Incoming: Glycine Airman Double 24 09 Limited Edition

Nice. I like that RHD. Looks like it came from the factory with it.

However, couple red flags to the watches authenticity came up and wanted to run them past you guys and see what you think.

First: packaging

This is a picture of the packing that I've seen with it. Nice wooden box, spot for extra strap, tools etc. This pictures comes from the original review on watchuseek so I trust its authenticity. Looking around I have found this case several places and I trust it is what Glycine ships with for this watch.





Link to the watchuseek review:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f18/airman-double-24-09-review-845804.html

Now this is a picture of what I'm shown the watch in question comes with:


Looks to me like just a standard cardboard type box with Glycine branding. No spot for extra strap, tool etc. it shows a warranty card with extra sticker on it. The book is missing, but that I can see being more likely. Everywhere I searched I found the nice wooden box was what it came with, but this morning after more searching I did find this same packaging on worldofwatches. For what that is worth. With a limited edition of 300 pieces I have a hard time believing Glycinew ouod have two separate types of packing and contents that the watch ships with and am more inclined to think it is a Chinese knockoff, even if the watch is a decent knockoff which it looks to be.

Another red flag is the strap. Here is a photo of what I know to be authentic. It has blind embossed branding on the strap itself, oversized buckle and large crown image on one of the keepers.

Large Glycine logo on strap of known authentic:


Keeper and buckle shot of known authentic:


The images of the watch in question show it is branded with glycine, but missing the large logo on the south strap, has a smaller more standard buckle and has a different crown and logo com in tion embossed on the keeper. There is also he fact there is only one but I suppose it is possible the orange strap is missing. I guess it's also possible that the original black leather strap was missing and somebody replaced it with a different Glycine strap. I might be tempted to buy that if it had the proper packaging, and was told upfront.

The watch in question:


Smaller buckle and different embossed logo on keeper:


The guy seems to have been pretty accommodating considering my reservations that just came up last night on closer inspection, but I suppose I would be too if I was him. He 'says' he emailed the Glycine pictures of his watch to Glycine and they already confirm back this morning that it appears to be authentic but unless the are sent the watch could not confirm. There is obviously a time zone difference of 8+ hours but sending them an email in Sunday and hearing back by 7am on a Monday morning doesn't really st well with me.

If it were just any one of these things then I could probably dismiss my concerns. Heck even if I was told upfront that the original strap(s), tools, books and packing was missing and had been replaced by generic maybe I could have as well. But as it sits, to me, this adds up to several red flags that scream run away. If this were a few hinder solar watch I might be more inclined to take the gamble. That is very far from the case however.

I shared my concerns with him yesterday and told him that is not that I'm not interested but hae reservations and that I would like my funds returned via paypal until the matter is resolved. I woke up this morning and there was in fact an email from paypal saying I had been refunded. I certainly appreciate that.

The purchase was in watchuseek and he did have two transactions completed with positive reviews, however they were for much less expensive watches. His join date was only feb of this year. Based on his area code he is in Colorado Springs, not some place like China.

I do really like the watch but am leery of spending my hard earned money on a potential knockoff or replica. There is no local authorized Glycine dealer to bring it to for authentication should I choose to receive the watch.

Your thoughts? What would you do?




For reference...

Link to watchuseek ad:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-glycine-airman-double-24-09-a-1010139.html#post7633234

Link to similar packaging in world of watches:
https://www.worldofwatches.com/detail.asp?iq=1&bo_products_id=0&bo_products_variance_id=201928

Been googling around and found a third packaging, that is more like the one I am told I'd get in this deal, but still different.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/gl...9-automatic-eta-2893-2-3886-196-a-845917.html



Found one identical to the watch in question.... On ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glycine-Air...d=100011&prg=9407&rk=2&rkt=10&sd=351027983674

This one is turning into a saga.

Maybe that's a sign

I'm a bit more comfortable proceeding with the purchase now so I decided to go for it. Talked to the guy, all was good, so I went to paypal to send him cash again. Well it seems since I paid on Sunday, it was processed Monday, which happened to be the same day he issued the refund. Apparently paypal thought this was strange so they are holding his refund and I cannot transfer any more funds until this clears anywhere from April 11-14. Of corse I didn't get any of this story until after I called paypal. Tried explaining that all I was trying to do was send the same guy the same money again but she didn't give a ****. I asked if they could simply do a reverse in his refund. No dice. The transaction was now flagged and just had to wait it out.

Now it happens I run six figures a year through paypal, and am in the middle of launching two new websites, both of which were to use paypal as the payment gateway. They could care less. So I will complete this transaction since they have my cash anyways and once it's done I'll cancel my account. They are aware of this and is of no consequence. I've heard a lot of crappy stories about paypal over the years but never had a problem myself. Apparently all it takes is a single translation to sour on them. No more. I'm done with that piece of junk company. There are far too many other payment options out there nowadays to put up with their BS.

Guy understands and is cool waiting until it all clears. Fair enough since it was his refund that flagged it. So it will take an extra week to get the watch. It it's coming.

I digress.

Impressions after a few days:

I dig it. You can tell the quality is there at a glance before you even get your paws on it. The fit, the finishing, is all very tight and polished. And it wears a fair bit smaller than its 44mm size, which I am happy about since that is just above my sweet spot of 42. The lug to lug of 53 just pushes my comfort zone too. All things considered it is a very good, comfortable fit.

I'm finally getting used to the 24hr dial. And I'm sure I would have no problem reading it at a quick glance if I continued to wear it daily. Like most of you I have several in rotation so that's not going to be the case. Ergo the lume is nearly useless for me on this one. Without any further indicators, in the dark the lumed hands read say 9:45pm but that would actually be 6:45pm. Not sure I'll get used to that bit, but it is what it is. The lume is clear and sharp for what that's worth.

For a now two–owner watch this thing was immaculate. Before I got it, it saw little to no wrist time I'm sure. Perhaps on account of the 24hr dial too. Who knows. I'll make sure it keeps a place in my rotation regardless.

The oem strap is very stiff and not even close to broken in. I'm a bracelet guy to begin with so that's bugging me. Been getting used to a strap again a little, but I'm going to explore some other options. Have a few straps incoming as well as two bracelets so will see how things shape up that way in the next week or so.

The 2893-2 is silky smooth and super quiet. It's a real treat.

At the end of the day would I buy the watch again? Absolutely

I think though my next Glycine won't be a purist model. There will, however, most definitely be another Glycine purchase.