to be there right now..
The "look" of a Glycine airman No.1 is unique, especially the 36mm version. It lets the world know its owner MUST know the time, vice something nice to know.
Late to reply to this, but certainly not late to the Airman game. I've owned a variety of 5 Airmans.
In order,
Airman 42, DC-4, Airman 18, The Chief, and a No. 1 with cream dial like yours, Purist version and 36mm.
I've been wanting to get one back into my collection ever since I had sold them all. Never should have sold The Chief which was my favorite next to the 18, but they were all pretty great in their own ways.
I'm waiting for delivery of the latest upgraded Chief model just like my previous, but it is a 4-Hand GMT Model this time instead of Purist before, and the upgrades include sapphire crystal and I believe slight upgrade to WR.. I think it's up to 50m, if not 100m vs the mealy 10m, or was it 30m?, the older ones had.
Although I dig the vintage charm of the acrylic crystal before, and using some polywatch to clean up fine scratches was easy, I welcome a more maintenance free crystal.
Besides it unique and original design, I appreciate it is an underdog in the GMT game despite it's history and beating Rolex to be first commercially available GMT watch... And, it has not been homaged to death unlike the GMT Master.
Great review, as always
Thanks Gary, cheers Peter
Just check the GMT hand on that watch, make sure it aligns at the hour markers when the minute hand hits the 12 o'clock.
Good looking watch, was gonna buy, but sort of can't be bothered learning to read 24 hr time. Sometimes its too much for my brain lol
Thanks Gary, I did , it aligns perfectly..I like the fact that not all my watches look the same, variety is the spice of life brother..LOL cheers man
Another great video, Peter :)
Thanks Phil, appreciate it
Nice video Pete
Thanks bloke, appreciate the feedback
great review...just wondering, can the hour hand be set independently of the GMT hand? no reviews show the function of the time/gmt setting...keep up the quality content! Thanks
You can set the hour hand to a specific time zone, then set the GMT hand to another time zone, then use the external bezel to get a third time zone..hope that makes sense..PS thanks for the feedback about my vid's really appreciate it. cheers Peter
Lovely watch very nice. Great history 👍
thanks , yes it is a unique looking timepiece, has its place in History for sure, cheers Peter
Nice review - thanks Peter
My pleasure, I am wearing he watch tonight, in fact it has been on my wrist all day..very sweet ride this one :) cheers
I have a fairly basic Glycine Combat. Excellent quality, robust and absolutely reliable.
Nicely done review sir.
Thank you kindly! cheers
If its lug to lug is 2mm less I will buy it in a second. I agree with you its vintage vibe is very attractive.
Yes the lug to lug is borderline with me, but I have been wearing this on a leather Nato all day and it is superb..
Luckily, there are 36 mm versions of the Chief. And Airman 18 are 39 mm case size, 46 mm lug to lug
Yeah, that pesky lug to lug. Keeping my fingers crossed on the one I just ordered. Thankfully returnable (or resellable) and I could purchase a model with a more modest size.
Very beautiful piece indeed.
I am loving it, cannot look at it enough all day..:)
Awesome watch. Looks great.
Thanks mate, I will show you next time we pop in or visa versa. :)
Astronaut Pete Conrad wore his personal Airman on his Gemini 5 mission (in addition to the NASA-issued Speedy)
Hi Michael, thats correct, he broke the rules back then and probably upset Omega by doing so..but hey..why not? after all it was his personal watch "as well" as the offical speedy..:)
@@PeterKotsa obiting the 🌍 this is a much better choice than the Speedy.
Love it. I have a Glycine Airman 18. Glycine is underrated and unfairly catches a lot of shit because of their association with Invicta.
I hear you and totally agree. This is the first time I’ve purchased a Glycine and I’m now looking forward to a few more, it’s superb
The 18 has 200m of water resistance. Neee that back
Great video glycine seems like a really interesting company
I think so too, that's why i grabbed one to check them out..so far I have nothing but good things to say about my experience . cheers Peter
Beautiful watch and a great review Peter, may I ask where abouts you purchased the watch from? I'm looking into grabing one myself one day :)
Hi Benjamin, I picked this on up form a local guy here, he purchased it a month ago and found it a tad difficult to read, so I bought it off him. cheers mate
Just subscribed to your channel. Like your video presentation.
I had been eyeing Glycine, the purist version which comes with sapphire crystal and glass back, 200m water resistance, and it is truely a 24 hour hour hand, just like my current Vostok Komandirskie 24 hour dial.
Wished Glycine GMT movement had both hour and GMT hand are going one circle for 24 hours.
Welcome abroad, and the Purist version is very nice indeed. I am sure you'll enjoy it if you snap it up. cheers
Hi Peter, excellent review. I have many varieties of the Airman, including the limited edition and chronos. I like the larger case models personally, but do have a few 42mm. I was curious about the mention that this piece was GMT "and" Purist. Can you elaborate ? I first though you meant a version of the GA version, with the reverse of a standard GMT, but thought it better to just ask. Thank you for sharing !
Hi Randy, thanks for the feedback. The model i have is the GMT version, there is also a purist version which does not feature the GMT "extra hand". The original came out with 3 hands (hour, minutes, seconds) and functioned on a 24 hour dial. The external bezel was used to read the GMT scale.
This version I have has 4 hands (hour, minute, seconds, GMT). It functions on a 12 hour basis and the GMT hand goes around the dial once on 24 hours. The internal 24 hour markers on the dial are used to read the GMT hands setting and the external bezel 24 hour scale is used to set another time zone coinciding with the same GMT 4th hand. In other words you can get 3 time zones on this model the purist model with the 3 hands can only get 2 time zones..
I have probably confused you..YES?..lol
Hopefully not, i will try to explain it in my followup video I do in about a week or so with this watch. thats again for your feedbag btw
cheers
Peter
Peter Kotsa Thanks for the friendly reply Peter. No, you didn’t confuse me at all, I think I confused you lol! I fully understand the GMT (4 hand) vs original Purist versions. I have many of each, including a 4 time zone 1/300 Airman, with 5 hands. And a “reverse” movement GA (General Aviation) Airman, that is a Purist model WITH a 4th (blue) 12-hour hand. I just misunderstood you and thought you said your was GMT and PURIST both. My misunderstanding. But thank you for the reply and great review ! Reminds me a bit of a GMT DC-4 model ‘53 version. Great watch, enjoy !
Great video, I feel like the 24 hour printing is a bit busy on this watch, do you ever find yourself mistaking the time?
So far yes, every time I look at it🤣 . I’ve only had it for one day so I am still on my L plates
Busy. You want to see busy you can look at the restaurant edition 806 Breitling navitimer 1959. Now that's busy. Seems to be a lot of these re editions coming out now. I have serval.
I get your fascination with the watch. It has a very distinct and refined vintage look. And I do like the brand Glycine. But watches with acrylic crystal - something stops me from buying them. I know scratches can be buffed out easily, but I would probably give it little wrist time because maybe on a subconscious level I'd be afraid to scratch it, so it would end up in the watch box most of the time. Look at the Oris 65, doesn't it have a lovely piece of sapphire on it, just as beautiful?
The first watch I ever purchased for myself was an Omega Speedmaster reduced (acrylic crystal). I loved the watch, however I ended up selling it because i put a scratch on the acrylic very quickly into ownership. Now many years later, i feel I have 'grown up' and I ma ready for another acrylic..LOL
I agree with you Alexander, it is very easy to mark the crystal, however that gives me now more excuse to 'baby' this watch, which considering its delicate nature, i am happy to do so. cheers mate
@@PeterKotsa I don't wanna buy watches to 'baby'. I don't think I am particularly clumsy with my watches one day something might happen, Murphy's law...and it did happen to me. I wore a Tissot an hit a doorframe with it. I was devastated at first until I managed to buff out the nasty scratch. This experience has had a lasting impact on me. Cheers, mate
Sorry if I missed it, but why did you purchase this particular model, color, etc., over any other? (By the way, about 30 seconds into the video, I paused it and bought one, then finished the video. I'm not sure how the lug to lug length will work on my 6.75" wrist, but I went for it!)
haha, I have done the before too..where I paused a vid and snapped one up as well..you are not too unlike myself..LOL. The reasons why I purchased this one are:
1: its looks, I like the cream dial..I almost got the black, but I have so many black dials in my collection.
2: being the GMT, the normal hands operate on a standard 12 hour cycle, so I can read the tie mat a glance as I normally do with any other watch ( the rust version has a 24 hour normal hands, so you have to read the scale on a 24hr basis and I did not want that.
3: Als again being a GMT I can out 3 times zones which iw anted when I travel (when our borders open up again)
4: lastly, the smaller version was too small for my 7" wrist so I opted for this unit.
I am currently sporting it on a Leather Nato and it sits superbly on the wrist...
PS Scott, which one did you get ?
cheers
Peter
@@PeterKotsa I could only track down one exactly like this one. I looked for the smaller diameter to no avail... Of course, I wanted to grab this one ASAP since they seemed kinda scarce at a decent price. This one is beautiful (my wife actually approved ❤️). I've been looking at various Glycine GMTs for weeks and just decided to do it today.
Another great enthusiastic and informative review! I've got the GL0245 The Chief on order as it was a good price on Amazon (over the half the MRRP - though I know these can be dubious, especially given the reputation of Invicta who own Glycine now albeit having said they are hands off the brand's management). I was wondering if the difference between yours and mine was simply the hands (blue versus white steel) and the case finish (gun metal finish versus normal shiny steel)? I think your strap choice is excellent and helps set off the vintage look v well. My friend and I both loved the charm of the watch but couldn't decide between the black and white/cream faces. The white is of course what the first Airman came with but the black face does look very retro/vintage. I ordered one of each and we will choose. Though I am drawn to the cream face as I have several black face modern watches and my vintage ones are white/cream.
Hi Kevin, the cream dial is very nice, although I think the black would offer better legibility. Either way you really can't go wrong, a really pleasing vintage look. Whatever you choose out fo the 2 you ordered, ENJOY !!!!
Cheers
@@PeterKotsa I remain slightly undecided but having worn my white dial watch for several days now it has grown on me. It is actually very legible though sometimes you can confuse the GMT hand with the minute hand. Both are blue but the minute hand also has lume down the centre and is slightly thicker. And at night the GMT hand is less visible as it isn't lumed. In fact the blue metal edges to the lumed main hands are striking against the white background and arguably more visible than the silver hands of the black dial version. And the white dial often looks creamy through the mineral lens from most angles and sepia at the edges where the curve of the domed glass slightly distorts the edge of the dial. You can still read it from all angles but the slight distortion coupled with the dial's creaminess invokes vintage nostalgia.
Keep it up, Peter!
Thanks Bobby, glad you are enjoying the content, cheers Peter
you made me buy one myself :)
An excellent piece of aviation history..I spend more time looking and admiring this watch on my worts than actually reading the time..LOL..I absolutely love it, style, delicate feel, design and history..enjoy it my friend..cheers
Looking forward to the full review! Is this a true GMT watch?
Thanks Martin, yes it is a true GMT.
cheers
Nice review
Thanks William, cheers
One thing your viewers need to know about this model series is that it's a limited edition, and thus difficult to come by. Watchgooroo Ebay store has a few of the 40mm GMT versions left, but none of the 36mm or any of the purists. Hopefully Glycine will release more in the future as this model ticks a lot of boxes.
Thanks David, maybe I should have mentioned that too..:) I was originally thinking of getting the 36mm variant when they were released, but after careful consideration I waited and decided to get the 40mm as my wrist can cater for it and I did not want to have any regrets (I've done that before..LOL) Thanks again mate
@@PeterKotsa I was able to get one of the last 36mm GMTs available new. It's rare that you find models available in multiple diameter/lug-to-lug sizes to fit different wrist measurements as you so nicely covered in your video tutorial. The L2L on the 36 is 46mm, so fits my 6.5" wrist perfectly.
Congrats wear it in good health great brands
Thank you, I'm wearing it this weekend on a soft tan coloured Nato and it has transformed the look entirely..Love it. Thanks again
This is the second video I've watched in which Ozzies completely fail to understand how this watch works, and they simply can't read 24 hour time. I'm stunned. Really, just stunned. For example, at 7:00 in the video, the watch is displaying 20:15, and you're calling it 10:15 am. I mean, what the general fuck?
Thanks for pointing it out, an oversight on my behalf and an honest mistake..it happens
Well done Pierre, I'm in search of one now." ;)
You might struggle to get one as these sold out pretty quickly
Best of luck
Which airman is the closest to the original
When they looked down to read the time back in the day and saw a big scratch on the crystal they wished someone would have invented a material that didn't scatch so easy. To day we have saphire. It just dumb to use acrylic on a watch made in 2020. Other than dropping the ball on the crystal it is a stunner.... Great vid.
Thanks Derek, for this type fo watch I like the acrylic, for what I have planned for it, I think its perfect. I will share my full thoughts in the followup vid in a couple of weeks. Cheers mate
Glass rules, scratch resist = easy crash, so , it's better than there is NOTHING cause saphire crashed after a good bump... Also the looks and light when you see through this is priceless mate...trust me.
Rolex gmt master is no 1 Gmt watch. Nice video as usual.
I agree with you on that one:)..On a budget though, this Glycine watch is a little gem. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching cheers Peter
So late to this party. Looking for a tool watch GMT and this just might fit the bill.
Legendary
Me or the Watch..LOL
I was dissapointed to hear that it wasn't a 24 hr watch. I thought that was the tool function of this watch. Having been in the military that would have been a great feature.
They made a 24 hours watch, same design, it's called the Purist, check it out
JB, and the "purist" comes in a GMT model? If so, I will definitely have to pick
one up!
@@jh-il5sb check it out, you will like it for sure.
The purist is 24 hour, I opted for this for now, but I will probably grab a 24 hour purist down the track too.. love its layout and practical 1950's design. cheers Peter
I don't know who the hell that company is but that is a nice watch
If you google it you will see they have a very good history. cheers
is this GL0165 or 164?
I believe it’s the 164 (40mm GMT version)
Not my cup of tea, I am new to horology, so I am taking all the info in... then go from there. Excellent video though. I will support your channel sir.
Appreciate the support btw..cheers man
I would paint the GMT hand in red.
LOL...I did, check out my latest video
@@PeterKotsa I did, then I went back to this and posted the comment 😄.
@@japd7897 hahahaha, got me!!
Nice watch but I would never buy a Glycine purist version.
The purist requires a little bit fo a learning curb reading he 24 hour dial, thanks for the feedback cheers Peter
This one is not my cup of tea. I love the red date, the case and the crown at 4 o'clock. But too many hands for my taste. And the minute one seems a bit skinny compared to the hour one.
Fair enough, its an acquired taste, cheers
Lume shots please...
Coming up in the followup video, my bad..cheers
In the beginning you said the words "It (the watch) is entirely hand finished..." No. No, it's not hand finished. I'd be willing to bet nothing about this watch is hand finished.
Hi Blake, I remember reading it in an article recently, I could be wrong though, I will have to re find that article. Nonetheless, this is just a first impression of the watch. It has quite a striking presence and finish.
The polishing on the sides of the case is absolutely top notch, I am comparing it to quite a few top end watches I have handled over the years. Nonetheless, if I come across that article again I will forward it on to you, thanks for the feedback cheers Peter
@@PeterKotsa I appreciate the reply. Typically, to get a watch thats case has been hand finished, you'd have to spend many times the amount of the cost of this piece. Now, that doesn't mean it's not well done, as there are many degrees of machine finishing that can be beautifully polished. I'd be interested to see the article as that would be truly impressive on this watch at that price point. Regardless, the watch is a tremendous piece with truly special history and the review was well done, per usual of your channel. 👍
@@blaketaylor9317 thanks for that, yeah I will endeavour to find it again, it was a while ago I read it..either HODINKEE or something, hopefully I find it, I will try to go through my History on my browser. Thanks again for the kind words re- my channel, I really appreciate it. cheers mate
I have this watch in 36 mm but legibility for me is not good helas. Beige on beige. A shame really.
I agree with you, I am thinking of maybe taking the watch to my watchmaker and getting him to modify the hands for me. Paint them matt black..what do you think? I like its looks as it is, but I do want more legibility for proper usage..Let me know your thoughts. cheers Peter
pls share the model num?
It’s the 164
The counterweight of the hour hand is ugly, out of place.
That counterweight (or tail extension) has a purpose though, on the purist version, when the hour hand points at say 1600 hours, the tail points to the 12 hour equivalent across the dial, in this case 4 o'clock. So it has an intended purpose as it did on the original back in 1953.. Personally I don't mind it, I think it brings 1950's styling and design back and it gets you thinking.. Thanks for the feedback btw, cheers Peter
@@PeterKotsa Ok, now I understand, but still looks weird. Thanks.
I might have considered following you but I do NOT subscribe to anyone who plays muzak which they then try to talk over. It is awful and distracting.
Take a tip from Jody at JOMW and remember, if it doesn't add it detracts.
I'm out.
Hi Paul, thanks for the feedback. I suppose everyone has their own personal taste. I like Jody from JOMW, I watch him from time to time, however because we are all individuals, we all have differing styles and ideas. Thank you once again for the feedback though, I appreciate your time, cheers Peter