An interesting and rare Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” with painted brass dial and engraved caseback with initials of the first owner Horst Muntau will be auctioned at Eppli on September 1st, 2018 in Stuttgart/Germany. The watch has been added into our database earlier this year, being one more specimen with painted brass dial within the number group of Ref. 3646 / Type D watches.

The watch comes with a typical onion shaped “Brevet +” winding crown (Type 11) as well as with its original leather strap and nickel coated brass pin buckle. Inside the watch is working a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement with typical decorations and engravings on the bridges. The watch appears with an unpolished case with flat bezel and typical internal details (decorative polish on the inside of the caseback, Rolex SA hallmark with reference and individual case number).

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (painted brass, anonymous)
Case number: 260XXX
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Noteworthy:
The outer caseback of the watch bears personal engravings of the first owner Horst Muntau with the initals “HM”, year of service as “Kampfschwimmer” in 1945. The family of the first owner has consigned the watch at Eppli with additional information in shape of photos of the first owner in his navy uniform, as well as several documents of his duty in the Kriegsmarine / German Navy during the Second World War.

On many other engraved Ref. 3646  watches of this type it is not possible to find a connection between watch and wearer. Fortunately this watch has been in the family of the first owner since the end of the Second World War and several documents of the service and instruction period to become a “Kampfschwimmer” have been kept together, making it a rare and interesting “full set” Ref. 3646 / Type D in terms of overall condition plus additional information about the first owner matching with the engraving on the outer caseback.

Watches of the Reference 3646 / Type D are featured in our book “The References” 1930’s-1940’s in chapter II.IV (page 398-531) including a historic photo of a “Kampfschwimmer” wearing a 3646 with brass dial on page 475. Brass dialed Ref. 3646 / Type D are featured on page 468-493. In this part of the book, an overview of different decorative polish on the inside of the caseback (Type A – Type G) can be found on page 486.

We hope the watch will find a good new home and that it remain surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[First photo of documents and watch courtesy of Auktionshaus Eppli e.K.]