Background
Glycine watches was founded in 1914 in Switzerland by Eugene Meylan, who specialised in engineering watches and certainly impressed with his modern designs. He was single-mindedly focused on perfection, making watches that were the most accurate and advanced for their time.
Nearly a century later Glycine thrives and still uses the original designs. The mission was to make distinctive timepieces with a classic design. Each watch is both timeless and modern and avoids being gimmicky.
Let’s take a look at some of their top offerings.
KMU GL0131
$1,250 / £1,149
The KMU is famous for being big and bold with a huge face. It’s great for those needing to know the time in one quick glance. It’s a remodelling of a former classic collection from ’99. This adaption has better engineering inside and a more refined look. It’s favoured by the military.
All KMU watches have the same accurate automatic movement inside. The large case comes in durable materials including high-grade stainless steel with a scratch-proof dial. There’s a PVD coating which makes it not only durable but sleek and stylish.
Design
The KMU collection features watches that look more modern compared to its siblings. The metal comes is matt black PVD coated which make it look uber-sophisticated. The paint won’t scratch or flake off, either.
It has a durable and also waterproof tan leather strap and the buckle is adjustable to suit all wrist sizes. If you’d rather, you can change the wristband to a matching matt black leather version.
Luminosity
The watch face is painted orange and white. This is useful when travelling and you find yourself in less than perfect lighting. The numbers are large and all in all, it’s very easy to read.
Durability
The case is made of 48mm of high-grade stainless steel and is waterproof to 10ATM. If you get caught in the rain, you’ll be fine.
The back of the watch is made of mineral glass. The glass on the dial is sapphire and offers anti-reflection and strength – great for adventurers.
Incursore GL0044
$640 / £530
The Incursore is another big, big watch. It has a simple design. It’s characteristically sturdy. Is a little newer and was purposely made to be cutting edge. It’s another great offering for military personnel, but civvies get good use of out of it too.
Design
Visibility has been a big thing in the watch world. Or, a lack of it. Dials tend to overwhelm the modern screen. This face has huge numbers and big dials to make telling the time really easy.
Use
The Incursore has a rustic, classic look. There’s a distinct lack of colour. The details are cleverly designed to fit in with most attire. If you want an everyday watch, you’ll love this.
Durability
The Incursore has an outer casing which is made of durable, high-grade stainless steel. It has a clear mineral glass on top, known for its dust and scratch resistance characteristics. The sapphire glass offers three anti-reflective layers which mean no matter what the lighting is, it’s easy to read.
Airman 42
$1,250 / £1,160
This is a firm favourite and the best travel companion you could ask for. You can keep an eye on multiple timezones, and there are some fine details that put this at the top of the popularity ratings. It’s also the most costly in the range.
Functionality
If you want something you wouldn’t be surprised to see on James Bond’s wrist, this is for you. All the information you need, at a glance, sits right there on your wrist. Hours through to seconds, the date, three timezones and GMT.
Design
The Airman has a dome of sapphire crystal. It has an anti-reflective quality. It has a Super-LumiNova in a yellowish-green. This means dark lighting will never be a problem.
Each of the numbers is painstakingly hand-painted onto the face. This is a truly unique feature.
Durability
The exterior of this watch is quite something. It has a similar design to the previously mentioned watches but the Airman has a unique black PVD coating. It is satin polished and has smoked glass and also comes with a highly durable black leather strap.
Are Glycine Watches Worth It?
If you’re a fan of a clean and classic design but also total reliability, you’ll be pleased to own a Glycine watch.
Glycine offers both budget and mid-range collections that are full of choice – but if you’re looking for something luxurious, you’ll want to look elsewhere. On the whole, more expensive watches don’t offer that much information to the wearer. Date and time are about it. Once you start adding features to the face, it becomes over-crowded and the readability suffers.
The answer to these watches being worth it or not truly depends on your budget and desire for features. They’re very solid and dependable watches, casual, classic and even a little rustic. They make great everyday watches. If you’re expecting anything bigger and better, look elsewhere in the high-end market.
Which are the best alternatives?
If you want something durable, check out our advice on the five features to look for in a rugged watch.
If you want something equally flashy as it is functional, you’ll enjoy reading our review of James Bond’s watches over the years.
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