# Glycine Airman in Space?



## Emre

Edit/add on 21 Feb:

Thanks to Brice,this cropped picture is so far the strongest evidence of the 'possible' Airman in space topic.Pete has two watches wrapped on his uniform, one is clearly the Speedmaster, the other one,Glycine Airman?
On both watches the time reads: 2.28 ( due to daylight in the photo it's PM, 14.28). The Speedy is a classic 12 hour watch, Airman 24 hour purist. Both watches show the same time:

















Some exciting things going on but will share in separate threads.

First, the question if Glycine Airman was in space?

I know this issue has been debated several times in watch boards but have not heated up enough or the contributions were looking weak. It's about Gemini 5 flight in 1965 and Apollo 12 in 1969. In both these missions,astronaut Charles ( Pete ) Conrad wears a watch which looks identical to Airman.
Remember the advertisement from 1961 I've posted last week: 150,000 feet pressure - proof? That spec might have taken Airman on-board - unofficially. I mean we all know how NASA was testing the watches and there were not many selected as uniform. But astronauts took their own preferred watches also with them.So the Airman might have been up in the space several times. What do you think or know about this topic? See the pictures below. Custody of its owners:









































Pete was US Air Force personnel before his space assignments, therefore it's highly possible his daily beater was an Airman. In those years Glycine was heavily involved in AOPA and USAF, even manufacturing the Airman Special Series exclusively for USAF.

There is no official information,but investigation and tracking down the family is possible.The questions coming in my mind are:

1.Why was this not recognized or seen in its own time? Was it Pete's own choice and went under the radar?
2. These pictures-resized to be uploaded are not that clear but the originals give more idea. The watch in question- Airman alike watch, has two crowns in distinctive positions,I am not aware of another watch which has the same crown positioning in that time except Venus 230 Mechanical Alarm watch and Longines Weems.
3. It has been confused many times with Bulova Astronaut model which officially couldn't pass the tests of NASA but has been taken to flight for patriotic reasons.The watch is a beautiful timepiece,but has no crowns attached to the case,its time setting is made from case-back, so except its bezel there is no common feature.

These are unfortunately limited amount of pictures which were not taken to show the watches.There might be more material in web. Let's try to solve this mystery,what do you think,is that an Airman? Was it in space?


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## Aquavit

Very intriguing Emre, I wonder?

As you say the photos show just enough to be suggestive but far from conclusive.

Interestingly the last picture shows Conrad wearing two watches, one appears to be a Speedy and the other the "possible Airman" with distinctive bezel lock position.

Did Glycine miss a marketing trick here :think:


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## wolfstar001

Thanks for posting emre. I appreciate the effort you go to in finding out about the history of glycine. I for one, enjoying reading these post and learning more about the brand. Thanks. 


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## Emre

Aquavit said:


> Very intriguing Emre, I wonder?
> 
> As you say the photos show just enough to be suggestive but far from conclusive.
> 
> Interestingly the last picture shows Conrad wearing two watches, one appears to be a Speedy and the other the "possible Airman" with distinctive bezel lock position.
> 
> Did Glycine miss a marketing trick here :think:


That last photo is the most evident possible so far but I believe that since the person and names are clear it's just a matter of will to track it down, let's see.
I am not sure,if it's an Airman,why it's gone under the radar.Looking back to the company history in those dates might help understanding:

1963: Glycine merges with Altus
1964: Charles Evilard Jr ( son of the owner Charles Evilard Sr.back then ) moves to the US and opens a service center for the expanding Airmen market
1965: Werner Siegrist is employed at Glycine in Switzerland
1965: Charles Hertig Sr. passes away, his son Hertig Jr comes back from US to Switzerland
1967: Werner Siegrist is appointed to US service center

The Gemini 5 returned August 1965 back on earth and most photos are from that period. So it's a tricky period during Hertig Jr.'s moving to Switzerland due to his fathers death.Samuel Glur,who initially was behind the Airman models creation in 1953 is still in the company,we see him pretty active until 1972.

If the family can be found,who knows the watch might be still in custody along with more photos from family albums....



wolfstar001 said:


> Thanks for posting emre. I appreciate the effort you go to in finding out about the history of glycine. I for one, enjoying reading these post and learning more about the brand. Thanks.


Thanks wolfstar,good to hear.Sometimes I feel my - hit the bottom - desires might be overwhelming for the forum,glad to hear you are enjoying.I just ask many questions and can't stay quiet until I find satisfactory answers,so it's a continous circle  keeps me busy with joy.


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## chris slack

this is great stuff,more threads like this please ! I hope you can get to the bottom of this emre.


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## Emre

Thanks Chris. I've created this thread with the hope of getting all enthusiasts involved-who have different sources from different destinations,let's do it together.
I think once the names and dates are revealed we can create beneficial information and put together more material to find the truth.


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## Brice

Thank you for this thread, Emre.
I don't have any clues on Airman watch in space, but crop from the well-known picture of Gordo Cooper & Charles Conrad rejoycing after their mission on Gemini 5 drives me to give credit to that fact.
Besides the Speedmaster, Conrad's right wrist sports a clearly recognizable Airman...










Here's another picture I have of that scene (but no more visibility or better definition...) :










Cheers,
Brice


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## Emre

Brice,thanks a lot.I was hoping for your input since I've seen your earlier contributions in another board on the same topic.That zoomed photo is fantastic,it is appealing.
My concern in that photo is,there is obviously something which shadows on both sides of the case and creates that look of double crowns.It looks symmetric,no?At the other side of the watch-case it's also existing.It shadows the possible crowns.But the second photo reveals the both crown and the lugs are distinctive.

Would it help trying to edit that zoomed photo,to have a sharper and clear-er view? Anybody willing? Or is it clear for all,that it's an Airman? It's exciting huh 

At the other hand,the attempt to reach solid proof has started already with contacting Werner Siegrist,the black box of Glycine North America from 1965 - 2010. He was there! Let's see if he remembers or knows something about it. 

Anybody find more photos please post Gemini 5 in 1965, Apollo 12 in 1969.

What do you think about the Apollo 12,Pete holding camera photo? That doesn't look like Speedy,or at least I don't see the subdials.


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## Dennis Smith

To me, the Apollo 12 photos all look like Speedmasters. But in the Gemini shots the second watch looks like it could be an Airman.


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## Aquavit

The crop photo from Brice near enough nails it I think. 

The "additional pusher" that appears to be there looks like a shadow to me but the killer clue is surely the very visible pointy hour hand.


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## Brice

I have already tried to edit that picture, but didn't gain a better result.
To me it is an Airman, with its typical hour hand, displaying 02:28 pm (just like his Speedmaster).
I don't feel disturbed by the shadows of flight suit fabric.
But I admit that's no evidence... ;-)

Concerning Apollo 12, I'm quite doubtful.

Cheers,
Brice


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## Emre

Brice,reading the time is a detail which strengthens the possibility of Airman actually,you are absolutely right about 14.28 in both watches.One in 24 hour purist the other one 12 hour classic dial,the hands match perfectly.That's a very careful observation. Thank you for sharing.

I was trying to edit the images with my average software,doesn't really help,except the tailend on the hour hand is becoming more visible.But again,I hope we can find stronger evidence.


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## dxfx

Hi Guys,

In early July I had a great conversation with the CEO of Glycine, and we talked a bit about Pete Conrad.

In late July a colleague of mine was on a flight to Houston and found himself siting next to Buzz Aldrin. He told me about this a week later. Buzz had shown an identification card from NASA to the stewardess (who seemed to be expecting him) and went into the cockpit to talk with the pilots. He noted that Buzz was wearing two watches. I asked my colleague what he talked about with Buzz and had he asked Buzz anything. He said he did not know what to say and did not speak with Buzz. My colleague then said, what would you have asked?
My immediate response: 
I would have complimented his watches and then asked him if Pete Conrad wore a Glycine Airman!

Then the other week I got a nice note regarding Conrad from the folks at Glycine.

I knew I could not wait any longer -- I have been very busy -- but as soon as I had a chance (and returned from a business trip) -- I gathered together my notes and photos I have accumulated over the years of the Airman wearing spacecowboy!
I sent them over to Glycine -- and now I'm finally trying to pull my weight in the forum and share with you guys 

Thanks,
- Ben

Excerpt from the note I sent to the Glycine folks last week:

_Few stories are more powerful for us designers/engineers/problem solvers/dreamers in recent imagination than the space race. It is legend in our time, a modern day hero's journey.

The Glycine Airman was part of that journey during critical missions on a true hero's wrist.

Bottom line up front:
* I am very certain an Airman has been to space and back twice on Pete Conrad's wrist during Gemini 5 and Gemini 11.

* Conrad's Airman does not appear to have joined him en route to or on the Moon during Apollo 12.

* It is possible Conrad wore an Airman during the Skylab 2 mission (the first manned mission to Skylab); I think we may eventually be able to make a determination on this._

Most of the rest of my note *and the photos *are posted here:
*https://24hourwatch.org/airman_in_space/*

(The photos are too big and too many to upload to the forum)

As you go through them, be sure to click on the photos to see the full size versions and zoom-in.

Stub on Instagram, be sure to like it  :

__
http://instagr.am/p/6xkAJzCdJI/


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## Emre

Nice blog and nice summary Gerber. Thanks for the efforts.

I think somehow we are certain and accept that Glycine Airman was in space with Pete.This cropped photo by Brice nails it pretty well:









We all know that Glycine wasn't a candidate for an official space watch and was not tested but it made it to space with personal initiative of Pete.

I wish I would be in the US to track the family and even visit them to talk about their deceased beloved father or grandfather Pete.They may have more photos and documents than we can access. Even the watch may be still in possession of the family, who knows.That would be a wonderful investigation project.

I appreciate all what you are doing and nice blog by the way, new Andre Stikkers is coming? You know what, if you are interested in Andre's old website which he doesn't maintain anymore I could contact you to him and you may come to an agreement for a kind of handover. Let me know if I can do anything for you.

By the way I am still waiting in your other thread' Visit to Glycine HQs' which vintage Glycine you've got from there


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## nome93

Exciting information


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## Sixracer

Just getting up to speed on vintage Airman watches and find this fascinating. 
What I notice is the Speedmaster is turned away from Conrad, almost at the camera. The Airman with the very useful 24 HR display (a sunrise or a sunset every 45 minutes in orbit, who knows if it is day or night for your body!) is turned toward Conrad for easy viewing. says to me the Speedmasters were gimmicks and the real astronauts watch is the Airman!

Hope to find an original SST at some point.


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## Emre

Conrad, having a test pilot background in the USAF was already an Airman wearer, so he just wrapped it also on his orbit uniform obviously.

I won't bash Speedy since it has qualities but one thing is certain, Glycine was always under radar and never got enough credit for its inventions and publications. Largest share of blame of course is again to Glycine, it looks like within decades since a century this was the company policy.


- A useful buckle for straps back in 1917 when gentlemen were still too manly!!! to wear wrist-watches
- Baguette shape movement patent, 
- One of the first three automatic watches,
- The rotating 24 hour bezel, which is used now by most GMT watches,
- The Airman in space announcement, ad, PR...
- The SST project,

are to count a few milestones which Glycine presented to the world of horology.


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## river rat

Cool post with good information don't know how I missed this post.


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## Josen




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## Symonides

Josen said:


> View attachment 12997229


Does it mean it has been confirmed?

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## Jblair814

Looking at this shot (with mine next to it) I think it's a pretty obvious match!









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