Today we send our birthday greetings to the german frogmen veteran Karl-Heinz Kiefer, who can celebrate his 88th birthday in good health. Karl-Heinz Kiefer, born 1925, is featured in our book“History1” in Chapter III. A few weeks ago Volker visited Mr. Kiefer to handover the new book “History2” where he is featured in the preface.

Stay in good shape, Mr. Kiefer – alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

Another special moment for Ralf… and another promise kept: recently he visited Walter Lewandowski, the german frogmen veteran, who is featured in our new book “History2″ in Chapter VIII. Ralf delivered, as promised, a personal copy to Mr. Lewandowski (born in 1925) who welcomed him in good health, happy to see the result of our research and editorial work during the last two years.

Walter Lewandowski’s wife captured the moment when Ralf showed the final chapter to him.

Be well and stay in good shape, Mr. Lewandowski!  [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

We are glad to announce that our book “History1” has been recorded in the Library of the Federal Archives of Germany. Visitors of the library in Koblenz can see and read our book (with the signature B I 318 -1-) there.

Aside further international archives (The National Archives of the United Kingdom, The Imperial War Museum in London, The Ufficio Storico della Marina Militare), the Federal Archives have been a helpful source for us during the research, in particular on Chapter II. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

Today we send our birthday greetings to the german frogmen veteran Jochen Burnus, who can celebrate his 90th birthday in good health. Jochen Burnus, born 1923, is featured in our book “History2” in Chapter V. A few weeks ago Ralf visited Jochen to handover our new book where “his” personal story is published.

Stay in good shape, Jochen – alles Gute zum Geburtstag, “Heiwidiwu!”
[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

Almost one year after I visited Karl-Heinz Kiefer for a personal delivery of our book “History1”, it was time to deliver him a copy of our new book“History2″. For me it was all about keeping a promise – again. Both, Karl-Heinz Kiefer and his kind wife Irma, welcomed me at their home in good health. I was able to forwarded greetings from my co-author Ralf Ehlers to both of them.

Veteran Karl-Heinz Kiefer, born in 1925, is featured in chapter III of our book “History1″. A preview of “his” chapter can be found here. The photo of the “handover moment” from last year is published in the preface of our new book “History2” on page 428.

Be well and stay in good shape, Mr. Kiefer!  [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

A nicely captured Vintage Panerai Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in the focus, showing an orange coated plexi. The side area of the plexi shows markings from a rotating bezel, which was once attached but did not “survived” until today. Aside this watch, other today existing watches with similar plexi glasses to carry a rotating bezel are filed in our database. The watch is equipped with “double pencil” hands (“sharp pin” version). Under the non-engraved caseback and dust lid, the engine of the watch is a typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement with 17 Rubis and Incablock shock protection.

Today, the reason for the transparent orange coating on the plexi isn’t known. Either it has been applied for a practical reason (anti-reflecting or camouflage) or the color of the coating has been aged and so changed its color over the years, adding up this orange patina.

A special moment for Ralf… and all about keeping a promise: he recently visited Jochen Burnus, the german frogmen veteran, who is featured in our new book “History2” in Chapter V. Ralf delivered, as promised, a personal copy to the veteran right after the production. Jochen, who becomes 90 years old very soon, welcomed Ralf in very good shape with a strong handshake.

Finally there was the moment when Jochen Burnus was able to take the first look into our new book and read “his chapter”…

Be well and stay in good shape, Jochen!  [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

A side-by-side view onto two Ref. 6152/1 Vintage Panerai watches. While both watches with the legendary crown protecting device using a “Luminor Panerai” dial, their movements are different: The left Ref. 6152/1 is powered with an Angelus Cal. 240 SF (8 days) movement (15 Rubis and Incabloc shock protection, signed “JUIN .61″) and the right Ref. 6152/1 is powered with a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 (17 Rubis and Incabloc shock protection) movement.

Noteable is also, that the opened casebacks are different too: on the caseback of the watch with Angelus movement, the Rolex stamp has been milled off, while the watch with Rolex movement is bearing the typical 6152/1 stamp in the middle of its inner caseback.

An interesting Vintage Panerai collectible surfaced lately: a “green light” instrument, powered with “ELUX” from Officine Panerai, in mint condition.

This electrical signal light device was probably used on a ship or submarine and can be mounted with two screws on the backside of the case onto a wall or other surface. It is painted in the typical navy grey color as used on other instruments and tools we know from Officine Panerai.

The german watch portal www.watchtime.net featured the Vintage Panerai Ref. 3646 / Type C – “The Lehmann Radiomir” – with an overview about the details of the watch and the history behind its first two owners, german frogmen Werner Bullin and Heinz Günter Lehmann.

“The Lehmann Radiomir” is fully described in our book “History1” in Chapter I on 75 pages with 38 photos and 4 technical illustrations. Thanks to www.watchtime.net for putting a spotlight onto Panerai’s DNA. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]