Side by side

Glycine Airman Vintage The Chief PuristvsVario 1918 Medic Brass

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

Airman Vintage The Chief Purist
GlycineAirman Vintage The Chief Purist
MSRP $2,900
1918 Medic Brass
Vario1918 Medic Brass
MSRP $388

At a glance

17 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist40mm
1918 Medic Brass40mm
Power Reserve
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist48h
1918 Medic Brass40h
Water Resistance
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist30m
1918 Medic Brass100m
MSRP
Airman Vintage The Chief Purist$2,900
1918 Medic Brass$388

Full specifications

Case

8 specs
Category
GMT
Field
Thickness
12.25mm
10mm
Lug-to-Lug
48mm
Lug Width
22mm
20mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel
Finish
Brushed and polished
Water Resistance
30m
100m
Caseback
Solid

Crystal & Dial

5 specs
Crystal
Sapphire
Domed Sapphire
Crystal Shape
Flat
AR Coating
Inner
Indices
Applied
Lume
Luminous
None

Movement

3 specs
Caliber
SW330-2
Seiko NH38A
Power Reserve
48h
40h
Complications
Date
None

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$2,900
$388

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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.

Vario 1918 Medic Brass

Owners widely praise the Vario 1918 Medic Brass for its crisp enamel dial, easy-to-read numerals, and cathedral hands, noting the brass case develops an attractive patina over time. However, the soft brass scratches easily, and one owner found the lume to be poor. Accuracy varies, with one example running slow by about 10 seconds per day and another owner deeming the Miyota 82s5 movement just okay. On balance, owners rate the Vario 1918 Medic Brass highly for its unique dial and the evolving character of its brass case.

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