Glycine Airman – Vintage & Rare 24 Hour GMT

Here is one of the rarest watches from my personal collection and a hard one to let go – an authentic, collector-grade Glycine Airman pilot’s GMT watch. It’s a fine pilot worn watch, with the original flexible bracelet and the box and papers. The watch dates to 1969-1971 and has a great history (read below if interested). 

The verified pilot is an AF hero and is still living in the Pacific Northwest. Details upon request. The watch has been customized to add the pilot's name and was purchased from him directly. 

Glycine Airman 

The Airman debuted in 1953 and was designed by Glycine with full consultation from the U.S. Air Force and made available at exchange stores on military bases. Its design allowed servicemen to simultaneously know the time at home and the local time while in combat. The Airman featured a date function, as well as a 24-hour dial and engraved, rotating 24-hour bezel with locking mechanism that allowed capability to tell time in two different time zones. Shortly after its military success, the Airman obtained civilian success with the emergence of commercial intercontinental flights, as jet-setters sought a watch able to simultaneously tell home time and destination time.

In

Watch Specifics

Marked on the dial, this watch was owned by Lt. Colonel Robert Douglas “Doug” Edwards, who served two deployments in Vietnam, where he logged more than 2,000 hours of combat. He was shot down once and later flew with the Vietnamese “Sky Raiders.” After Vietnam, he was stationed in England where he flew with the RAF. He was later deployed to Afghanistan during the first Gulf War, where he flew the A10 Warthog as the commander of the 355th attack fighter squadron. He later served as an Airforce flight instructor and retired as a lieutenant colonel. After leaving the military, he completed another career as a commercial pilot and philanthropist.

The watch is in very good to excellent original condition, measures 36mm and bears the appropriate patent and serial numbers. It also comes with complete papers when purchased from an Asian military exchange in Hong Kong in 1971. The original receipt is included, as is the original wooden watch box.

The dial is in fine condition with appropriate aging commensurate with its age. The rotating 24 hour crown functions as designed. It’s a rare piece of Air Force and watch history.

The 36mm watch case is in fine condition with minor wear and the bezel is nearly perfect.

It uses a 25-jewel automatic movement that has been freshly serviced for the next caretaker.

This is a “real deal” aviation watch with provenance and history.

About Me

I am a private collector who rotates my collection to keep things fresh. I will occasionally recirculate a watch -- like this one -- that I've had for a while.

I am happy to share a watch's history with you if I know it and you are interested. I have been buying, selling, and trading watches for more than 25 years at 100% and hope to remain that way.

Whenever possible over my collecting history, I have bought watches that included their original boxes as I felt they were better cared for examples. This particular watch comes with original watch, box and papers from the maker…and owner.

About Buyers

I will now only accept buyers with 10 or more positive feedback due to a growing number of non-paying bidders. If you are newer to eBay and wish to purchase, please contact me ahead of time to verify your intention to complete the sale. Please pay immediately if I accept a lower price and within 48 hours unless you let me know otherwise in advance. 

Please let me know if you have any questions before bidding and please do not bid if you don't intend to complete the sale.

International buyers are welcome to purchase, but please be aware that eBay adds your country's tax and VAT fees automatically. I don't collect those.

Do not bid if you aren't able to complete the transaction. 

Pictures and Video

Please see all photos and video as they form a key part of the description. If you want to see something not included in the listing, please let me know and I will do my best to meet your request. 

Ask questions. I love to talk about watches, whether you buy today or not. I want you to love your new watch.