Comparing the different sizes of two Panerai torches for divers. Waterproof, rubber coated case with external device to turn on and off (fixed or flashing light; patented in the 1950’s).

Dimensions of the large torch (rare):
length 28 cm / calibre 7.5 cm (front), 4.5 cm (grip)
powered by 3 x 1.5 Volt mono batteries

Dimensions of the small torch:
length 16,5 cm / calibre 6 cm (front), 3 cm (rear/grip)
powered by 1 x 3Volt Superplus battery

[photo by Ralf Ehlers]

Took a photo of the “Kampfschwimmer” Panerai last weekend (Ref. 3646 / Type D). A watch, used in german missions at the eastern front in the last weeks of WW2 against pontoon bridges of the allied forces. The link to its first owner, a unit of the “Einsatzgruppe Keller”, is visible on the caseback by an engraving.

The watch is working great after more than 65 years and its a pleasure to wear it. It carries a lot DNA of the Panerai brand and provides much more than just the accurate time to me. It is powered by a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement with 17 Rubis.

We have published an overview of different Rolex movement types used in Panerai watches here. Use the “browse by tag” feature to see and read more about these watches in our blog or click here to get transferred to an older blog entry about the same watch. 

You can read more about “Kampfschwimmer” watches and their missions in chapter I.II, I.III and I.IV of our first book “Vintage Panerai – Watches with History”, also this watch is featured in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter I.IV.

Small – but interesting – differences can be found in the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2 movements used in vintage Ref. 6152 Panerai watches: the bridges received different engravings, being technically the same (15 Rubis, no incabloc shock protection). Note the different position of ROLEX and 15 RUBIS!

For a better understanding, the differences are colored:
Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2 = pink
Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2 mod. = yellow.

Such differences in engraving the bridges are similar to the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 and Type 1 mod. movements, which were used in Ref. 3646 Panerai watches. We have published these differences in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”, in the chronological classification (page 12-29), and also illustrated in chapter I.VII (page 149).

Referring to our earlier posting about the different Rolex movements in vintage Panerai watches, the characteristic features of the Type 2 movement (used in Ref. 6152 watches) are:

15 Rubis, no Incabloc shock protection
(balance cock engraved with a “plus-minus scale”)
16 Lines, power reserve approx. 36 hours.
18.000 half-oscillations per hour.

As just recently another rare Ref. 6152 watch surfaced, we know that there exist different engravings on the bridges. In the graphic here you can see the first discovered version with “ROLEX” and “15 RUBIS” engraved on the center bridge (see chapter II, page 180 in our book “Vintage Panerai – The References”). The other today known engraving version is shown here (Beside the differences in the engravings, the characteristic features of both movements are the same).

You can read and see more about the different versions of Rolex Cal. 618 movements in Panerai watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”.

In the mood for another DNA photo, I placed the 6152/1 onto the GPF 1/58.

Meanwhile, two new entries in our database arrived: Both Ref. 6152/1 watches with Rolex movement, yet undiscovered. Our database grows… more to discover in the future!

Caught some details of the “Elettrosegnalatore GPF 1/58”. Fantastic to see the rich details on such a simple tool… many fine engravings all over the case of the signal light, Panerai branded almost everywhere, including matriculation number on the rear plate (covers the batteries).

Stunning functionality of the grip, which can be rotated to move a colored tube over the light bulb, coming up from the front grip into the area infront of the mirror (see detail photo upper and lower left). The signal light can expose white (regular), blue (“A”) and red (“R”) light signals by using the rear grip’s pistol trigger. At the detail photo (lower left), the blue light tube is turned on.

A shoulder extension (stored in the transport box together with a set of spare light bulbs) can be mounted on the rear plate, giving comfort for a straightening use of the signal light in a seesaw situation. For sending accurate signals, an ironsight (low right on the detail photo) is placed on top left of the case, which has an overall dimension of approx. 29 x 22 cm (without shoulder extension).

Much bigger than the box for the “Luminor Panerai” dial, which I have posted last week, comes this GPF 1/58 light gun in it’s transport box made of calf leather and cardboard core.

It has a very nice engraved plate on top and looks quite “used” – but okay for a tool that is 52 years old…!

Daylight photos of the content will follow soon…
Thanks a lot to the fellow mate who sent it to me!

Martin Wilmsen, skilled photographer and member of the paneristi community, has shared some excellent photos he took for the paneristi.com 2010 calendar at the public forum. Check this out here and get blown away by his work of art. (Some of the watches are published in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”)

Awesome, Martin – thanks for sharing!

Latest addition in my vintage collection, arrived from Italy: a storage box for a “Luminor Panerai” dial – the dial version for watches with Rolex movements (without small second hand).

Our collector friend Hagen contacted us with his latest entry in his collection: A stunning Ref. 6152 watch!

Not that the Ref. 6152 is one of the rarest references Panerai ever produced – the case number of the watch is a real sensation: 958713! It opens another, yet undiscovered number group in our database. Until today we had a number group with 6 known watches between 956632 and 956643. We hope to find other Ref. 6152 watches in the future, which have a number close to Hagen’s 958713, so that we can estimate the 2nd number group’s size.

Interesting to see the movement: not a surprise to us, it comes with a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2 movement, similar to the other 6152 watches we have in our database: 15 Rubis without Incabloc shock protection. The area around the crown shows the “gap” which is typical for the 6152 case.

The unpolished case confirms the fact, that also the Ref. 6152 watches have the reference and case number between the lugs. Until april 2009 this was not discovered! I had the chance to take a very close look at the Ref. 6152 watch number 956636 in summer 2010 and to my surprise I found these markings which we did not see before… we knew this watch already for years but nobody noticed it, as the watch was polished, which took away the appearance of these markings.

The reference number “6152” is placed between the lugs at 12’o’clock and the case number “958713” is placed between the lugs at 6’o’clock, both stamped under the case’s slope. The “double pencil” hands with “sharp pins” hold the original luminous material above a “Radiomir Panerai” dial with a wonderful patina.

What a great find!