Returned home from my visit at the SIHH in Geneve last friday. It was great to see that Panerai continue to use their DNA in the new collection.

Aside new models without the crown protecting device (PAM 514, 515) in 47 mm, following the introduction models from last year, also models in 42 mm were introduced (PAM 512, 513). Also the new Submersible models are noteable: another bronze watch (PAM 507) – with power reserve indicator, and a ceramic version (PAM 508), both in 47 mm, are really huge pieces and will surely get a lot of friends in the Panerai collectors world.

My personal highlight was the new “Regatta Chrono” (PAM 526) in a 47 mm Luminor case, which is powered with P.9100/R movement. As Panerai is strongly linked to the world of classic yachts, a watch with perfect functionality for sailing is in my opinion a great achievement. Congratulations!

The P.9100/R automatic movement has a diameter of 31 mm, it is 9.55 mm thick, 37 jewels and made up of 328 components. It has the flyback chrono function with vertical clutch and column wheel. It has a power reserve of  3 days. The small subdial at 3 o’clock shows a complete mini Panerai dial – a very nice detail. To put on this watch was a pleasure, with 47 mm it is really a huge impressive watch, which wears excellent with the rubber strap… Like!

Another chrono found my instant attention as well: the new Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback in 44 mm (PAM 524). Its engine, the P.9100 movement, is the first automatic movement with chronograph functions developed by Officine Panerai and its produced entirely in its Manufacture in Neuchatel / Switzerland. The movement has a diameter of 31 mm with a height of 8.15 mm, also 37 jewels and made of 302 components. Two spring barrels give it a power reserve of 72 hours. The luminous material in patina color gives it a nicely vintage touch. This watch is, as the Regatta chrono (PAM 526) above, partially polished and brushed – very fine surface treatments, excellent!

Sorry for the crappy smartphone pictures… you can find much better photos, taken by Martin Wilmsen at the paneristi.com SIHH 2013 section.
[Volker Wiegmann]

Today we officially announce that our 2nd book “The References” is sold out.

Please note that our 3rd book “History1” is available in stock and can be shipped immedately. Actually our 4th book “History2” is in construction and will be released in summer 2013. Further news will be published here a.s.a.p.

Recently we added another surfaced Ref. 3646 / Type D watch into our database.

The caseback number fits perfectly into the number group of today existing Type D watches, aside the fact that all other features of this “Kampfschwimmer” are matching our database too. Another important “piece of the puzzle” is added.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260424
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The watch has been discovered “accidentially” by a Panerai collector during his visit of a museum in the Netherlands (“Het Polderhuis / Westkapelle”). The history of this watch can be tracked back to january 1945 when the crew of the german small submarine (of the type “Seehund”) U 5327, Lt. Andersen and his engineer Hardacher, were captured by local resistance and british forces. The submarine was taken over by the british and the watch was kept by a local farmer. He used the watch until he died some years ago and his family passed this watch to the museum where it is displayed today.

The discovery of this watch has been published by Gert Jan Wijkhuizen in the public forum at www.paneristi.com.

During the holidays I found time to change the strap of my 6152/1. I decided to give the initial strap a little break after some months since it was put on the watch for the shooting of our book “History1”. The dark brown calf strap comes in the size of 90 x 150 mm with double keeper (one floating, one fixed) and GPF-buckle.

After I pushed out the pins on the lugs I gave the case a little cleaning with a soft cloth. The strap got a careful treatment with some grease before it was stored away to keep it in good condition for a future use. Always nice to see the details of the “Luminor Panerai” dial thru the thick plexiglass…

I fitted a vintage strap in the size 100 x 160 mm which has been initially used on a Panerai instrument. The very thick and soft strap has an olive-brown color and beige stitching, also one fixed and one gliding keeper. The brushed stainless steel buckle holds a three digit matriculation number.

This is how the watch will be carried into the new year – wishing everyone a good start in 2013! [Volker Wiegmann]

Well done! The new website from Panerai looks excellent: www.panerai.com

Looking thru my photo library recently, I stopped at a nice photo of a “volcano dome” plexi. Many Ref. 3646 watches don’t have the initial plexi anymore because of damage or replacement.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 260437
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

This watch was featured in a german watch magazine (“Chronos”). Read also our blogs with more information about this watch – pre-auction – movement – dial – caseback – post-auction which have been posted earlier this year.

A very rare Vintage Panerai watch will be up for auction at Christie’s on december, 14th in New York, Rockefeller Plaza: LOT 268, a very rare Ref. 6154 “Small Egiziano” aka “Egiziano Piccolo”. The watch is part of Sale 2610 Important Watches. 

Since our book “The Reference” was published in 2009, only a few more pieces of this famous reference surfaced and were added into our database, which makes it one of the rarest Vintage Panerai models today. It appears as one of the Ref. 6154 watches which have been supplied with a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2 movement, aside the other half of the today existing watches of this reference is supplied with Cal. 618 / Type 1 / Type 1 mod. movements.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6154
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 997603
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2

We hope that this watch will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world.

[Photos with kindly permission of Christie’s · courtesy of E. Catenazzi / www.christies.com]

A vintage Ref. 6152/1 with Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement and “Luminor Panerai” dial (case number: 124806) is featured in a test report on PAM 372 (“Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days 47 mm”) in the actual issue 1/2013 of watch magazine “Chronos” (Germany).

The report on pages 80 to 87 shows the historical roots of the “simple and beautiful” PAM 372 with the inhouse P.3000 calibre, written by Jens Koch with photos by Marcus Krüger. The report is a part of the annual 2013 test-compilation of the magazine, in which 32 tested watches have been published.

Get your copy at the newspaper stores across europe.
Find more info at www.watchtime.net

Fortunately I was able to follow Dr. Crott’s 86th auction in the “Skyloft” at the Sheraton hotel in Frankfurt. Both “Kampfschwimmer” watches, LOT 16 (Ref. 3646 / Type C) and LOT 17 (Ref. 3646 / Type D) have been successfully auctioned and found new owners.

The bidder (and new owner) of  the Ref. 3646 / Type C watch was present in the audience, the new owner of the Ref. 3646 / Type D watch was a telephone bidder from Asia. After the auction of both Vintage Panerai watches I was able to meet a german paneristi which I knew before only from his nickname in the public forum at paneristi.com. It’s always nice to put a face behind a nickname…!

It will be interesting to follow the traces of both watches in the future… congratulations to the new owners! [Volker Wiegmann]

CHAPTER IV – “Mario Arillo”
(165 pages, 106 photos, 7 technical illustrations)

The chapter on Mario Arillo begins with an interview conducted with him in 1989. Numerous as yet unpublished pictures and documents from the family possessions of the famous commander from La Spezia augment the personal descriptions of his submarine missions as a means of transport for Italian Gamma swimmers and the SLC units of the Decima MAS.

CHAPTER IV.I – “The Arillo-Luminor”
Reference: 6152/1
Dial: “Luminor Panerai” (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 124537
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4

More info on the fourth chapter of the book “History1″ can be found here.
The book “History1″ is in stock. It can be ordered directly in our bookstore.