He survived the air raid against the transport submarine Iride in August 1940 – the mission G.A.1 against Alexandria failed. He took part on the mission B.G.1 against allied ships in Gibraltar aboard the transport submarine Scirè in September 1940 – but his second mission failed again as the allied ships left the night before for Operation “Menace” – this time the Decima MAS was late…

Another four weeks later, on 30 October 1940, he became the first SLC pilot to penetrate a heavily guarded enemy harbour with the new, secret weapon which still had to achive its initial and decisive proof of feasibility: the concept of attacking enemy ships in ports. Unnoticed, in the darkness of the night. Mission B.G.2, even without the success of damaging or sinking an enemy ship, marked the start of a three-year war that took place noiselessly underwater in the Bay of Gibraltar. However, for Gino Birindelli, mission B.G.2 marked the start of a journey through Allied POW camps that would last until early 1944.

In his memoirs Gino Birindelli M.O.V.M. wrote a remarkable sentence: “I could clearly see my left wrist with the big Radiomir watch we used during the action and I saw how the hand moved, time was passing…” In his personal story this was just a very little side note, but it underlined clearly the importance of the waterproof, luminous and reliable Panerai watch he and the men of the Mezzi d’Assalto of the Royal Italian Navy were trusting during their action.

Page 1018 – 1019: The inventors of the SLC, Teseo Tesei and Elios Toschi, together with the first crews which instigated the legendary “Spirito del Serchio” at their secret base at Bocca di Serchio in June 1940 – Gino Birindelli was one of them.

Page 1026 – 1027: The progress of Mission B.G.2 against the port of Gibraltar in the night from 29 to 30 October 1940. The transport submarine Scirè, commanded by Junio Valerio Borghese, penetrated the Bay of Gibraltar, from where the three SLC teams started their approach.

Page 1012 – 1013: A view inside Birindelli’s Ref. 6152/1 with crown-protecting device and Rolex movement. The watch was auctioned at Sotheby’s in May 2014.

In his function as a two-time commander of the “Raggruppamento Subacquei ed Incursori Teseo Tesei” special unit, Gino Birindelli was one of the men who passed on his experiences to the next generation of the naval special unit. When selecting the instruments for the COMSUBIN incursori, watches from Guido Panerai & Figlio were the first choice, even after the Second World War. The fact that Birindelli still possessed a Panerai watch from the era even years after his commando activities whit the COMSUBIN shows the significance and symbolism of a Panerai watch, which must surely have been a sign of military tradition, a menento and a sign of appreciation.

The watch of Admiral Gino Birindelli (1911 – 2008) and the unique story behind his career being Comandante 1a Divisione Navale, Comandante in Capo della Squadra Navale and Comandante Nave Alleato del Sud Europa can be read in the book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s (chapter VIII.II, page 1006 to 1043). Read more on Gino Birindelli also here. Enjoy reading!

Bonhams London will auction a Ref. 3646 / Type C with “Radiomir Panerai” dial in their upcoming Fine Watches and Wristwatches sale on December, 14th (Lot 88). The high bezel, as well as the Rolex 618 / Type 1 movement in combination with the half polished inner caseback, bearing the Rolex SA hallmark with reference and case number, are typical features of Ref. 3646 / Type C watches.

The watch is recorded in our database since November 2016. Watches of the Ref. 3646 / Type C are featured in our book “The References” (first volume / 1930’s-1940’s) in chapter II.III (page 248-397). A watch with a similar shaped crown neck can be found on page 306-321. A chart on different decorative polish styles on the inside of casebacks on Ref. 3646 / Type A – G watches can be found on page 486 in chapter II.IV.

Additional Bonhams lot details / salesroom notices on Lot 88:
17-jewel manual wind movement, matte black sandwich dial with baton hour markers and Arabic numeral quarters, blued steel pointed baton hands with luminous inserts, polished cushion form case with screw down back, screw down crown, fixed wire lugs, fitted brown leather strap with polished buckle, together with Panerai Certificate of Authenticity, case and movement signed Rolex, dial signed Panerai 47mm. Please note this watch does not have a sandwich dial. The dial is inserted with luminous material.

We hope that this Ref. 3646 / Type C with “Radiomir Panerai” dial will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[Photos with kindly permission / courtesy of www.bonhams.com]

Geneva based auctioneers Phillips and Christie’s will offer five Vintage Panerai watches in their upcoming auctions between 12 and 14 November 2016.

First of the five is lot 82 – a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” with Rolex movement and crown-protecting device in The Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR (session one: 12 November 2016, 6 pm, lots 1-100). Read more about this Ref. 6152/1 in our Watch Point. Lot 152 – a “warbird” in shape of a Ref. 3646 / Type D is the second Vintage Panerai to be auctioned at Phillips (session two: 13 November 2016, 6 pm, lots 101-196). Read more about this “Kampfschwimmer” in our Watch Point. The following lot 153, a Ref. 6154 “Small Egiziano” is the third and last Vintage Panerai watch to be auctioned at Phillips. Read more about this watch in our Watch Point.

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

One day later, 14 November 2016, Christie’s is featuring two Vintage Panerai watches in their Sale 1417. The morning session starts at 10 am (lots 1-146) in which a Ref. 3646 / Type B with “Radiomir Panerai” dial and “Xa FLOTMAS” engraving on its caseback will be auctioned (lot 99).

The afternoon session starts at 2 pm (lots 147-236), in which a Ref. 3646 / Type C with “Radiomir Panerai” dial will be up for auction (lot 209). Read more about these two Ref. 3646 watches in our Watch Point.

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.christies.com]

Watches of the Ref. 3646 / Type B, Type C and Type D are featured in our book “The References” (first volume / 1930’s-1940’s) in chapter II.II-IV.
Chapter VII and VIII.II of “The References” (second volume / 1950’s-1960’s are featuring watches of the Ref. 6154 and Ref. 6152/1. Visit our bookstore for more info.

More than two hundred watches of the reference 3646 are registered in our database today. Among all different Vintage Panerai models, the 3646 marks the reference with the most known specimen in our records. In 2009, seven years ago, 143 recorded watches were featured in the first (sold out) edition of our book “The References”. Within the entire serial number sequence of the reference 3646, we differentiate between seven different variations (3646 / Type A-G).

In our new book “The References” 1930’s-1940’s the watches of the entire reference 3646 are featured in chapter II with more than six hundred pages in the chapters II.I-II.VII following an intro on page 40-49. The seven different variations can be found in our reference quickfinder on page 14-20. The coffee table shot on the left shows one of seven specimen of the Ref. 3646 / Type C, introduced on page 322-349. Read also the extensively documented story of Helmut Rösel, first owner of this watch, in chapter IX of our book “History2”. Each of the seven variations of the reference 3646 are published here:

Chapter II.I = Reference 3646 / Type A
(featuring two different watches on page 50-169).

Chapter II.II = Reference 3646 / Type B
(featuring four different watches on page 170-247).

Chapter II.III = Reference 3646 / Type C
(featuring seven different watches on page 248-397).

Chapter II.IV = Reference 3646 / Type D
(featuring nine different watches on page 398-531).

Chapter II.V = Reference 3646 / Type E
(featuring four different watches on page 532-573).

Chapter II.VI = Reference 3646 / Type F
(featuring two different watches on page 574-607).

Chapter II.VII = Reference 3646 / Type G
(featuring two different watches on page 608-645).

Aside numerous photos and technical illustrations of these 30 different watches, we have also published several yet unreleased historic photos of frogmen wearing watches of the reference 3646 during the Second World War.

One of these rare photos shows “Kampfschwimmer” Werner Bullin on page 275 in chapter II.III, wearing his 3646 with “Radiomir Panerai” dial. The coffee table shot on the left shows this photo which was taken at Piazza San Marco / Venice in summer 1944. Another rare photo has been introduced earlier here. Read the extensively documented story of Werner Bullin and Heinz Günter Lehmann over the 75 pages of chapter I in our book “History1”.

The new “The References” books can be ordered only in our bookstore. Enjoy reading!

Christie’s features two Ref. 3646 watches in their upcoming auction on 14 November 2016 in Geneva (Sale 1417).

The first Vintage Panerai watch in Christie’s Sale 1417 is a Ref. 3646 / Type B with dark red aged “Radiomir Panerai” sandwich dial and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. The watch is recorded in our database since 2010, back then with a cylindrical “Oyster Patent +” crown (Type 13). The onion shaped crown which is acutally fitted to the watch appears to be a replacement for the earlier cylindrical shaped crown during the last years (after March 2011).

The inner caseback bears the small Oyster Watch Co hallmark, which is a typical feature of Ref. 3646 / Type B watches. The outer caseback shows the remaining engravings of a rare matriculation number of the Italian Decima Flottiglia MAS (short “Xa FLOTMAS No. 038”). Information about Ref. 3646 watches with a “Xa FLOTMAS” engraving on their casebacks can be found on page 301-303 in chapter II.III.

Watches of the Ref. 3646 / Type B are featured in our book “The References” (first volume / 1930’s-1940’s) in chapter II.II on page 170-247.

Further info on this watch (lot 99 / page 69) can be found here.

The second Vintage Panerai watch in Christie’s Sale 1417 is a Ref. 3646 / Type C with “Radiomir Panerai” sandwich dial and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. The watch is recorded in our database since 2011, back then with “double pencil” shaped brass hands, which have been replaced with blued steel hands in March 2013 on demand of the former owner. The watch was listed for sale at Chrono24 earlier this year.

The inner caseback bears the typical engraving of Ref. 3646 / Type C watches – the Rolex SA hallmark, the reference number and the seven digit case number. The outer caseback of this watch is not engraved / plain. An overview of the caseback markings (different hallmarks inside) in Ref. 3646 watches can be found here: Type A-C and Type D-G.

Watches of the Ref. 3646 / Type C are featured in our book “The References” (first volume / 1930’s-1940’s) in chapter II.III (page 248-397).

Further info on this watch (lot 209 / page 145) can be found here.

We hope the watches will find good new homes and remain surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[Photos with kindly permission / courtesy of www.christies.com]

November will bring remarkable Vintage Panerai watches to auction. Phillips announced to have three columns of the Panerai DNA in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR.

A German “Kampfschwimmer” Ref. 3646 / Type D, used in the Second World War, has been introduced in our Watch Point here. This warbird with anonymous sandwich dial is one of the very few watches with original strap and pin buckle – unpolished and with quite some patina.

The “Maserati” amongst Vintage Panerai references because of its flat, elegant and streamlined case is introduced in our Watch Point here. This rare Ref. 6154 “Small Egiziano” with brown “Radiomir Panerai” dial is up for auction being a “collectors’ set”, including a Guido Panerai & Figlio depth gauge, underwater torch and replacement strap with “GPF – Mod. Dep.” pin buckle.

The third column of the Panerai DNA in the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR is a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” with Rolex movement and the legendary crown-protecting device from Panerai – an icon of the brand. Read more about this watch in our Watch Point here.

[Photos with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Phillips will feature a very rare Ref. 6154 “Small Egiziano” in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR. Between the different Vintage Panerai references, the 6154 is one of the rarest and most attractive because of its unique flat case design and only a small number of watches existing today. The auction lot includes a Guido Panerai & Figlio leather strap with “GPF – Mod. Dep.” pin buckle, a depth gauge and a rare underwater torch, known to be used by Egyptian frogmen in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

This particular watch can be traced back to the year 1995 when it was auctioned at Antiquorum in Geneva. Two years later, in 1997, it was published in the book “Militari da polso” on page 60. The watch was also published in our book “The References” (2009 edition) on page 197 and again – in detail – in our new book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s on page 808-817. The watch appears with brown faded “Radiomir Panerai” dial, 8 mm Rolex crown and Rolex 618 / Type 1 movement.

Read the historical background on watches and instruments from Guido Panerai & Figlio used by the Egypt frogmen in chapter VII and IX of “The References” 1950’s-1960’s, including rare photos of an Egyptian frogmen wearing Guido Panerai & Figlio instruments (page 794, 1064 and 1068). 

Further info on this watch (lot 153) can be found here.

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

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Phillips will feature a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR. The watch is recorded in our database since 2010 and appears to be a perfect example for a 6152/1 with Rolex 618 / Type 4 movement in excellent condition.

The “Luminor Panerai” dial is the most used in all Ref. 6152/1 watches recorded in our database, as well as the Rolex 618 / Type 4 movement is working in more than 80 % of all recorded watches of the Reference 6152/1. The crown-protecting device of this watch is signed “BREV. ITAL.” and additionally numbered “10” on the underside.

Chapter VIII.II of our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s is featuring similar watches like this specimen on auction at Phillips, with Rolex movement and Panerai crown-protecting device, on page 922-1057. An overview about the “BREV. ITAL.” signatures on watches with crown-protecting device can be found on page 975.

Further info on this watch (lot 82) can be found here.

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

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Phillips will feature a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR. The watch is recorded in our database since 2006, when it was auctioned for the first time in Germany at Dr. Crott Auctioneers. By its inner and outer details it is representing a typical “Kampfschwimmer” watch with anonymous sandwich dial, onion shaped “Brevet +” crown (Type 11) and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement.

It appears to be one of only a few specimen which still have their original leather strap and original pin buckle. This particular watch is featured – in detail – in our new book “The References” 1930’s-1940’s in chapter II.IV (Ref. 3646 / Type D) on page 516-523 as well as in chapter V (Straps and Buckles) on page 678.

Further info on this watch (lot 152) can be found here.

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

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Introducing another piece of the puzzle – and one more surfaced in the United Kingdom: a Ref. 3646 / Type D with black painted brass dial and rare “Kampfschwimmer” engraving with initials of the first owner on its outer caseback. After more than 70 years the watch changed ownership once again and recently found a good new home at a Panerai collector from Germany, who provided the photo shown on the left.

The watch has been added into our database in March 2016 and comes with flat bezel (a typical feature of the watches with flat dials), onion shaped “Brevet +” crown (Type 11) and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. The watch has never been polished and has still its original plexi, showing the typical traces of aging. The inner caseback is signed with the Rolex SA hallmark, reference and case number. A similar 3646 / Type D watch with flat bezel and black painted brass dial will be auctioned in Glasgow on September 23rd, 2016 at Great Western Auctions.

A Ref. 3646 / Type D watch with black painted brass dial is featured in our book “History1” in chapter III together with the history of its first owner, a German “Kampfschwimmer” who provided us very interesting information about his service, training and how some of these Panerai watches “changed ownership” during the time when he was a POW (prisoner of war) in the summer of 1945 (page 206-207).

Watches of the Reference 3646 / Type D are also featured in our new book “The References” 1930’s-1940’s in chapter II.IV (page 398-531) including a historic photo of a German “Kampfschwimmer” wearing a 3646 with brass dial on page 475.