If you have been following my horological journey, you know that my appreciation for watch collecting went into full bloom years ago. From my career perspective as a statistician and financial analyst—with a professional background in actuarial work and financial engineering—I bring an analytical eye to technical specifications, value-for-money, and historical design ethos.
When it comes to historic Swiss tool watches that offer immense heritage without demanding astronomical premiums, Glycine is a brand that occupies a special place in my collection. Founded in 1914 by the ingenious Eugène Meylan in Bienne, Switzerland, Glycine has a celebrated history of manufacturing robust, purpose-built military and aviation watches. Today, we are putting two distinct, vintage-inspired Swiss automatic models from my collection head-to-head: the Combat 6 Vintage (Reference GL0122) (below left) and the Airman SST 43 GMT (Reference GL0311) (below right).
The Contenders
Each of these Swiss timepieces represents a different operational theater of utility:
- The Tactical Infantry Companion — Combat 6 Vintage (GL0122): My very first Glycine, acquired in May 2019. Built strictly to the classic United States MIL-W-3818B military specifications, this hand-finished timepiece features a matte black dial, syringe-style hands, and a utilitarian field layout.
- The Supersonic Pilot — Airman SST 43 GMT (GL0311): Acquired during the Christmas season of 2023. First introduced in 1967, the SST or "SuperSonic Transport" line drew inspiration from the 1970s jet age—the era of iconic supersonic passenger airliners like the Concorde and the Tupolev. It features a unique cushion-to-tonneau hybrid casing and an internal rotating world-time bezel.
Shared DNA: The Glycine Heritage
While one was designed for muddy trenches and the other for supersonic cockpits, both models are deeply rooted in the brand's mid-century design code:
- Clever Case Dynamics (The Sliding Millimeter Reality): Typical of Swiss tool watches, the technical dimensions of these cases are surprisingly wearable on my 6.75-inch wrist. Both cases measure 43 mm across. However, they combat wrist-fatigue and overhang with clever lug designs. The Airman SST has an extremely short 46 mm lug-to-lug due to its cushion casing, while the Combat 6 utilizes highly curved lugs and a compact 49 mm lug-to-lug. Both feature a versatile 22 mm lug width.
- Triple-Layer Under-Sapphire AR Protection: To ensure maximum legibility under harsh, direct light, both watches protect their dials with high-quality sapphire crystals coated with three layers of anti-reflective treatment on the underside. The Combat 6 features a retro domed crystal, while the Airman SST has a flat crystal.
- The Struggle with Dial Symmetry: As an analyst who values visual balance, I have minor critiques of both date-window integrations. On the Combat 6, the rectangular date window at 3 o'clock breaks up the classic military dial by awkwardly replacing the "15" hour marker. Although I appreciate that Glycine used a negative date wheel (white text on a black background) to match the matte dial, I would have preferred a completely date-free layout. On the Airman SST, the date window replaces the 6:00 hour marker. Here, Glycine chose a white background date wheel, whereas a negative date wheel would have been much more visually cohesive on a black dial.
- The Lume Compromise: Both watches utilize SuperLuminova, but both fall slightly short in low-light environments. The Combat 6 features C1 SuperLuminova on its syringe hands and outer hour-marker triangles. However, the Arabic numerals are unlumed, and the seconds hand is entirely unlumed—a disappointing omission for a military watch where counting down the seconds in the dark is critical. On the Airman SST, the hands are sufficiently lumed, but the painted hour numbers emit a rather weak glow.
- The Minimalist Documentation Quirk: In a move that represents ultimate corporate minimalism, both watches ship with remarkably sparse documentation. The instruction manual is simply a double-sided printed piece of hard paper. If you try to seek a comprehensive digital manual on Glycine's official website, you will find they do not seem to host one.
The Real-World Utility Battle
To evaluate how these two timepieces behave under real-world conditions, let's rank them across two distinct operational criteria:
1. Everyday Practical Utility (Daily Wear, Comfort, & Weight)
- Winner: Combat 6 Vintage. This watch is an absolute masterclass in daily comfort. Thanks to its incredibly slim 10.9 mm thickness (compared to the 11 mm of the Airman) and its featherlight weight of approximately 80 grams on the olive green fabric NATO strap, it sits flat and unnoticed on the wrist. It transitions seamlessly as a reliable, rugged everyday companion.
- Runner-Up: Airman SST 43. While the short lugs prevent wrist overhang, the watch is significantly heavier and bulkier, weighing in at 163 grams on its 5-piece steel bracelet. The alternating brushed and polished butterfly bracelet is robust, but lacks micro-adjustment points, which makes finding a perfect fit difficult as your wrist size fluctuates throughout the day.
2. Specialized Tool Utility (Functionality & Water Resistance)
- Winner: Airman SST 43. From a pure complication and survival standpoint, the Airman SST dominates. Under the screw-down steel case-back beats the Caliber GL293 automatic movement (a robust Swiss ETA 2893-2 base). Running at 28,800 BPH with a 42-hour power reserve, it allows you to track up to three time zones simultaneously. It features a central GMT hand and a bi-directional internal bezel operated by a unique crown at 2:00 (with "Bienne" printed in red). Crucially, it boasts a substantial 200-meter water resistance.
- Runner-Up: Combat 6 Vintage. Powered by the Caliber GL224 automatic movement (a Sellita SW200 base), this 28,800 BPH workhorse has 26 jewels and a 38-hour power reserve. Straight out of the box, it recorded an impressive accuracy of +2.9 seconds per day. However, the Combat 6 is held back as an extreme tool watch by its standard push-pull crown and a modest 50-meter (5 ATM) water rating, which restricts its use to light land duty.
Expanding the Glycine Cluster: What’s Next?
To expand this Glycine lineup into a comprehensive, three-piece tool watch collection, I propose adding the following models:
- The Glycine Combat Sub (300m Diver): To complement the military infantry focus of the Combat 6 and the aviation navigation of the Airman SST, adding a Combat Sub would complete the ultimate "Land, Air, and Sea" trifecta. Built on an ultra-slim, highly ergonomic chassis, the Combat Sub delivers a massive 300 meters of water resistance while remaining incredibly comfortable on the wrist.
- The Glycine Airman No. 1 or DC-4 (24-Hour Purist): While the Airman SST represents the bold, cushion-cased 1970s "SuperSonic" design era, the Airman No. 1 or DC-4 reissues capture the pure, original 1953 design. Adding a purist 24-hour dial model (where the hour hand only circles the dial once per day) would represent the absolute pinnacle of Glycine's historic aviation timing contribution.
Conclusion: The Verdict of an Analytical Eye
From a financial and value-for-money perspective, Glycine represents one of the strongest "wise and good investments" in the Swiss watch market.
Purchased from Gnomon Watches Singapore, both watches represent incredible technical precision for their acquisition costs. The Combat 6 Vintage was acquired for USD 450 (approx. RM1,929) against a substantial MSRP of USD 1,250, while the Airman SST 43 was secured during a holiday discount for RM4,104.90 (MSRP RM4,955.00).
For collectors seeking a comfortable, highly legible, daily-wear military field watch that slips under sleeves with ease, the Combat 6 Vintage is a flawless everyday companion. But for those who want a bold, historically rich statement piece that can cross oceans, navigate multiple time zones, and handle water with a 200m depth rating, the Airman SST 43 is a supersonic masterclass in vintage coolness.
What are your thoughts? Do you prefer the classic MIL-W-3818B infantry layout of the Combat 6, or does the Concorde-inspired tonneau case of the Airman SST speak to your inner pilot? Let me know in the comments below!
THE IMAGE BELOW IS THE LINK TO MY AFFILIATE STORE
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