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.

Tried to catch some nice views on my Vintage Panerai watches today. The Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 (Ref. 3646) and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 (Ref. 6152/1) movements are doubtless a part of the Panerai DNA. Strong machines, which are still keeping perfect time after many years of use.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260554
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

You can find more information about Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter I, pages 31-159.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6152/1
Dial: “Luminor Panerai” (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 124537
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4

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

Dear customers and visitors of our website,
please note that our first book “Vintage Panerai – Watches with History” is sold out and no longer available in our shop.

[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

A look at the dial side of the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 mod. movement and the underside of a “California Dial” with hour wheel. Photo taken from our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”, chapter I.VII.

Stunning view of a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” Panerai.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260530
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The removed bezel put the entire dial infront of the lens, showing the depht of the sandwich construction and different colors of the luminous numbers and markers which have changed during many years of UV impact as a natural aging process.

Rare find by a friend of us: new old stock spare strap for Panerai instruments like compasses or depth gauges, used by the italian navy as replacement. Typical for this kind of straps are the huge brass buckles, of which plain and numbered versions exist.