Buyer’s Guide: 15 Best Pilot’s Watches to Choose From
This "Best Pilot Watches Guide" is a carefully selected choice of the best timekeepers from under $200 to more than $10,000.
Tag Glycine
Glycine F104 Automatic: Bigger Case, New Dial
While the original Glycine F104 (ref. 3933) that was delivered back in April 2014 looked absolutely killer with its clean, vintage-inspired design, somebody at the company's HQ has probably decided that sales are not quite satisfactory. Enters the Glycine F104 v.2, which is now available in a choice of four or five dials, and even includes a version with a steel black PVD bezel with 46 diamonds (1.80 carats, yuck!)
Celebrating the Centennial: Glycine F104 Pilot
Commemorating the Swiss brand's 100th Anniversary, the automatic Glycine F104 Pilot (Ref. 3932.146AT.LB7R) delivers that great mix of a clean, easy to read dial with an easy to recognize pre-WWII styling, and deliberately oversized body: something that you rarely see when it comes to pilot's watches designed during the last decade or two. Although, like a number of recently introduced timekeepers that try to strike your imagination with monsters that look ridiculous on almost any wrist of a man of a normal stature, this one will not look that great if you decide to wear it with formal suit, it is still an interesting collectible item that one can even wear from time to time. Perhaps, combine it with an equally expensive winter bomber jacket that would be able to somehow hid the gadget's overall bulkiness?
Glycine KMU 48 Black Hand-Wound Edition
Claimed to be inspired by military-style watches that Glycine produced during World War II, this oversized KMU 48 (ref. 3905.99AT.LB90) model has been here for ages. From time to time, the company refreshes the range with new versions, new finishes, and new materials, even including such high-tech ones as carbon fiber.
Featuring the same oversized steel case with black PVD treatment, and a refreshed dial, this Glycine KMU 48 Black is the new big thing in all meanings of this word.
Glycine Airman 1953 Vintage Limited Edition
Searching for a moderately sized "aviator" with a nice old-fashioned feel and a military-style 24-hour time display? Well, then you should perhaps have a look at the Glycine Airman 1953 Vintage Limited Edition (ref. 3904.14.TB9).
The Swiss-based niche brand offers the device in a nice, vintage-styled body, which is equipped with a rotating bezel that can serve as a secondary time-zone indicator, too. Although the self-winding movement that powers it doesn't look as sexy as those NOS Unitas calibers that you can find in some other recently introduced timekeepers, it still offers you a combination of quality and reliability that you can expect from a watch, which is sold at more than €2000.
Glycine Combat Golden Eye Automatic Diver
Glycine has finally updated its military-styled 'Combat' collection with a new version. Featuring a black PVD-treated case with rose gold PVD elements, the timekeeper is -sort of pretentiously- named Glycine Combat Golden Eye (Ref. 3863.399 C6-TBA9). Well, I hope that next year they will offer the same model with the bezel and crown crafted from bronze. Although not as flashy (if you can apply the adjective to such a noble alloy with its aura of adventure and glory,) on certain markets it's going to be smashing.