Show us your Glycine Airman!

As per title, I'll start with this 1956 example on a Komfit bracelet! Bezel lock and hacking mechanisms are fully operational 😎

Nice! The one on the right looks like a 1956/1957? What is the serial?

Nice example! This is also a 1956/7/8er? What is the serial?

More modern, but still classy.

Man, these give me a serious case of the wants.

As worn by Charles "Pete" Conrad on Gemini V (1965) and exposed to outer space on Gemini XI (1966)
In this way the Glycine Airman automatic pilot watch became the first automatic wrist-watch directly exposed to out space !
#MoonwatchUniverse
.

1956 model (case serial <150 after the one beautifully described by @pdxleaf here). I would only love it even more if I could get a lollipop seconds hand (advice welcome!)

Responding to the Glycine Airman 12 on Top photograph from pdxleaf, in January 2023, I wrote this on Watchuseek (WUS):

In the past year or so, I have seen three 12 on top Airman watches. One I serviced, one is mine, and one came as a photograph. The curious thing about these three watches is the serial numbers. One is A 68426, one is A 68434, and one is A 68440. With the numbers this close together, it would appear that all three are from a single batch made in 1956. Being from 1956, all are in screw back cases with Felsa caliber 692N movements. All appear to be Glycine Airman Special models (17 jewels rather than the standard 25 jewels for Felsa 692N) .

This came as a response from Emre:Kiris, also on WUS; Emre has access to original Glycine production notes:

"Hi Jim, good compilation and question.
I can add on those serial numbers also the Airman 12 on top with serial number A68249 that I handled in the past.
I can also confirm that on 23 Nov 1956 there is an Airman manufacture party of 500 timepieces which I believe is this batch of Airman models. Cases are from Spillmann and dials from Gerber company movements 11,5 lignes, F692N."

Lacking any information to the contrary. I am inclined to believe that all the vintage Airman 12 on top came from the same production run in 1956. This would make them rather rare. It would be interesting if anyone can cite information regarding Airman 12 on top outside this serial number range. Here is a list of the known serial numbers.

A 68249
A 68426
A 68434
A 68440
A 68460

Cool research!

My 1956er with 24 on top has serial A 69133.

Rather post photographs of my Airman watches, here are some that have been in my possession over the last several years.


This watch is considered to be the rarest of all Airman models. In fact, it is not an Airman, it is "The Chief", and made for seafarers rather than pilots. It is from late in 1955, and one of the first fitted with the wire hack. In reality, it is an Airman with a different dial; otherwise, it is exactly the same. The hands are correct and original; the arrow hour hand came in 1956. The story I was told about The Chief version is that 25 were made. They were sold by Turler, a large chain of jewelry stores in Switzerland--Turler's name is on the dial. All were placed in Turler's Geneva airport store. The Geneva airport, being in a landlocked country is not the best place to market watches aimed at sailors. Whether all 25 were sold is not known. Perhaps some went back to Glycine to be converted to Airman, a simple dial change. This is the only one known to exist.


While The Chief is rare, Glycine made many one off watches. This one was a presentation for graduating from a U.S. Navy school for Air Traffic Controllers. The owner's name is blacked out for privacy. I have seen other Airman watches with just names on the dial.




Just in case you were wondering, this is not a Glycine Airman. However, it is a gent's Glycine from the late twenties. I could not resist posting it because of the incredibly fine enamel work. This is a 14K gold case back. As the scale indicates, the image is fewer than thirty millimeters wide. I hope no one finds this offensive, it is not meant to be. The image is a miniature version of a somewhat famous late 19th Century painting. This enamel is after "The Birth of Venus" by Alexandre Cabanel in 1863. Just one of many paintings of Venus, perhaps the most famous is a Botticelli in the 1480s. The Cabanel hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art