Backside view of a Panerai Elettrosegnalatore GPF 2/52 Brevetto IT. N° 1738/53.

Beside other versions (some with remote control), this type can be controlled by the operator with both hands. A turning wheel to fade light in and out (inserire / disinserire) is placed in the center of the backside. A crosshair sight is placed on the top.

This instrument was stored and transported in a wooden box (visible in the background). 

Photo credits to Assaf Burstein from Israel

Regarding the Panerai “Trittico” (a set of diving tools for the wrist: watch, compass and depth gauge) – the diver didn’t necessarily wear all three instruments at once when working as a team.

The actual diving was done in pairs where the divers swam one above the other. The top diver had a watch and a compass and was the “navigator”, while the bottom one had a watch and a depth gauge and was the “controller”.

These divers were connected by a cord in order to maintain a close distance. Also this was important to stay together during night missions in darkness or because of a strong stream. 

These cords were connected to the divers by means of a leather strap. In the pics are 2 types of cords, the short one is about 2.5 meters long and the long one is 5.0 meters.

Photo credits to Assaf Burstein from Israel

It does not need a lot to become a legendary watch. The clean face of a ref. 3646 Panerai:  just 8 markers, 4 numbers and 2 hands which glow in the darkness to keep it’s operator “in time”. Waterproof. And of course accurate. Functionality can be simple – and something which the operators had to trust in.

More than 70 years have passed, but the design of the Panerai watches left many so called “design icons” behind. They attract new collectors day by day and carry their DNA into the future. A true legend with a true history – not a marketing fairy tale.

Does it take more to call these timekeepers “real toolwatches”? No, not at all.

Read more about this 3646 / Type D watch and the DNA of Panerai in both of our books.  [Volker Wiegmann]

Elettrosegnalatore GPF Q/300 Brevetto IT. N° 47/397. Signal light used by the italian navy. Front frame signed “Officine Panerai Firenze”.

Dimensions: 40 x 35 x  50 cm without aiming instruments, which can be attached on both sides. One prismatic monocle is visible on the left.

The light can be intercepted by 5 interconnected vanes.

A fellow collector has provided detailled information of his ref. 6152/1 with Angelus movement for our database.

The Angelus movement is signed JUIN 61, which is matching our files perfectly. It comes with a very rare dial version: as most of the known 6152/1 Angelus watches have a “Luminor Panerai” dial, the dial of this watch is engraved “Marina Militare”.

The massive Rolex caseback bears matriculation numbers of the italian navy. Together with this caseback, there is also a 2nd display caseback, signed “Officine Panerai Brevettato”.

To keep the owners privacy, we don’t publish the complete case number, which we keep confidential in our database. You can read more about this type of vintage Panerai watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” (chapter VI.III).

Some details of vintage Panerai watches have received a nickname or title by collectors. Sometimes a description of a Panerai watch can hold confusing elements (nicknames), which sounds even funny.

A good example are the different shape of hands used in 6152/1 watches: they are named “single pencil” or “double pencil” hands. In the illustration you can find two different shapes of both kind of hands. Differences are visible in small details (width, lenght, shape of heads).

The “single pencil” shape of hands can be found often in watches with Angelus movements (illustration 1st row – short and long version). There exist various versions of these hands made of brass. The “double pencil” shape is typical for 6152/1 watches with Rolex movements. Some appear with very “sharp” heads (2nd row, right) if compared with the regular head shape (illustration 2nd row, left).

Set of Panerai instruments: A rare 50 meter depth gauge with a brown aged Radiomir dial (case: 70×90 mm, height: 43 mm), Panerai underwater torch (lenght: 163 mm, rubber body: caliber 31 mm back / 61 mm lens, signed “Officine Panerai Brevettato”) and Luminor compass (case: 70×90 mm, height: 34 mm).

Photo credits to Assaf Burstein from Israel

Movement of an electromechanical device, mounted in a cylindric display (made of plexiglas) for testing its functionality. The head of the plexi case is removed on the right photo. 

Panerai – as a supplier of the italian navy – has produced many different devices (delay mechanisms) for controlling and activating explosives.

A mechanical timer, used by the italian navy during the 2nd world war. To our knowledge today, these type of timers were used in warheads which have been carried by SLC torpedos. They have been inserted into a circular cavity on the starboard side of the warhead.

The countdown scale (delay mechanism) is adjustable to max. 10 hours. The case is made of brass. As the adjustable scale is not luminous, it had to be set before the mission (usually in total darkness underwater / night mission) started. Once the explosive was placed under the target, the timer had just to be activated.

In our hunt for well documented vintage Panerai watches, we have received a letter, written by a german “Kampfschwimmer” veteran. It tells the story about the 3646 Type D watch, which has been published in our 2nd book (chapter I.IV).

The detailled informations about it’s previous owners let us follow back the history to the year 1945, when it was used by a german unit of the “Kampfschwimmergruppe Keller” at the eastern front, who let engrave his initials on the caseback. 

An unique mission report has been published in our 1st book “Watches with History”, taken from a diary of another frogmen of the Keller group. The complete line-up of ownerships until today makes it a very interesting piece.

After years of travelling across europe, the watch has returned to Germany in 2008. It was completely serviced and now appears in good shape, well running – after more than 65 years…