The first thing that comes to mind at the mention of this renowned Swiss watchmaker is its famed Airman line debuted in 1953. Known as one of the pioneers of watchmaking for pilots and frequent travellers, Glycine has crafted robust aviation timepieces, from infallible watches for dangerous space voyages to unique collectors’ items. Because of its reliability and accuracy, the Airman was worn by many United States Air Force pilots during the Vietnam War and even graced the wrist of astronaut Pete Conrad during the Gemini 5 spaceflight. And now, be prepared to be awed as Glycine unveils its newest Airman masterpiece, the Combat SUB 42 Airman 44 Brown GMT Bronze Ref. GL0166.
| Glycine Airman 44 Horizon GMT Bronze Ref. GL0167 |
Powered by a GL293 Swiss automatic movement operating at 28,800 bph which closely resembles an ETA 2893-2 or SW330 calibre, the Airman 44 Brown is built with 25 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve. This timepiece also has a height of 12.2mm and a lug to lug length of 51mm. The highlight of this watch is its 44mm bronze case which lavishes it with a grand vintage look. As the marine grade bronze material used undergoes natural oxidisation, this classic pilot case develops a beautiful patina over time, individualising each timepiece.
Admire its cappuccino fumé dial, sporting a gradient from a dark coffee hue against its Arabic numerals to a light brown on which its rose gold indexes are applied. Showing off natural earthy tones, its dial’s markers are painted with Super-LumiNova that glows green in the dark. This pilot watch also has a domed sapphire crystal with 3 layers of anti-reflective coating that allow for greater readability under any lighting conditions.
| Bezel locking system done by the crown at 4 |
A sleek throwback to Glycine’s 50s design, this timepiece features the signature Airman 24-hour bezel design controlled by a special spacer system on its hatched crown located at 4 o'clock. Only by unlocking this system can the friction bezel be adjusted bi-directionally. Additionally, this watch has another thumbscrew crown at 3 o’clock which controls its time, date and GMT settings.
With 24-hour markings on its bezel and dial as well as a GMT hand with a striking red tip, the Airman 44 Brown can track up to three different time-zones. Built to amaze everyone who set their eyes on it, this timepiece presents an intriguing see-through mineral glass screwed-down case back and a 100m water resistance.
| C1 SuperLuminova |
To complete its vintage look, the Airman 44 Brown comes on a 22mm dark brown calf leather strap with a matching signed Glycine bronze buckle. The seamless colour contrast of this watch, with hues of dark brown and bronze gold all the way down to its buckle and strap, is the key to its timeless design.
Entirely hand finished and made in Switzerland, this breath-taking timepiece is the epitome of a reliable pilot watch crafted by Glycine. Boasting an exclusive vintage style that truly is one of a kind, the Airman 44 Brown also exhibits excellent value for money. Its rugged look exudes a warm surge of nostalgia as it is reminiscent of the original Airman No. 1, making this watch a magnificent addition to the exquisite Airman collection.
