Reduced to the max, simple, clean – the design of the Panerai sandwich dial without the engraved “Radiomir Panerai” as it appears on Panerai watches used by “Kampfschwimmer” units during the 2nd world war.

The aged numbers and markers of the dial in different colors (from yellow to light orange / amber) are a typical feature of 3646 / Type D watches. The clean face of the dial –  just 8 markers, 4 numbers and 2 hands – glowed in the darkness to keep it’s operator “in time”. Waterproof. And of course accurate: functionality can be simple – and something which the users of these watches had to trust in.

This Ref. 3646 / Type D watch is featured in our book “History2″. Read more about the first owners and the missions in which it was used as an important underwater tool in chapter V.

Doubtless one of the iconic Panerai design elements: the crown protection device. The patent was issued in july 1956 and described as “tight-seal device for the control knob of instruments, particularly for the setting and winding knob of watches”.

A 26 mm wide and 6.2 mm high area is milled out on the right edge of the polished case of Ref. 6152/1 watch, to allow a lateral attachment of the protection device, made from brushed stainless steel. The protection system, which is extending 8 mm above the right side of the case is fastened to the case with two screws. The L-shaped protective bar (in open position visible on the photo) is 2.9 mm wide and pushes the crown down firmly to the case when closed.

This Vintage Panerai watch is featured in our book “History1″. You can read more about its first owner Mario Arillo in chapter IV, page 227-391. Read more also in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s on page 924-927.

May 2014 will be interesting to follow three important auctions, where Vintage Panerai watches will be up for sale. We hope they find a good new home and remail surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world.

Dr. Crott (Frankfurt/Germany) starts the auction month on saturday, may 10th. They have an engraved “Kampfschwimmer” Ref. 3646 / Type D in their 89th Auction (LOT 289). The watch comes with a rare brass dial, corresponding flat bezel, typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement, leather strap and very rare chromed brass buckle. The caseback of this Vintage Panerai watch is engraved with the initials of the first owner HV surrounded by Marine-Kampfschwimmer 1944.

Christie’s (Geneva/Switzerland) has another Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” on their Important Watches 1401 for auction (LOT 433) on may 12th. This Vintage Panerai watch comes with anonymous sandwich dial and the typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement (with 17 jewels and without Incabloc). The caseback is engraved with the initials of the first owner GF surrounded by Nahkampflehrer von L.K. 700 1945.

Last but not least, Sotheby’s (Geneva/Switzerland) presents a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in their Important Watches auction (LOT 298) on may 14th. The watch belonged to Admiral Gino Birindelli (M.O.V.M.), commander of the Com.Sub.In. in the 1950s and SLC pilot veteran from WW2. The engine of this Vintage Panerai watch is the typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement (with 17 Jewels and Incabloc). It comes with a rare, rotating plexi bezel of which only a few pieces are existing today.

Another auction highlight in may will be a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” watch: Sotheby’s Important Watches in Geneva presents the watch of a famous owner on may 14th, 2014 (LOT 298).

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6152/1
Dial: “Luminor Panerai” (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1249XX
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4

The watch comes from the descendants of Admiral Gino Birindelli (1911 – 2008). It is one of very few existing Ref. 6152/1 watches with rotating plexi bezel. The movement of the watch is corresponding with our database, being a typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 version with incabloc shock protection and 17 jewels.

During the 2nd world war, Gino Birindelli was a pilot in the early SLC missions G.A.1 (August 1940 against Alexandra, transported by the submarine Iride), B.G.1 and B.G.2 (October 1940) in which he and his well known comrads (Damos Paccagnini, Teseo Tesei, Luigi Durant De La Penne, Alcide Pedretti, Emilio Bianchi / Gastone Bertozzi, Giuseppe Viglioli) were transported by the submarine Scirè under the command of Junio Valerio Borghese against targets in the harbour of Gibraltar. Birindelli and his co-pilot Paccagnini were captured and became POW. After his release from POW he was awarded with the gold medal for galantry at war (M.O.V.M.) in 1943 for his achievement during the mission B.G.2 in Gibraltar, 1940.

After the 2nd world war, Birindelli was commander of the Com.Sub.In. (Comando Subacquei ed Incursori) special forces in Varignano near La Spezia from 1948 to 1950 and from 1954 to 1956. Later he became commander of NATO forces of the Mediterranean in the early 1970s, followed by a political career in the italian parliament.

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]

[Photo of the Ref. 6152/1 watch with kindly permission / courtesy of www.sothebys.com]

Christie’s has a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” in their Important Watches auction 1401 (LOT 433) on may 12th, 2014. The inner caseback engravings, in combination with the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement, are matching our database criteria.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 2604XX
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Used in Ref. 3646 watches from Type A to Type G, the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement comes without Incabloc shock protection. Typical for this non-incabloc version is the serif font for the letters A-R (french) and F-S (english) engraved on the regulation device.

The watch comes with an engraved caseback, done in the typical tatooing machine style, which can be found occasionally on similar 3646 watches used by german frogmen. The surrounding text Nahkampflehrer von L.K. 700 (hand-to-hand-fight instructor of Training Commando 700), the first owners’ initials (GF) in the center and the year of service (1945) are giving this watch the grade of being a real tool watch in the 2nd world war.

A historic photo of frogmen during hand-to-hand-fight training can be found in our book “History2” (page 460). The personal stories of several frogmen of the Lehrkommando 700 (engraved L.K. 700) are described in “History1” as well as in “History2” in several chapters.

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]

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

New entry in our database, surfaced in the United States. Just recently we were contacted from the owner of a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” which we added into our steady growing database of today’s existing Vintage Panerai watches.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 2604XX
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Even the engraved caseback with the initials of the first owner (“SB”) makes it a very nice and interesting addition in the number group of Type D. Great to see another yet unknown Vintage Panerai watch is matching our database criteria in all its details. Similar watches are featured in our both books “History1” and “History2”.

[Photos with kindly permission / courtesy of Daniel Bassler]

Another visit at auctioneer Dr. Crott brought us another new database entry for the Reference 3646 / Type D. The yet unknown watch with the case number 260753 will be up for auction in may, bearing the typical features of the number group 260408 – 260838, representing the Reference 3646 / Type D.

Until today we have recorded sixty existing specimen of this type of 3646 watches in our database, which is one of the larger groups inbetween known watches of Type A to Type G. Only a few number of watches comes with a flat brass dial, easy to identify by the closed “6” and “9” which are not cut thru the upper disk (like the sandwich dial construction is done) but embossed from top onto the brass dial, painted black and filled up with luminous material. Both, blued steel hands and brass dial have still the complete luminous material today (see earlier posting on this watch).

The Rolex SA stamp on the inner caseback is one feature aside the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement with 17 Jewels and no Incabloc shock protection. Typical for this type of movement is the “ROLEX 17 RUBIS” engraving on the center bridge. As usual on movement used in watches of the Reference 3646, the balance cock bears the S-F / A-R regulation device.

The watch comes with the flat version of the bezel, typical on watches with brass dials or the “California Dial” versions. The bezel carries the original Plexiglas, which is today still in good condition. The “neck” of the cushion shaped stainless steel 47 mm case is still existing, on which an onion shaped “Brevet +” crown (Type 11) is screwed down.

The case has not been polished over the last decades and appears today – after 70 years – with a nice patina on case, bezel and caseback.

Especially the individual engraving on the caseback makes it a remarkable watch to us. Done in the typical tatooing machine style, which can be found occasionally on similar 3646 watches used by german frogmen, the surrounding text Marine Kampfschwimmer (navy frogmen), the first owners’ initials (HV) and the year of service (1944) are giving this watch the grade of being a real tool watch in the 2nd world war.

Also the watch comes with the old leather strap, hand stitched and sewn onto the lugs of the case with the rare cromed brass buckle, which has been bent down for comfortable wear, which we have seen on some other Ref. 3646 watches before. The strap has two fixed (sewn on) keepers.

A similar watch is featured in our book “History1”.

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]

The Vintage Panerai watches keep on surfacing. Just in these days, another Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” with rare brass dial and engraved caseback bearing the initials of the first owner and the year of his service as frogmen (1944), came to our attention. We received an invitation for a “first look” from auctioneer Dr. Crott, who received this watch for their upcoming 89th auction on may, 10th 2014, from the family of the former german frogmen veteran.

Great to see another yet unknown Vintage Panerai watch is matching our database criteria in all its details.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (painted brass, anonymous)
Case number: 260753
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

A detailled report on the details of the watch, such as movement, engraved caseback and historic strap and buckle will be follow up here soon. Stay tuned!
[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

The german watch portal www.watchtime.net featured the Vintage Panerai Ref. 3646 / Type D – “The Köneke Radiomir”– with an overview about the details of the watch and the history behind its first two owners, german frogmen Siegfried Köneke and Jochen Burnus.

“The Köneke Radiomir” is fully described in our book “History2″ in Chapter V on 112 pages with 67 photos and 4 technical illustrations. Thanks to www.watchtime.net for putting a spotlight onto Panerai’s DNA. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

The german watch magazine “Chronos” featured the Vintage Panerai Ref. 6152/1 – “The Arillo Luminor”– with an overview (page 64-69) about the details of the watch and the history behind its first owner, italian commander of the submarine “Ambra”, Mario Arillo (M.O.V.M.). The february-april issue “Chronos Spezial” is entirely about Panerai’s roots and history with a review from the past until today, including tests, movements and milestone models.

“The Arillo Luminor” is fully described in our book “History1″ in Chapter IV on 165 pages with 106 photos and 7 technical illustrations. The book “History1″ is in stock. It can be ordered directly in our bookstore.

Get your copy of the “Chronos Spezial” 1/2014 now at the newspaper stores across europe. Find more info at www.watchtime.net [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]