# Glycine Airman BASE 22...



## Dennis Smith

A 42mm Airman with locking crown!
It sure is pretty, but I've had trouble warming to silver hands on a white dial. Not enough contrast. Blued hands or black would have been better.
Here are the hand versions available...

GMT Version (4 hands, three timezones)

Purist Version (pure 24h watch, 3 hands, two timezones)

GA Version; special excecution for pilots (4 hands, three timezones, 24h hand arrow-tipped with SL, slender 12h hand with SL)










OK...Whew!...Here's a purist version...


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## TimeOnTarget

I had a white dial Double 24, and it lacked contrast also. I found it annoying.

I like the fact that they lumed the 24 hour markers too. That is the one thing that disappoints me about the SST and others.

I wonder what "Base 22" refers to?


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## Dennis Smith

The white dial in the first post...The triangle hand is the 24 hour hand and the "accessory" blue hand is 12...so it's more of a purist than it may appear at first.

Here's the black dial version. NNIIIIIIICE....:-!....


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## siv

Why did they make the GMT models 24 on top and the purist 12 on top?


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## Dennis Smith

Very interesting observation! I hadn't noticed that. Seems to me you could have the purist with 12 or 24 on top then (for 24 on top buy the GA version then remove the blue 12 hour hand).


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## siv

I guess the thought is that purists prefer 12 on top given the popularity of the special II?

I'm quietly hoping they release a new bracelet for the 42mm case with these new watches. The old one is just not up to what I think is deserving of Glycine quality.


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## citralex

I cant help but wonder why it's called a purist version when it's got that little tail pointing to 12 hours before . I dont suppose I'll ever afford one but are they available without the tail. ? Regards John.


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## Dennis Smith

You mean the tail out the back of the 24 hour hand? I find it attractive and don't even notice it for pointing at the PM equivalent.


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## Dan01

Any idea when this comes out and how much? Just what I need right! I actually like it. Finally a 42 mm airman.


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## Demokritos

Dan01 said:


> Any idea when this comes out and how much? Just what I need right! I actually like it. Finally a 42 mm airman.


+1 I'm wondering about the price too...


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## Dennis Smith

MSRP is 1,900 Swiss Francs


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## Dennis Smith

TimeOnTarget said:


> I wonder what "Base 22" refers to?


22nd distinct Airman model since first introduced in 1953.


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## Dennis Smith

And "BASE" simply stands for airport, airbase, airfield, etc...


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## Walknbos

Wow, what a difference a dial color makes - I just didn't care for the white with silver, just to me seem hard to quickly read - but in Black with the red hand accents - VERY nice - DS thanks for posting the Black version - it changed my mind!!


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## por44

Like it alot, but could do without base 22 on the dial.


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## Chimi

Dennis Smith said:


> MSRP is 1,900 Swiss Francs


That price is not that bad, I think I would definitely take it over the sinn 857 utc which is another watch i´m liking a lot... any good ADs? When should it be available?


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## Dennis Smith

There are some ADs that sponsor WUS that deal Glycine, and I'd receommend any of them, as well as Falcon Watch/William Johnson Co. (they're the same outfit) in Missouri.
Not sure when they'll be available...could be now.


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## TimeOnTarget

The more I look at the picture, the more I think that I would have left "Base 22" off the dial. But I tend to be picky/strange about stuff like that.


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## whifferdill

Very nice and the GA version particularly useful for time zone crossers.

Like the black dial version - what's the size of these - aren't they smallish?

Wonder if the quick setting hour hand of the GA version is available in 'purist' form - now that would be one hell of a useful watch!

Nice effort Glycine - I won't be trading in my Special II fo this one, but good to see them going back to their routes whilst continuously re-inventing the original.|>

That said - lets see the original back in 40mm _please!

_


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## 2far

whifferdill said:


> Very nice and the GA version particularly useful for time zone crossers.
> 
> Wonder if the quick setting hour hand of the GA version is available in 'purist' form - now that would be one hell of a useful watch!


You should get the Airman Double 24 09 "spec. Aschwanden" then -- still my favorite: quick settable 24h hand and pure 24h. But apart from my own watch I think they only made one spare set of hour hands, so be quick ...

And those are my initials in the GA version b-)

Greg


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## whifferdill

2far said:


> You should get the Airman Double 24 09 "spec. Aschwanden" then -- still my favorite: quick settable 24h hand and pure 24h. But apart from my own watch I think they only made one spare set of hour hands, so be quick ...
> 
> And those are my initials in the GA version b-)
> 
> Greg


Wow, Greg - that is something - cool to know you had such an influence! Did you put in a special request, then, to have your Double 24 modified with a quick set hour hand? I had been thinking of asking the same for my Special II.


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## Top Cat

That looks great. I never thought about a 24 hour wristwatch but I think it would have the advantage of giving you a sence of what proportion of the day you have left.


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## Dennis Smith

Welcome to the 24 hour forum. Now you know the appeal. That's where we live


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## 2far

whifferdill said:


> Wow, Greg - that is something - cool to know you had such an influence! Did you put in a special request, then, to have your Double 24 modified with a quick set hour hand? I had been thinking of asking the same for my Special II.


First I contacted my vendor, who has good contacts within Glycine, and then -- to our both surprises -- I got to explain my case to the CEO (by e-mail). Coincidentally my e-mail was structured in the same way as the original airmail letter to Glycine in 1953 which started the Airman series (see André Stikkers excellent book about the Airman), not sure if that had an influence as well. I probably just got lucky!


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## whifferdill

2far said:


> First I contacted my vendor, who has good contacts within Glycine, and then -- to our both surprises -- I got to explain my case to the CEO (by e-mail). Coincidentally my e-mail was structured in the same way as the original airmail letter to Glycine in 1953 which started the Airman series (see André Stikkers excellent book about the Airman), not sure if that had an influence as well. I probably just got lucky!


Great - another case of Glycine being very open to customer requests within reason ( as can be seen by the Airman models they release ) - I had an AR coated crystal fitted to my Special II which came with a non - AR coated crystal as standard, so they're very helpful, which is refreshing in today's world and the normal unreachability of quality watch manufacturers.


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## ThomasAn

This is a fantastic timepiece, however the black version seems a little busy (the thick white lume lines steal focus from the numerals), and as such my personal preference is the white dial (even though I traditionally prefer black)


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