Glycine Airman GL0151 Review: Blue Dual-Time Watch

I bought this Swiss-made Glycine Airman from Jomashop for $193 because I wanted to find out where the catch was. With a blue dial, sapphire crystal, a second-time display and a declared 200 metres of water resistance, it looked unusually well equipped for the money. After spending time with it, I’m seriously pleased I took the chance.

The main consideration is the movement: this Airman is quartz. If you enjoy the convenience of a watch that stays running between wears, that is part of its appeal. If you are looking for a mechanical Airman, this particular model will not be for you. I bought the watch with my own money; the product links are affiliate links, so I may earn a commission if you purchase through them.

Design and first impressions
The Airman looks considerably better in person than the product photographs suggested. The deep blue dial, clear sapphire and mix of brushed and polished steel feel comfortably above my purchase price. A big date at twelve balances the second-time display at six, while the rotating twelve-hour bezel adds another time-zone reference. The three exposed crowns give it a distinctive, purposeful character. This is a modern interpretation of Glycine’s aviation heritage. Whatever you think of its ownership under Invicta, the watch retains a clear identity and nicely executed finishing.

And there’s some proper history behind that Airman name. The original launched in 1953—two years before Rolex introduced the GMT-Master. It later became a favourite among American pilots during the Vietnam War, and even travelled into space on Pete Conrad’s wrist during Gemini 5 in 1965. This is a modern interpretation of that design, of course, but the lineage is there. And getting a Swiss-made watch with that heritage for $193? That’s an absolute steal.

Dimensions and fit
My calipers put the bezel at approximately 41.6mm and the case at 41.5–41.7mm. Lug-to-lug is 50.5mm, thickness is 13.4mm and lug width is 22mm. The strap tapers to around 20mm at the buckle. My example weighs 97g on its leather strap. Curved lugs and a rounded case help it sit comfortably, although the 50.5mm length is worth considering if you prefer a compact watch.

Case and locking bezel
The brushed steel bezel has engraved twelve-hour markings and a fine coin edge. Loosen the signed crown at two and it rotates smoothly in either direction. It uses friction rather than clicks, with virtually no sideways play on my example. Tightening the crown locks your chosen position in place.

Fine longitudinal brushing covers the lug tops, with a subtle bevel separating them from the polished sides. The curved case flanks are particularly well finished. The crown at three sets the date and main time; the smaller crown at four adjusts the second-time display. Both setting crowns screw down, while the upper crown controls the bezel lock.

The solid screw-in caseback carries Glycine branding and a raised aircraft over a textured centre. Declared water resistance is 200 metres. For water use, swap the leather strap for a suitable alternative and keep both setting crowns securely screwed down.

Sapphire crystal
The gently domed sapphire has very good clarity. Distortion at sharper angles suggests a single-domed profile, although that is my observation rather than a confirmed specification. I usually prefer double-domed crystals, but the effect here adds depth without spoiling normal viewing. Reflections are well controlled when looking straight at the dial. I cannot confirm the coating specification from appearance alone, but the crystal brings out the blue beautifully.

Blue dial and lume
The blue dial has a subtle gradient, darker at the top and lighter towards the bottom. A printed minute track surrounds slightly raised luminous hour markers. The big date sits above the Glycine logo and Airman name, balanced by the second-time subdial below.

The main syringe-style hour and minute hands carry generous lume, and the seconds hand has a luminous tip. The second-time display uses skeletonised hands. Despite the complications, the main time is easy to read at a glance.

In my fifteen-minute lume test, the main hands and markers remained clearly readable. That is a good result, although it does not establish overnight performance. My main criticism is that the second-time display has no lume, so you lose that function in darkness.

Ronda quartz and dual time
Inside is the Swiss Ronda 6203.B quartz movement, with central hours, minutes and seconds, a big date and a second-time display with its own hour and minute hands. That subdial uses a twelve-hour scale, so you need to keep track of AM and PM. Adjusting the main time with the crown at three moves both displays together. The crown at four lets you adjust the second-time display independently. The twelve-hour bezel can provide a third time-zone reference, again with AM and PM kept in mind. This differs from a conventional watch with a central 24-hour GMT hand. Ronda lists standard battery life of 40 months and accuracy of minus ten to plus twenty seconds per month. The everyday benefit is straightforward: pick it up after a week in the watch box and it is still running, with no winding required.

Leather strap
The blue leather strap matches the dial beautifully. It has a brown lining, neatly sealed edges and contrasting stitching. It feels soft and pliable straight out of the box, with very little breaking-in needed. There are two keepers: one fixed and embossed with the Glycine logo, plus a floating keeper. A signed, milled pin buckle completes the package. First impressions are very good, though long-term durability is something only extended use can establish.

Wearing the Airman
The curved lugs, rounded case sides and supple strap make this a comfortable watch. It carries the recognisable Airman character without feeling awkward on my wrist. At 97g, the weight is well controlled, although the case has enough presence that I would not call it a small watch.

Verdict and value
At the $193 I paid, this Airman represents tremendous value to me. The blue dial, sapphire, case finishing and useful dual-time arrangement make it an attractive everyday watch, provided you are happy with quartz. The unlit second-time subdial is the clearest drawback, and the twelve-hour displays require awareness of AM and PM.

My total came to roughly $240 after additional costs, including about $40 in import tax. Your delivered cost will depend on location, shipping and applicable taxes. Prices and availability can change, so use the Jomashop button to check the current offer rather than treating my purchase price as a live quote.

I bought it wondering what the catch was and came away impressed. For someone who wants a distinctive Swiss-made pilot watch with convenient time-zone functionality, it earns my recommendation. You can watch the full review using either video button on this page.

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