Never Give Up: A Closer Look At The Luminox Bear Grylls Survival AIR Series Collection

Luminox is not your typical watch brand. For starters, the brand isn’t based in the traditional watchmaking hubs of Switzerland, Japan, or even New York City. The privately held watchmaker calls San Rafael, California home, and for over three decades, Luminox has been producing rugged watches for adventurers, blue-collar workers, and the military.

Moreover, the brand has become so synonymous with durability and longevity that Luminox watches have become almost standard issue equipment for militaries and police forces the world over. The brand also happens to be the go-to gear for Edward Michael “Bear” Grylls. The British adventurer has been an ambassador of the brand for some time now, and we've previously covered his Survival SEA Series.

Today, we depart from land-based activities and shoot for the skies with the new Bear Grylls Survival AIR Series collection. The latest arrivals to the Bear Grylls collection – the Survival AIR Series 3761 GMT and 3762 GMT – pack a powerful punch when it comes to instrumentation.

First of all, the Survival AIR Series collection features a bi-directional bezel made of CARBONOX+, a proprietary material for Luminox. The bezel features 24 different time zones represented by 24 cities of the world that are home to special forces. The bezel is notable because of its 12 notches that provide grip while rotating the bezel with gloved or dirty hands.
 

Secondly, the rotating bezel isn’t the only method the wearer has to read the GMT function. The watches also feature a 24-hour inner ring and an orange-tipped GMT hand that allows you to calculate nearly any time, anywhere, under any condition.
 

Encased in austenitic stainless steel, the 45mm timepieces are comfortable on the wrist despite their size. That is thanks to well-proportioned, well-executed lugs tapered just enough to conform to the wrist without pinching or discomfort.
 

Additionally, like other watches in the Bear Grylls collection, the new Survival AIR Series was designed and developed in collaboration with Grylls. That means the 3761 GMT and 3762 GMT live up to Grylls' “Never Give Up” mantra. And, indeed, the caseback carries a bright orange inscription of that very motto.
 

The Bear Grylls Survival AIR Series is water-resistant to 200 meters (approx. 650 feet) and sealed by a screw-down crown with an orange rubber ring that provides optimal grip for time setting. Along with the orange crown and orange GMT hand, there is a small orange pattern at 12 o’clock which resembles the type of graphics you’d find on an aircraft’s fuselage.
 

The Luminox Bear Grylls Survival AIR Series GMT is Swiss Made and available in two references powered by a high-performance world-time quartz movement. Reference XB.3761 features a grey Cordura leather canvas strap, and reference XB.3762 comes fitted to a Milanese mesh bracelet.
 

The Bear Grylls Survival AIR Series GMT is priced at $695 on the leather strap (XB.3761) and $795 on the metal bracelet (XB.3762). The watches are available at your nearest Luminox retailer and Luminox.com.
 

(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)