Glycine Combat

The Combat and Airman are the two main collections produced by traditional Swiss watch manufacturer Glycine. The Combat collection is best known for the many diving watches found in its Combat Sub series. These models are water-resistant to at least 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft) and feature a unidirectional bezel and luminous hands and indices.

One of the series' top models is the Combat Sub Aquarius. Thanks to its helium escape valve and depth rating of 50 bar (500 m, 1,640 ft), this timepiece is suited for saturation diving. Other interesting models include the various bronze watches, which will develop their own unique patinas over time and are currently popular fashion statements.

What's more, the Combat collection also contains a variety of sporty yet elegant dress watches that look as good running errands as they do at the office. Some of these timepieces even have gold-plated stainless steel cases and a moon phase display. There are also two-tone models and watches with partially skeletonized dials available. The latter offer a view of the movement from the front.

If you're a fan of military watches like the Hamilton Khaki Field, you may also enjoy the Combat 7 or Combat 6 Vintage. Luminous hands sit atop their large and tidy dials. This means you'll always be able to tell the time, even in the dark. Leather or textile NATO straps further underscore the military nature of these timepieces.

The Glycine Combat Sub is available in a vast array of designs and sizes. The cases range from 42 to 48 mm in diameter. In terms of material, Glycine almost exclusively uses stainless steel. Some of these models have a gold or black PVD coating. Finally, Glycine also produces a handful of bronze Combat watches. These timepieces are either 42 or 48 mm in diameter.

The variety of dials and bezels is even more immense. First, you have to choose if you want a black, blue, green, or silver dial. Then comes the decision between dot indices or Arabic numerals. One thing most Combat watches have in common is a 24-hour scale printed on the dial inside the hour markers. Glycine first introduced a 24-hour scale to their Airman collection of pilot's watches in the 1950s.

There's also a wide range of bracelets and straps available. Glycine offers NATO straps, calf leather straps, and silicone straps in addition to various stainless steel link or Milanese bracelets.

Proven ETA or Sellita movements power these timepieces. The most recent models house the GL224, which is based on the ETA 2824-2 or the identical Sellita SW200-1. This movement comes with a 38-hour power reserve and a date display at 3 o'clock. It ticks at a frequency of 28,800 alternations per hour (A/h), or 4 Hz.

You can find pre-owned Glycine Combat Sub 42 models for under 560 USD. That being said, mint-condition pieces – such as the ref. GL0087 – also only cost around 560 USD. This means that the Combat Sub is one of the most affordable Swiss diving watches with a mechanical movement. The bronze and PVD-coated editions tend to demand higher prices of roughly 780 USD.

If you'd like to call a diving watch with a black coating your own, you should take a closer look at the Combat Sub "Golden Eye" with the reference number GL0093 . As this timepiece's nickname implies, it features a golden bezel with a brown aluminum inlay. There are also rose gold accents on the dial. Prices for this 42-mm watch sit around 670 USD new.

The Glycine Combat Sub Aquarius is this collection's top model – and also its most expensive. It has a 46-mm case with a helium escape valve, a ceramic bezel, and domed sapphire glass. Mint-condition pieces change hands for about 1,100 USD. Pre-owned editions cost only slightly less.

The Combat 6 Classic is Glycine's elegant dress watch. Defining features of this three-hand timepiece include a narrow bezel and thin hands and stick indices. Luminous material on the hands and indices guarantees optimal readability regardless of the lighting conditions. There's also a date window at 3 o'clock.

As its name implies, the Combat Classic Moonphase has a moon phase display on the lower half of its dial. Glycine outfits these watches with the automatic caliber GL280. You can choose from a 36, 40, or 43-mm case. The smallest models make particularly attractive unisex watches. The gold-plated model with the reference number GL0247 is especially refined and sells for an affordable 890 USD. Plain stainless steel editions without a PVD coating cost about 110 USD less.

If you prefer your dress watches on a leather strap, Glycine offers plenty of options. For example, you can purchase the 43-mm ref. GL0109 for as little as 670 USD. Glycine also mounts some Open Heart models with partially skeletonized dials on leather straps. These watches are 40 mm in diameter and made of stainless steel. There are also PVD-coated editions. Both versions require an investment of about 780 USD.

Fans of military watches are sure to enjoy the Combat 7 and Combat 6 Vintage. The latter is a retro watch that was inspired by historical models. The Combat 6 Vintage is defined by its 43-mm stainless steel case, narrow bezel, large and tidy dial, and glow-in-the-dark hands. It also has a date display at 3 o'clock. Glycine employs both line indices and Arabic numerals to mark the hours, with Arabic numerals used on both the 12 and 24-hour scales. The dial is available in black, brown, or silver. A textile NATO strap underscores the Combat 6 Vintage's military feel and holds this timepiece securely on the wrist. Never-worn pieces demand around 560 USD, while pre-owned models cost roughly 110 USD less.

The Glycine Combat 7 looks very similar to the Combat 6 Vintage, especially its dial. However, the stainless steel case of certain Combat 7 models seems somewhat more robust. The Swiss manufacturer pairs this watch with a textile or leather strap or stainless steel bracelet. Since this model is no longer in production, there are very few mint-condition pieces left on the market. If you do happen to find one, be sure to have around 560 USD on hand. Pre-owned editions are even more affordable.