Glycine (watch)

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Glycine Watch SA, commonly called Glycine, is a Swiss watchmaker founded in 1914 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, where its manufacturing and headquarters remain today.

Origins and early years
- Eugène Meylan started La Glycine in Biel/Bienne in 1914. Piccola and Joffrette joined as co-owners in 1916, and the company became Fabrique d’Horlogerie La Glycine.
- In the 1920s, Glycine mainly made pocket watches and women’s watches, known for interchangeable parts that made servicing easier.
- The company produced its first mass‑market automatic watches in 1930.

Mid‑20th century innovations
- In 1959 Glycine developed vacuum‑sealed watch cases to improve durability and water resistance; the patent was issued in 1961.
- The Glycine Airman, launched in 1953, could track two time zones with a 24‑hour dial and rotating 24‑hour bezel. It became popular with U.S. Air Force pilots in Vietnam and with astronauts like Pete Conrad on Gemini missions.
- During World War II, Glycine supplied watches to the German army.
- In 1942, Glycine’s in‑house movement was acquired by ASUAG, a government‑backed group created to preserve Swiss watchmaking. Later, in 1963, Glycine merged with Altus.

New designs and the quartz era
- The Airman family expanded, including the Airman SST in 1967, known for its orange “pumpkin” dial.
- The 1970s brought the quartz crisis. Glycine and other brands developed LED digital watches through a collaboration called Ditronic to stay afloat.

Recent history
- In 1984, Glycine was bought by Hans Brechbühler; his daughter Katharina Brechbühler joined the company in the 1990s. Glycine launched its first website around 1996.
- The Airman line continued, with the 2000 Airman 7 offering four time zones for U.S. pilots.
- Katharina took sole control in 2005 and steered the company away from quartz toward mechanical watches. After Hans Brechbühler’s death in 2010, Glycine was sold to Altus Uhren Holding AG, with Katharina remaining to oversee design.
- In 2016, Invicta Watch Group bought Glycine, keeping its independence in name while expanding marketing and distribution. In 2019, Daniele Andreatta was appointed managing director.

Logo and branding
- Glycine’s logos have evolved from a two‑flag/“LG” mark in the early days to a crown logo in 1965. Wings were added in 2015 to nod to aviation history.
- In 2017, Giorgio Armani sued over logo similarity, but the Swiss courts ruled in Glycine’s favor on appeal, and the company ultimately continued using the crown design.