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Glycine Airman Vintage The Chief PuristvsNivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT

The numbers, the dial colors, the calibers — laid out so you can stop flipping between tabs.

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What people say

Owners + reviewers, side by side

Synthesized for each watch independently from owner discussions, enthusiast forums, written reviews, and video reviewers.

Glycine Airman Vintage The Chief Purist

The Glycine Airman Vintage The Chief Purist is widely praised for its classic pilot watch design and excellent wearability, with owners highlighting its authentic 24-hour dial as a core element of its identity. Reviewers and owners consistently note its accurate timekeeping, with one report stating it keeps very accurate time and another confirming excellent timekeeping. The sun-ray green dial is specifically mentioned as looking great in different lighting conditions, and the lume is described as great for a vintage-style piece. Owners find the purist model's 24-hour dial more logical than GMT versions, and the 40mm size is noted for offering larger, readable dials. One owner calls it the best pilot watch ever made.

From video reviewers

The 24-hour dial legibility is a key strength. Reviewers disagree on the desirability of the current Purist design compared to Glycine's past Airman 18 series.

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT

The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT is widely praised for its authentic retro charm and excellent 36mm case proportions, with reviewers highlighting its faithful 1970s revival design and warm aesthetic. The watch features a Super Compressor-style case, a boxed Plexiglass crystal, and a caller-style Soprod C125 GMT movement with a 42-hour power reserve. However, its 50-meter water resistance is considered acceptable but not robust for a sporty watch, and the GMT hand is noted as being short and difficult to read by some. The internal bezel's tactile feedback could be stronger, and the Plexiglass crystal scratches easily. On balance, reviewers find the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT to be a compelling retro-vintage option for smaller-cased GMTs, particularly for its design and compact sizing at its price point.

At a glance

16 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist40mm
Antarctic GMT38mm
Power Reserve
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist48h
Antarctic GMT42h
Water Resistance
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist30m
Antarctic GMT50m
MSRP
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist$2,900
Antarctic GMT$1,740

Full specifications

Case

7 specs
Diameter
40mm
38mm
Thickness
12.25mm
11.1mm
Lug-to-Lug
42mm
Lug Width
22mm
0mm
Finish
Brushed + Polished + Satin
Water Resistance
30m
50m
Caseback
Engraved

Crystal & Dial

5 specs
Crystal Shape
AR Coating
Dial Color
White
Black
Indices
Lume
Luminous
Super-LumiNova C3

Movement

3 specs
Beat Rate
28,800 vph
4 vph
Power Reserve
48h
42h
Complications
Date
GMT, Date

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$2,900
$1,740
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