Glycine Airman No.1 Review

Read the full review here: https://wahawatches.com/review-glycine-airman-no-1-purist/

This watch was on my horological bucket list ever since I first heard of it almost 10 years ago.

Meet the Glycine Airman No.1 Purist – a reissue of one of the most distinctive purpose-built tool watches ever made.

In 1953, Samuel Glur, a representative of the Altus-Glycine company, was on a Thai Airways’ Douglas DC-4 from Bangkok, bound for Calcutta. It so happened, that in conversation with him the captain mentioned that at that time, there was no watch that would exactly fit the needs of pilots – one displaying 24h time, and with the ability to track a second time zone.

Just a few months later, a new purpose-built tool watch, the Airman, hit the market.

Now, cue David Bowie's "Space Oddity"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=436qgf4bDzo

The Airman immediately became the favorite of civilian pilots - however, it was most popular among US Navy pilots. Especially during the Vietnam War, scores of Naval Aviators purchased the Airman privately at Post Exchanges (PX).

A little-known fact is that the Glycine Airman went to space. And it did so twice. Both times, it was worn by its private owner, Capt. Charles “Pete” Conrad, a NASA astronaut, former US Navy pilot, and flight instructor. During the Gemini 5 and Gemini 11 missions in 1965 and 1966, Conrad wore it alongside his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster.

The time zones that matter most in aviation are – first of all – Zulu time, and local time. And all times are provided in the 24h system. As a Pole, I’m accustomed to using the 24h system on a daily basis. If someone asks me what time it is, and I reply, “It’s 17:15,” there’s nothing out of the ordinary about it. However, I can see how it might be inconvenient in other places.

When I first took the Airman No.1 in my hands, it was a solid blast from the past. Glycine did their very best to make this watch feel exactly like that. If not for the tactile feel of the box sapphire crystal, it definitely wouldn’t feel like a modern watch.

Of course, the crown and case back’s inner workings are modern – however, the bezel has been replicated 1:1 from the original. Like almost 70 years ago, it’s a snap-on design, held in place by a screw-locked clamp designed by Longines for their Weems watches.

With the Weems lock engaged, the bezel stays firmly in place, with no play at all in my specimen. And you know what? I’m glad that Glycine chose to preserve the feel of the original over modern perfection.

It’s the dial of the No.1 that makes it such a faithful reissue. The crisp white print on a grained matte black background doesn’t feel as sterile and squeaky-consistent as in modern watches, and thus channels the feel of the original. Bravo!

The lume is a weakness of this watch. White print and the brushed hands against the matte black dial compensate for it well, but BGW9 or X1 grade Super-LumiNova would be an improvement.

With the Airman No.1 GL0371, Glycine has stepped up the game. The Sellita SW330-1 of the previous No.1 reissues were replaced with the SW330-2. The SW330 features an upgraded 24h module as well as a new mainspring and mainspring barrel. This, in turn, soups up its power reserve from 42 hours to a respectable 56 hours without sacrificing its frequency of 28800 A/h. This one runs at +1/+2 seconds per day, which is very impressive. Pretty much in the center of COSC-spec, and it’s not a certified chronometer.

While measuring the original’s 36mm in diameter and 44mm lug to lug, the No.1 has substantial wrist presence thanks to maintaining the visual proportions of the original and its “fat lug” design.

Once you get the hang of it, the Airman is a really solid all-rounder. Both casual and elegant, it fits my style perfectly – be it a blazer or a leather jacket.

At Glycine Store Europe, it’s priced at 845 euros, which is at the lower end of the general ballpark for watches powered by the SW330-2. The result is very competitive pricing for an iconic watch. Particularly one as beautifully finished as the No.1.

Specs

• Diameter – 36mm

• Lug-to-lug – 44mm

• Lug width – 20mm

• Thickness – 11mm (crystal included)

• Water resistance – 30m

• Crystal – Box sapphire

• Movement – GL293 (Sellita SW330-2) – power reserve 56 hours, 25 jewels, hack feature, quickset date

• Case features – 316L stainless steel, steel bezel with engraved and lacquer-filled markings, Weems-style bezel lock, push-pull crown