Glycine Watch
Glycine is a privately held Swiss watchmaker founded in 1914 that designs, produces, and sells automatic mechanical timepieces across four collections (Airman, Combat, Sea Kraken, Airpilot) directly to global watch collectors and enthusiasts via its e-commerce storefront, authorized dealer network, and affiliate program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1914
- HeadquartersBiel, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Glycine Watch does
Glycine is a Swiss watchmaker founded in 1914, marketing itself as a heritage mechanical watch brand with over a century of Swiss craftsmanship. The company designs, produces, and sells automatic mechanical timepieces organized into four core collections: the Airman (aviation/24-hour timekeeping), Combat (field and sport watches including the Combat Sub 42 variants and Combat Field 40 & 42), Sea Kraken (diving watches), and Airpilot (pilot-inspired watches). Underlying technology centers on Swiss automatic movements with sapphire crystals, ceramic bezels, and bronze or steel case constructions, with no disclosed digital or smart-watch product lines.
The company's go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer through its Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at glycinewatches.com, supplemented by an authorized dealer network and an affiliate program operated via CJ Affiliate. Pricing ranges from approximately $515 to $1,750 per unit, with active discounting visible on the storefront (e.g., Combat Sub 42mm at a $515 sale price versus a $1,530 regular price). The company ships internationally to approximately 30+ countries with multi-currency checkout and supports English, Korean, and Spanish storefront languages, indicating a globally distributed customer base of watch collectors and first-time buyers. Post-sale support includes a 2-year warranty and free U.S. shipping.
No headcount, revenue, funding, or ownership information is disclosed in the available source material. The company appears to be privately held with no parent company, no public ticker, and no disclosed management team. The Shopify platform setup and USD-denominated primary pricing may indicate U.S.-based commercial operations layered on top of a Swiss product heritage, though no explicit corporate domicile is confirmed.
Glycine Watch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Glycine Watch
- Legal name
- Glycine
- Website
- https://glycine-watch.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1914
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Glycine is a privately held Swiss watchmaker founded in 1914 that designs, produces, and sells automatic mechanical timepieces across four collections (Airman, Combat, Sea Kraken, Airpilot) directly to global watch collectors and enthusiasts via its e-commerce storefront, authorized dealer network, and affiliate program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Glycine Watch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Swiss Mechanical Watches
- SIC
- Watches, Clocks, Clockwork Operated Devices/Parts (3873), Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports/Dive/Aviation Tool Watches (CRAKADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Mechanical Watches (CRAKADAA), Independent/Microbrand Watches (CRAKADAH), Watch Manufacturing (Movements, Cases, Dials, Assembly) (CRAKADAJ)
Keywords
Where Glycine Watch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Biel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Glycine Watch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Watch Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of Swiss automatic watches through the company's e-commerce platform. Revenue generated from one-time purchases of timepieces across multiple collections including Airman, Combat, Sea Kraken, and Airpilot.
- Dealer/Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution through authorized dealer network. The website mentions 'Become a Dealer' option indicating a B2B wholesale channel.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combat Sub 42mm - GL0433 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combat Sub 42 Vintage Bronze - GL0421 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combat Sub Box Ceramic 41mm - GL0526 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combat Sub 42 Sport Bronze - GL0322 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combat Sub 42 Sport - GL0388 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Glycine Watch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Glycine Watch manufactures and sells Swiss-made automatic mechanical watches across four core collections: Airman (aviation/24-hour heritage), Combat (sport and field), Sea Kraken (dive), and Airpilot (pilot-inspired). Timepieces are offered primarily direct-to-consumer via the glycinewatches.com Shopify storefront, with products ranging from entry-level automatic watches (sale prices around $515) to premium ceramic and bronze variants (regular price up to $1,750). Each watch ships with a 2-year manufacturer warranty.
Product overview
Glycine Watch is a Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1914, offering a portfolio of four main watch collections: Airman (aviation/24-hour timekeeping), Combat (sport/field watches), Sea Kraken (diving watches), and Airpilot (pilot-inspired timepieces). The company specializes in automatic mechanical watches, with the Combat Sub line being particularly popular among collectors. Products range from entry-level automatic watches (starting around $515 on sale) to premium ceramic and bronze variants (up to $1,750 regular price). All timepieces feature Swiss craftsmanship with free U.S. shipping and a 2-year warranty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Airman Collection Legacy aviation watch line featuring 24-hour timekeeping, rooted in Glycine's heritage of pilot watches from the golden age of aviation; targeted at collectors and aviation enthusiasts.
- Combat Collection Sport and field watch line featuring robust Swiss automatic timepieces designed for durability and everyday wear; includes sub-models such as Combat Sub 42 and Combat Sub 42 Sport.
- Sea Kraken Collection Dive watch line designed for underwater exploration, featuring water-resistant cases and professional-grade diving specifications for divers and water-sport users.
- Airpilot Collection Aviation-inspired watch line combining cockpit instrument aesthetics with Swiss precision engineering, targeted at modern pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
- Combat Sub 42 (GL0433) 42mm Swiss automatic sports watch (model GL0433) part of the Combat Sub lineup, featuring sport-focused design and sapphire crystal; targeted at consumers seeking an automatic sport/field timepiece at the entry price point of the range.
- Combat Sub 42 Sport (GL0326) 42mm Swiss automatic sport variant (model GL0326) under the Combat Sub line, featuring enhanced sport-oriented specifications and styling for active wearers.
- Combat Sub 42 Vintage Bronze (GL0421) 42mm Swiss automatic watch (model GL0421) with vintage bronze case finishing, combining retro aesthetics with modern Swiss watchmaking for collectors seeking premium case materials.
- Combat Sub Box Ceramic (GL0526) 41mm Swiss automatic watch (model GL0526) with ceramic bezel, featuring premium materials and scratch-resistant ceramic construction for buyers seeking a high-end variant within the Combat Sub lineup.
- Combat Sub 42 Sport Bronze (GL0322) 42mm Swiss automatic sport watch (model GL0322) with bronze accents, combining bronze materials with sporty design elements for collectors favoring warm-toned case finishes.
- Combat Field 40 & 42 New Combat Field 40mm and 42mm Swiss automatic watches announced for release in late July 2025, featuring the brand's signature Swiss craftsmanship with modern design updates to the Combat field/sport line.
Companies that use Glycine Watch
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Glycine Watch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Glycine Watch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CJ AffiliateminorCJ Affiliate platform partnership for affiliate marketing. Glycine offers an affiliate program through CJ for partner referrals and customer acquisition.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Glycine Watch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Timex: Timex is a large American watch maker with heritage field, dive and aviation styles at lower price tiers. While Timex positions below Glycine on automatic Swiss-made pricing, it competes for the same tool-watch collector and gift-purchase occasions.
Direct peers
- Hamilton Watch: Hamilton is a Swiss-made, American-rooted heritage brand offering automatic field, aviation and dive watches in a very similar price band to Glycine (typically $500–$1,800). It directly competes for the same enthusiast customer with comparable product categories such as Khaki Field and Khaki Aviation.
- Tissot: Tissot (Swatch Group) is a mass-market Swiss automatic watch maker with PRX, Seastar and Chronograph lines spanning entry-mid price points that bracket Glycine's range. Both share a Swiss heritage DTC + dealer channel mix.
- Marathon Watch: Marathon produces Swiss-made automatic field, dive and pilot watches under US military specification. Its tool-watch heritage and direct-to-enthusiast go-to-market closely parallel Glycine's Combat, Sea Kraken and Airman ranges.
- Doxa: Doxa is a heritage Swiss dive watch brand re-launched through enthusiast-focused DTC and dealer distribution. It overlaps Glycine on the dive side (Sea Kraken) and shares the heritage-independent positioning that targets collectors.
- Ball Watch: Ball Watch produces Swiss-made automatic tool watches (aviation, dive, field) with proprietary tritium gas tubes. It targets the same heritage-collector customer as Glycine at comparable price points.
- Luminox: Luminox specializes in Swiss-made automatic and quartz tactical, dive and aviation watches sold through specialty channels. The brand competes directly with Glycine's Airman, Combat and Sea Kraken collections in the tool-watch enthusiast segment.
- Alpina Watch: Alpina (now Citizen-owned) sells Swiss-made automatic sport and field watches at sub-$2,000 price points. Its Seastrong and Startimer lines compete head-to-head with Glycine's Sea Kraken dive and Airman aviation collections.
- Certina: Certina, part of the Swatch Group, sells Swiss automatic sport, dive and aviation watches at overlapping price points to Glycine. Its DS Action and DS Pilot collections directly mirror Glycine's Combat and Airpilot positioning.
Emerging players
- Christopher Ward: Christopher Ward is a UK-headquartered DTC-first microbrand offering Swiss-made mechanical watches with strong enthusiast marketing. It competes for the same aspirational, direct-online buyer as Glycine but with a more aggressive digital-native GTM.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Glycine Watch social profiles
Digital presenceGlycine Watch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Glycine Watch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Glycine Watch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Glycine Watch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Glycine Watch
What does Glycine Watch do?
Glycine Watch manufactures and sells Swiss-made automatic mechanical watches across four core collections: Airman (aviation/24-hour heritage), Combat (sport and field), Sea Kraken (dive), and Airpilot (pilot-inspired). Timepieces are offered primarily direct-to-consumer via the glycinewatches.com Shopify storefront, with products ranging from entry-level automatic watches (sale prices around $515) to premium ceramic and bronze variants (regular price up to $1,750). Each watch ships with a 2-year manufacturer warranty.
Is Glycine Watch a public or private company?
Glycine Watch is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Glycine Watch founded?
Glycine Watch was founded in 1914. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Glycine Watch based?
Glycine Watch is headquartered in Biel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Glycine Watch make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Watch Sales are the primary driver. The others are dealer/Wholesale Distribution.
Who are Glycine Watch's main competitors?
Timex is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Hamilton Watch, Tissot, Marathon Watch, Doxa, Ball Watch, Luminox, Alpina Watch and Certina. Christopher Ward is listed as an emerging player.
Does Glycine Watch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Glycine Watch.
What industry is Glycine Watch in?
Glycine Watch's product category is Swiss Mechanical Watches. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKADAE, Sports/Dive/Aviation Tool Watches, with a secondary code of CRAKADAA, Luxury Mechanical Watches. Its SIC code is 3873.