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Tubber
路Not sure what the future holds for Glycine now that Invicta have bought them over.馃檨
Vintage 1956 Glycine Airman
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Larry S
路路Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.Great thread. Beautiful watches and a brand I'm not familiar with. I think leather bands totally make the look of these watches.
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63TR4
路Beautiful examples here. Thanks for posting this quick guide to the Airman. It's one of those watches I like but don't know the intricacies of yet.
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Tubber
路The re-issue also comes with a wooden box much the same as the original.
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Tubber
路Another 1956 Airman has arrived. This time a black dial one, still with the Felsa 692N movement. At first glance there doesn't look that much difference from the post 1960 A.Schild movement ones.
'56 on the left, '65 on the right.
Main differences are lack of "Automatic" on the lower dial, red date wheel and silver border on the date window. The "12" and "24" are arrow markers instead of baton and are marked "30" and "60".
There is no cross-hatched crown on this one either which is correct.
The case-back on the '56 is a screwdown one whereas on the later '65 it is an EPSA compressor style.
Both feature the wire hacking system. The lume on the hour hand on the '56 is missing but it doesn't detract too much from the overall look. Both have a lollipop which is a bonus.
The bezels are pretty much the same except the early one has dots under the even numbers.
Lovely little watches at 36mm which wear a lot bigger with the long lugs.
'56 on the left, '65 on the right.
Main differences are lack of "Automatic" on the lower dial, red date wheel and silver border on the date window. The "12" and "24" are arrow markers instead of baton and are marked "30" and "60".
There is no cross-hatched crown on this one either which is correct.
The case-back on the '56 is a screwdown one whereas on the later '65 it is an EPSA compressor style.
Both feature the wire hacking system. The lume on the hour hand on the '56 is missing but it doesn't detract too much from the overall look. Both have a lollipop which is a bonus.
The bezels are pretty much the same except the early one has dots under the even numbers.
Lovely little watches at 36mm which wear a lot bigger with the long lugs.
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Tubber
路Thanks Joel. Bad EBay photos and a seller that beat me down? helped.
Edited:
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noelekal
路路Home For Wayward WatchesThanks for posting the nice photos of the two Airman watches, Tubber. I like the early Airman watches. Wouldn't mind having one.
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Tubber
路@noelekal, thanks. They also have a nice history and story behind them. They were popular with USAF personnel during the Vietnam War. I live just down the road from what was a large USAF base during the Vietnam war and often wonder if the Airman I have have been there before?
I did have a link about the Airman in Space but Google Chrome wont let me open it, says it is infected.
I did have a link about the Airman in Space but Google Chrome wont let me open it, says it is infected.
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Tubber
路Another 1956 Glycine Airman has arrived. This time a rather harder to find "12 on top". Usually 24 is at the traditional 12 O'Clock position, on this one 12 is at 12.
Crown is incorrect but shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement as these were generic and not the cross-hatched one. Case is still quite sharp.
Caseback has seen better days. Serial number dates the watch to 1956.
Hack doesn't work, hopefully only the wire. I always said I would never buy an Airman if the hacking system didn't work but these don't crop up often. It's off to an eccentric Dutch watchmaker on Monday. Hopefully he is still talking to me after I said Grolsch was a decent beer from Belgium.
Crown is incorrect but shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement as these were generic and not the cross-hatched one. Case is still quite sharp.
Caseback has seen better days. Serial number dates the watch to 1956.
Hack doesn't work, hopefully only the wire. I always said I would never buy an Airman if the hacking system didn't work but these don't crop up often. It's off to an eccentric Dutch watchmaker on Monday. Hopefully he is still talking to me after I said Grolsch was a decent beer from Belgium.
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Mouse_at_Large
路Great watches with a style all their own. I recently picked up a modern version of the Airman (the 18 purist) and I'm enjoying it immensely 馃榾
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dave61
路Came across you on the internet. I have a 1965 Glycine Airman pilots watch. I checked by serial number and photos. He flew out of March AFB during the Vietnam war and later a squadron commander at Norton. It was my fathers. It is in good working order and in good condition with what looks like an original black leather band. He had two watches his previous one was a 1962 Rolex Oyster Royal also in good working condition. I also have an Americas cup Tag Heuer Oracle Racing Searacer Ct1118. I only want to keep one watch.. Any idea what the Airman might be worth today to a collector? His fly boots and wings mean more to me. I see your Apollo logo. He was a designer and engineer with Rockwell on the Shuttle. He did the cockpit design layout and electronics and monitored data at mission control during launches. He retired over concerns for safety as they retired what he thought were key original designers, He might be right pre Columbia disaster. I have an impressive Shuttle collection. I assume you were also an engineer in aerospace. I have a lot of his stuff framed including dad's stuff from the STS-91 phase 1 Shuttle -Mir program.
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Tubber
路The "12 on Top" arrived back from the Watchmaker. Unfortunately it was not just the wire that was missing it was the whole hacking lever. An expensive fix but worth it to see an old Airman hacking again.
I believe since it is a 17J "Special" the black date wheel is correct.
A more appropriate crown.
I believe since it is a 17J "Special" the black date wheel is correct.
A more appropriate crown.
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henrikaa
路Great pictures of a bunch of beautiful watches!
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Waltesefalcon
路Very cool old watches, thanks for sharing.
