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 Numerous as yet unpublished pictures and documents from the family possessions of the famous commander from La Spezia augment the personal descriptions of his submarine missions as a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.

CHAPTER III – “Karl-Heinz Kiefer”
(55 pages, 39 photos, 3 technical illustrations)

The story of Karl-Heinz Kiefer, who received fast-track training in the last months of the 2nd world war, already provided proof in the first edition of this book (2007) about period of use of the rare watch-face version of his Panerai watch, which for a long time had been ascribed to an earlier date. Now, his winter training in a toughening-up camp at the Baltic Sea is described in more detail.

CHAPTER III.I – “The Kiefer-Radiomir”
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (painted brass, anonymous)
Case number: 260560
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

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

CHAPTER II – “Heinz Pape”
(91 pages, 44 photos, 3 technical illustrations)

For the most part the chapter about Heinz Pape is taken from his surviving diary and presented as a firstperson narrative, with comprehensive supplementation. Thanks to extremely rare aerial photographs of the assignment targets described by him and the examination of several maps it was possible to analyse his diary entries precisely and thus present them to the reader in such an impressive manner – an unique story.

CHAPTER II.I – “The Pape-Radiomir”
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260530
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

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

CHAPTER I – “Heinz Günter Lehmann”
(75 pages, 38 photos, 4 technical illustrations)

The story of the German elite swimmer Heinz Günter Lehmann is told with numerous photos (including maps and documents of the allied secret intelligence), covering the period from his training in Venice to his countless sporting successes on the international stage after the 2nd World War.

CHAPTER I.I – “The Lehmann-Radiomir”
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai” (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010186
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

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

November will be interesting to follow the auction at Frankfurt’s Hotel Sheraton (saturday, november 10th), where two Ref. 3646 watches will be up for sale. German auctioneer Dr. Crott will have their 86th auction with more than 500 lots, including a Ref. 3646 / Type C watch and a Ref. 3646 / Type D watch. 

We hope they find a good new home and that they remain surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. The Ref. 3646 / Type C watch and it’s history will be featured in one of the chapters of our new book “History2” (available in 2013).

In the last days our new book in 2013 has crossed the 400 page mark with the editorial work on its 5th chapter. As follow-up of “History1”, it will continue on page 421 and reach beyond 820 pages in total. So, there will be five “brand new old stories” in the next book “History2”. Editorial work is in progress… we’re diving into history.

In the meantime: enjoy reading “History1″ from page 1 to 420…
[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

Another Ref. 3646 / Type D watch will be on auction in november: A “Kampfschwimmer” – 260563 – will be auctioned at Sotheby’s during their Important Watches auction in Geneva, november 13th.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 260563
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The watch is listed in our database since february 2010. It is one of more than 50 watches within the Ref. 3646 / Type D number group. You can read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”. In specific, watches of the Ref. 3646 / Type D are introduced in chapter I.IV (page 84 to 121)

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

[photo courtesy of Sotheby’s / G. Ader]

“Chronos”, one of the biggest german watch magazines, has published a nice report in the column “Sammlerträume” (“Collectors’ dreams”) of their november/december issue 6-2012. Get yourself now a copy at the newspaper stores across europe!

It features the Vintage Panerai Ref. 3646 / Type D  “Kampfschwimmer” watch that has been auctioned in may 2012. Read also our recently posted information about this watch – pre-auction – movement – dial – caseback – post-auction – its nice to see that this watch got some attention in the news now, and also that it found a good new home! [Volker Wiegmann]