I posted this watch previously on another forum, but as I have learned more about this piece I decided it deserved a bigger audience: In the Vintage World, it is amazing how we can spend hours searching for that one very special watch without success, and then suddenly from out of the blue, one falls into our lap. My watch repairman emailed me recently asking if I would have interest in a vintage Glycine Airman. As a long time collector, I had some knowledge of these, but it was certainly not on my bucket list and frankly my interest was fairly low. Nonetheless, I asked for pics. Several were sent, but they did not look like any Glycine Airman I had ever seen. I started to do a little research, and began to get the feeling that this might be one rare bird........; I pulled the trigger. I have since learned (thanks Erme) that this is a Glycine Airman SST chronograph, produced in the late '60's as a tribute to the Boeing 2707, their prototype of a Super Sonic Transport airliner. It was, unfortunately for Boeing, surpassed by the Concorde, and never went into production. The non-chrono "Pumpkin" version is rare, but much more common than the Chrono. Only ~100 of these were ever made! Most were given to test pilots or others who had worked on the project. Very few of which were ever sold to the public. According to Erme, mine is the !SIXTH! to be documented. Given the near NOS condition, is as close to a unique piece as I will ever own. Enjoy! And how cool is this case back? And the movement not bad either:
That is absolute stunning...I hope you enjoy this piece and don't over protect it. Thanks for sharing it, I know I have never seen one and thought the non chrono pumpkin was special, this clearly trumps it.
Beautiful! Congrats. I believe it is the same (large-ish) case and inner bezel mechanism and the same V726 movement as this Longines ?
Luck favors the prepared. Beautiful acquisition. Great story. I wonder if you can track it back to the original owner's role in the project. Congratulations.
Agreed! Luck does favor the prepared. You must have done something to appease the watch gods as well...congratulations on a very sharp find!
I'm reaching out to my watch repairman now.. It's been a while. Awesome looking watch and history behind it. Congrats!