# Glycine Airman Base 22 Questions



## ASWatchName

Hi all,

I posted earlier this week asking for a recommendation for an off-beat watch for $1-2k. I ended up purchasing the Glycine Airman Base 22. My camera can't do it justice, so here is a picture of it from the internet:









Two questions for the group:

(1) You see that little tail sticking out past the center on the hour hand? What is that? Only the red hand makes one revolution in 24 hours; the hours hand acts in the normal way, making 1 revolution every 12 hours. Thus, that little tail generally just points to a nonsensical number. For example, when it is 9, the hours hand points at 18. The little tail points at 6. That just isn't helpful. (note: it would make sense if the hours hand made 1 revolution in 24 hours, then the little tail would be useful for 12 hours a day when the face of the watch reads back military time).

(2) I don't love the black and brown leather straps that came with the watch because they are too thick and look goofy on my wrists. I currently have the watch on a terrible looking rubber strap and want to upgrade. I actually do like the concept of this watch on a rubber strap, but am open-minded. Does anyone have experience with straps on this watch or any suggestions?

Thank you!


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## StufflerMike

Moved to our Glycine Forum.


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## avalvo

For a strap, I would consider a few: Victorinox Straps are quite nice and would fit the military theme. Hirsch and DiModell are some of my favorites. Also check out Crown and Buckle. I've ordered a few from them - good quality and excellent pricing.

Anthony



ASWatchName said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I posted earlier this week asking for a recommendation for an off-beat watch for $1-2k. I ended up purchasing the Glycine Airman Base 22. My camera can't do it justice, so here is a picture of it from the internet:
> 
> View attachment 756113
> 
> 
> Two questions for the group:
> 
> (1) You see that little tail sticking out past the center on the hour hand? What is that? Only the red hand makes one revolution in 24 hours; the hours hand acts in the normal way, making 1 revolution every 12 hours. Thus, that little tail generally just points to a nonsensical number. For example, when it is 9, the hours hand points at 18. The little tail points at 6. That just isn't helpful. (note: it would make sense if the hours hand made 1 revolution in 24 hours, then the little tail would be useful for 12 hours a day when the face of the watch reads back military time).
> 
> (2) I don't love the black and brown leather straps that came with the watch because they are too thick and look goofy on my wrists. I currently have the watch on a terrible looking rubber strap and want to upgrade. I actually do like the concept of this watch on a rubber strap, but am open-minded. Does anyone have experience with straps on this watch or any suggestions?
> 
> Thank you!


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## grotty

ASWatchName said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I posted earlier this week asking for a recommendation for an off-beat watch for $1-2k. I ended up purchasing the Glycine Airman Base 22. My camera can't do it justice, so here is a picture of it from the internet:
> 
> View attachment 756113
> 
> 
> Two questions for the group:
> 
> (1) You see that little tail sticking out past the center on the hour hand? What is that? Only the red hand makes one revolution in 24 hours; the hours hand acts in the normal way, making 1 revolution every 12 hours. Thus, that little tail generally just points to a nonsensical number. For example, when it is 9, the hours hand points at 18. The little tail points at 6. That just isn't helpful. (note: it would make sense if the hours hand made 1 revolution in 24 hours, then the little tail would be useful for 12 hours a day when the face of the watch reads back military time).
> 
> (2) I don't love the black and brown leather straps that came with the watch because they are too thick and look goofy on my wrists. I currently have the watch on a terrible looking rubber strap and want to upgrade. I actually do like the concept of this watch on a rubber strap, but am open-minded. Does anyone have experience with straps on this watch or any suggestions?
> 
> Thank you!


Hi,

It may sound silly, but I'm just thrilled that you found the Airman "off-beat", and that you liked it enough that you went for it. I, for one think that the look of the Airman is one of the most historical and unique watch designs around, and I just love mine. You will NOT find it on just anyone's wrist.

Anyhow, as for your questions, here goes my take:

(1) I don't think that little tail is for telling time. Probably there for design purposes, and not much else 

(2) I agree with you in that I also don't think that the leather straps don't compliment the Airman. I have mine on a SS bracelet, which I think is the only way I'll wear it. Here's mine:



















Cheers!


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## Dennis Smith

I agree with the above because I'm a bracelet guy too 
Some say the little tail was useful with the versions of the Airman that are purist 24's, but I' never used it for that. To me it's simply an attractive hand design.
Congrats on the watch...REALLY nice!


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## ebsaltzman

The hands are actually a bit of a tribute to the original Airman specials and the tail was always on them. It does not serve a purpose on the standard GMT version. I happen to love the brown strap that is on mine with the cream dial, but to be fair, I didn't care for the black one that came with it.



Dennis Smith said:


> I agree with the above because I'm a bracelet guy too
> Some say the little tail was useful with the versions of the Airman that are purist 24's, but I' never used it for that. To me it's simply an attractive hand design.
> Congrats on the watch...REALLY nice!


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## Quartersawn

I really like the Base 22 but after mulling over it for a year or so I've decided not to buy one for a reason similar to what the OP pointed out. I don't want a purist watch but found the GMT quite attractive. Unfortunately I don't think I can live with the 24 hour purist dial on a standard (12 hour) GMT watch.

How to understand why they don't change the dial on the GMT version. It can't be that expensive for them - I assume no one really considered it.


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## Jusantti

An Airman with standard 12hour dial would not be an Airman!
The tail is there to read the time in 12hour format from 13:00 to 24:00.


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## seikogmt

Hello,
I have one single question :
how many millimeters from lugs to lugs?

I owned a Airman 2000 and the lugs were very long...
nice watches. I hope one day glycine will go for a true Gmt complication with jumping hour on 24h dial... !!!


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## Stratickus

Sorry, hate to hijack a thread, but I am confused.. I have been eyeing a Glycine Airman Base for a while now and am honestly just waiting for one to pop up in the sales section. I prefer the brown strap though.









My confusion is from the following:



Saxon007 said:


> I don't want a purist watch but found the GMT quite attractive. Unfortunately I don't think I can live with the 24 hour purist dial on a standard (12 hour) GMT watch.
> 
> How to understand why they don't change the dial on the GMT version. It can't be that expensive for them - I assume no one really considered it.


According to the website the Airman Base is offered with 3 executions. I understand the Purist hour hand to make one revolution per 24 hr; minute hand one revolution per 60 min and the the second hand one revolution per 60 sec. I _thought _(hence the confusion) that the additional GMT hand also made one revolution per 24 hours. Is this not the case? That seems weird to me that both the hour hand and GMT hand wouldn't be '24 hr' hands.

Cheers


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## Emre

wait wait, there is something wrong whether in the way you explain or you saw. The hour hand - the one with the tail should make 1 revolution per 24 hours, meaning should tour the dial only once a full day - 24 hours. At the other hand that red hand - 2nd time zone should also make only one revolution a full day.And also by using the bezel and the standard hour hand you can set up a 3rd time zone to read.

The tail of the hour hand helps you to spot the time also for example in the recent photo the time is 20:08 the tail will point you 8 oclock and you will read it as PM 8 o 'clock. The very early versions of the Airmans had that tail in the minutes hand which was totally unuseful but at least later they switched to the hours hand. Here is a user manual from the past which explains the tailend as : easy lecture of PM time ( http://andres55.home.xs4all.nl/pics/glycine1-8/airman1back.pdf ) Thanks Andre

I have also an Airman Special from 1965 black dial, a vintage aviator strap suits it perfectly:





ASWatchName said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I posted earlier this week asking for a recommendation for an off-beat watch for $1-2k. I ended up purchasing the Glycine Airman Base 22. My camera can't do it justice, so here is a picture of it from the internet:
> 
> View attachment 756113
> 
> 
> Two questions for the group:
> 
> (1) You see that little tail sticking out past the center on the hour hand? What is that? Only the red hand makes one revolution in 24 hours; the hours hand acts in the normal way, making 1 revolution every 12 hours. Thus, that little tail generally just points to a nonsensical number. For example, when it is 9, the hours hand points at 18. The little tail points at 6. That just isn't helpful. (note: it would make sense if the hours hand made 1 revolution in 24 hours, then the little tail would be useful for 12 hours a day when the face of the watch reads back military time).
> 
> (2) I don't love the black and brown leather straps that came with the watch because they are too thick and look goofy on my wrists. I currently have the watch on a terrible looking rubber strap and want to upgrade. I actually do like the concept of this watch on a rubber strap, but am open-minded. Does anyone have experience with straps on this watch or any suggestions?
> 
> Thank you!


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## Quartersawn

Jusantti said:


> An Airman with standard 12hour dial would not be an Airman!


Well, they can rename it. Just make it functional. I think it would look fine. If they can make a custom brown Combat Sub surely they can fix the GMT dial.


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## victorchng

hi all.. i was reading the previous posts and got a little confused. So does the hour hand in the black dial gmt version make a revolution every 12 hours or 24 hours?

I am guessing that it makes a revolution every 12 hours and gives the time like a normal watch. And that both of the 24 hour bezel are useful only when you read off the red gmt hand. Wonder if that makes any sense.


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## Walterpr

I have that same watch with the SS bracelet. It look fantastic. Just a suggestion.


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## Walterpr

The hour hand makes two revolutions in 24 hours.


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## Aquavit

I disagree with the earlier post regarding leather straps "not looking right" I think the watch does look good on a leather strap and is in keeping (I believe) with how the original would have been issued. Here's my Airman (albeit not the same model) on a Di-Modell:



They also work well on NATO straps:



So for me bracelet, leather or NATO works, but I can't think of a rubber strap that would look correct with this style of watch.


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## Uwe W.

Aquavit said:


> I disagree with the earlier post regarding leather straps "not looking right" I think the watch does look good on a leather strap and is in keeping (I believe) with how the original would have been issued.


Agreed. I've got my Airman on a chunky piece of leather; outside of on dive watches - where they serve a practical purpose - metal bracelets are just added bling to me.


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## Winblows

It's a lovely watch, I enjoy it ...


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## ZIPPER79

Perhaps this would be right for you.....

Airman



Saxon007 said:


> Well, they can rename it. Just make it functional. I think it would look fine. If they can make a custom brown Combat Sub surely they can fix the GMT dial.


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