Still working… a vintage “Luminor Panerai” depht gauge, calibrated for 16 meters, has been tested successfully for its functionality inside a pressure chamber. Due to the limited space, the GPF strap has been removed before the instrument was placed in the center of the pressure chamber.

The membrane on the bottom of the 70 x 90 mm case worked instantly after pressure was added. Interesting to note that the Panerai instrument is working properly since it was used for the last time underwater decades ago.

Click on the link to see the video of the pressure test: Vintage_Panerai_Depth_Gauge.

Click on the link to see the pressure release – “the surfacing” in this video: Vintage_Panerai_depth_gauge_surfacing

The milled numbers and markers of the sandwich dial construction aged different in many ways – some changed their colors in different intensity and got cracks in the luminous substance during the past decades. The reduced design of the dial – only 4 numbers and 8 indexes – represents the Panerai DNA on first sight.

This Ref. 3646 / Type D watch is featured in our book “History2”. Read more about the first owners and the missions in which it was used as an important underwater tool in chapter V.

Close view on the movement of a Ref. 3646 / Type D. Used in Ref. 3646 watches from Type A to Type G, the Rolex Cal. 618 movement comes without Incabloc shock protection. Typical for the non-incabloc version is the serif font for the letters A-R (French) and F-S (English) engraved on the regulation device (later versions show “+/-” symbols – see also a comparing between Type 1 and Type 4 movements).

You can find more information about Rolex movements used in Vintage Panerai watches in our books “History1” and “History2”.

Close look at the “Luminor Panerai” dial of a Ref. 6152/1 watch. The surface of the sandwich dial with the milled and white painted letters is showing pure Panerai DNA above the double pencil hands.

This Vintage Panerai watch is featured in our book “History1″. You can read more about its first owner Mario Arillo in chapter IV, page 227-391.

Opened Ref. 6152/1 with solid caseback and dust lid – the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement bears the typical markings for this type of Vintage Panerai watches. You can see an overview of the three different inner caseback markings of the “615ers” here.

This Vintage Panerai watch is featured in our book “History1″. You can read more about its first owner Mario Arillo in chapter IV, page 227-391.

Seasons greetings from Germany!
[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

Today’s issue of the newspaper FAZ (“Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”) featured our book “History1” and “History2” in the column “Technology and Motor” about ideas on books as gifts for christmas. The FAZ is a newspaper with a daily run of more than 330.000 copies, available across Germany.

Journalist Martin Häußermann wrote a suitable overview on our two History books, in which we put the focus of our research on the very rare Vintage Panerai watches with documented history. It was a pleasure for us to read the review of an independent journalist on the core statements of our editorial work. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

Close view on an onion shaped “Brevet +” crown (Type 11) of a Ref. 3646 Vintage Panerai. The crown has a diameter of 7 mm and can be screwed down onto the tube which is surrounded by the typical “neck”shaped side of the 47 mm cushion shaped case of the Reference 3646.

More information about the different crown types used on Ref. 3646 watches can be found in our new book “History2″, in which two watches are featured using the Type 11 crown (“Brevet +”) aside two watches of which one is using a Type 12 replacement crown (“Rolex Oyster”) and one is using the well known tubular shaped Type 13 crown (“Oyster Patent +”). All three type of Rolex crowns have the same thread, matching the tube.

Opened Ref. 6152/1 with solid caseback – bearing the typical markings for this type of Vintage Panerai watches.

You can see an overview of the three different inner caseback markings of the “615ers” here.

For the fund raising project to help the people of the Philippines we offered an unique copy of our book “History1” as one of 18 prices of a raffle draw, which was announced in the public forum at www.paneristi.com.

The two german frogmen veterans Heinz Pape and Karl-Heinz Kiefer, as well as the widow of frogmen Heinz Günter Lehmann and the daughter of the commander of the italian submarine “Ambra” (transporter for SLC and frogmen commandos), Mario Arillo, signed this book in advance for a special occasion in shape of a charity project last year. After the shocking news about the typhoon Haiyan we decided to use this book to help people in need.

In only four days, 582 tickets (each worth 600 PHP / 10 EUR) came together and were donated directly to the Philippine Red Cross by the supporters of the fund raising project. A total of 349.200 PHP / 5820 EUR (plus more than 200 EUR by anonymous donators) were the result! One of the 18 lucky winners will receive this unique copy of “History1” very soon.

After the raffle draw we informed the two veterans, the widow and the daughter about the result of the fund raising project, who were glad to hear that their signatures in the book and many other contributed prizes helped the victims of the terrible typhoon Haiyan.

On behalf of Heinz Pape, Karl-Heinz Kiefer, Mrs. Lehmann and Mrs. Tartarini-Arillo we are glad to forward their greetings and thanks to all supporters!
[Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]