Recently we have added another yet unknown watch into our database.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 1010168
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

You can read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”. Find the illustrations of  ref. 3646 / Type A – C casebacks here.

After the auction house Dr. Crott has provided more details to us, we were able to add the watch into our database with all important features to compare it with other existing watches of this number group.

Our database entry (click above) shows the following detials: Inner caseback signed 1010147. Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. Anonymous “Kampfschwimmer” dial with aged numbers and markers. Steel hands. Original, nicely aged Plexiglas. Onion shaped “Brevet+” crown.

This watch will be auctioned at Auktionen Dr. H. Crott on their 84th auction on november 12th, 2011. Further details about this LOT 33090 are published at their website. You can also read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”.

We hope it will find a good new home!

A load of Vintage Panerai instruments with “Luminor” and “Radiomir” substance; 10 depth gauges aimed for various depths and 13 compasses produced from the 1940s to the 1980s.

Especially rare are the two small compasses, which have been used in World War 2 (left corner of the photo) by german and italian frogmen. Further details about these two rare instruments can be found here [Italian frogmen’s compass] and [German frogmen’s compass].

[photo by Ralf Ehlers]

Stunning watch infront of some Vintage Panerai compasses: the GPF 2/56. The case diameter of this reference is 66 millimeters including the crown protecting device. It was made by Panerai for the Egyptian navy in the mid 1950’s, which received the nickname “Egiziano Grosso” because of its huge size.

You can read more about the Ref. GPF 2/56 in our book “Vintage Panerai – The References”, chapter V, pages 256-283.

Two “Elux Panerai” signal devices for underwater use in their cardboard storing boxes. Creating red or green light, both devices are battery powered.

Large device (red “Elux” light patch = 5 x 10 cm):
Battery pack 18 x 8 cm, 4 x 1.5 V mono batteries.
on/off switch as known from the underwater torches.

Small device (green “Elux” light patch = 2.5 x 5 cm):
Battery pack 21 x 3 cm, 2 x 1.5 V AA mignon batteries.
on/off switch behind a rubber membrane.

[photos by Ralf Ehlers]

A very interesting 3646 / Type C watch will be auctioned at Auktionen Dr. H. Crott on their 84th auction in November 2011. Further details of the auction and this LOT will be published at their website soon.

The watch is matching in all details with our database. Until today 39 watches of this type are known, and only 4 of them have an anonymous “Kampfschwimmer” dial. The caseback bears a rare engraving (“Marine Kampf-Schwimmer 1945”) with the initials “HD” of the german frogmen. It comes with the original brass coated buckle and one part of the original strap.

A similar watch can be found in chapter I.III of our book “Vintage Panerai – The References”. We hope it will find a good new home!

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010147
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

[Photo courtesy of Auktionen Dr. H. Crott / S. Pflaesterer]

Sending birthday greetings to Italy: Omeris Arpesella, veteran of the italian “Gruppo Gamma”, celebrates his 96th birthday today.

The photo taken back in 2006 shows Diego Gabathuler, Piero Lapiana (clubpanerai.com) and Omeris Arpesella in La Spezia near the naval museum “Arsenale”. It was a happy moment just after the handover of the memorial plate with the names of the Panerai collectors from all around the world who realized a new Panerai watch to replace Omeris’ stolen 3646 “California Dial” in the year before, summer 2005. 

There is no better moment than Omeris’ birthday to remember that great gesture of many people… Buon Compleanno, Omeris!

A set of vintage “Luminor Panerai” instruments – the so called “Trittico”: compass, Ref. 6152/1 wrist watch and 16 m depth gauge. The depth gauge is calibrated to 16 meters. There exist other versions for various depths, depending on their use (attack or defense; calibrations from 7 to 60 meters are known today). Both instruments, the compass and the depth gauge, have a case size of 70 x 90 mm. The compass rose is divided into 22.5° sections, commonly used in seafaring circles.

The owner of a yet undiscovered Ref. 6152/1 “Marina Militare”, based in Italy, has contacted us recently to provide some information about his watch, which we added into our database. The case number (1247XX) of the watch is inbetween the number of today existing 6152/1 watches. So, one more “piece of the puzzle” is added – our database is permanently growing.

You can find more information about Ref. 6152/1 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter IV, pages 202-255.