Price aside, a watch’s value is also determined by factors ranging from its rarity to its technical complexity and movement decoration. In the Airman Airfighter, Glycine has put twists on the complications commonly seen in a pilot’s watch to make it both more useful, and more interesting.
At its heart, the timepiece is simply a chronograph with an additional GMT hand. Such a description is too reductionist though. Take the GMT hand for a start – by adding a rotating bezel with 24-hour markings, which is lockable by the crown at four o’clock, the Airman Airfighter is able to track a third time zone without any modifications to its movement. The chronograph here is also a fresh take on a familiar complication; despite having a monopusher interface, the chronograph is capable of recording cumulative elapsed time for consecutive events, unlike a traditional monopusher chronograph that sequentially cycles through starting, stopping, and resetting. This is accomplished by designing the “monopusher” as a bidirectional trigger – pushing it upwards starts and stops the chronograph, while doing so in the opposite direction resets it.
For the Airman Airfighter’s design, Glycine has opted for an overtly sporty look. The imposing 46mm case is fitted with long straight lugs, and dressed in black, although variants with the bezel in uncoated steel and rose gold are available. The crown, bezel, and chronograph “trigger” all feature generous knurling to ensure that the user has a firm grip on all of them, further reinforcing the watch’s user-friendliness. White indexes and markings contrast starkly with the predominantly black dial, which makes for easy reading of the watch’s indicators at a glance.
Specs
- Dimensions: 46mm
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph, GMT display
- Power Reserve: 46 hours
- Movement: Self-winding GL754 chronograph movement, based on the Valjoux 7754
- Material: PVD-coated steel
- Water Resistance: 200 meters
- Strap: Black calf with steel deployant bucket
This story was first published in World of Watches Magazine.
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