CHAPTER I
(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.

Preview of page 30 – 31:
Historical map of the Venice area from allied secret intelligence (dated 1944), showing the location of the training camp of the german “Kampfschwimmer” units.

Preview of page 50 – 51:
“Kampfschwimmer” Heinz Günter Lehmann (wearing the Ref. 3646 Panerai watch on his left wrist) and some of his comrads, photo from 1944 taken at San Giorgio / Venice.

Preview of page 66 – 67 (part of chapter I.I):
Photo of Heinz Günter Lehmann’s Ref. 3646 / Type C watch with a current excerpt from our historical Panerai database.

Our book “History1″ is in stock can be ordered in our bookstore.

CHAPTER II
(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.

Preview of page 80 – 81:
Introduction of Heinz Pape and his surviving diary from 1945.

Preview of page 88 – 89:
Historical map of the assignment targets corresponding with the personal diary of Heinz Pape.

Preview of page 156 – 157 (part of chapter II.I):
Photo of Heinz Pape’s Ref. 3646 / Type D watch with a current excerpt from our historical Panerai database.

Our book “History1″ is in stock can be ordered in our bookstore.

CHAPTER III
(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.

Preview of page 172 – 173:
Introducing Karl-Heinz Kiefer and his career in the german Kriegsmarine from his recruit training in 1943 to the fast-track training in the last months of the 2nd world war.

Preview of page 203 – 204:
Quarters of the special marine units of the Kriegsmarine (historical map and technical illustrations of midged submarines and their bases in northern Germany and Denmark, together with the locations of the training camps in northern Italy).

Preview of page 214 – 215 (part of chapter III.I):
Photo of Karl-Heinz Kiefer’s Ref. 3646 / Type D watch with a current excerpt from our historical Panerai database.

Our book “History1″ is in stock can be ordered in our bookstore.

CHAPTER IV
(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.

Preview of page 232 – 233:
The interview section of chapter IV includes many yet unreleased photos of Mario Arillo, the commander of the italian submarine Ambra, which was one of the SLC transport submarines in 1942.

Preview of page 260 – 261:
Mario Arillo’s impressive and moving interview, taken 11 years before he died, holds many interesting details on the missions against the harbours on the north african coast with very rare photos taken aboard the Ambra together with SLC pilots and Gamma frogmen.

Preview of page 380 – 381 (part of chapter IV.I):
Photo of Mario Arillo’s Ref. 6152/1 watch with a current excerpt from our historical Panerai database.

Our book “History1″ is in stock can be ordered in our bookstore.

Took a nice pic of the “Luminor Trittico”. All three pieces are powered by “Luminor Panerai”: the 16 m depth gauge, the Ref. 6152/1 Panerai watch and the compass. Both instruments, the compass and the depth gauge, have a case size of 70 x 90 mm.

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

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

Rainy spring day here in Germany today, so I tried to catch the Panerai DNA in shape of the crown protecting device on the Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai”. It is without a doubt “the number 1 identifying feature” of Panerai watches from all production periods: vintage, PreVendome and actual models.

The patent was issued in july 1956 and described as “tight-seal device for the control knob of instruments, particularly for the setting and winding knob of watches”.

A 26 mm wide and 6.2 mm high area is milled out on the right edge of the polished case, to allow a lateral attachment of the protection device, which is fabricated from brushed stainless steel. The protection system, which is extending 8 mm above the right side of the case is fastened to the case with two screws. The L-shaped protective bar is 2.9 mm wide and pushes the crown down firmly to the case when closed. 

You can find more information about Ref. 6152/1 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter IV, pages 202-255. About the crown protecting device you can find information on pages 225 to 233.

“VivArt”, a culture and lifestyle magazine for the Wiesbaden region, featured the authors Ralf Ehlers and Volker Wiegmann with a 3 page story about their hobby – collecting Vintage Panerai watches – and the motivation to write a book about those watches with a personal history of their first owners, the italian and german frogmen in service during the 2nd world war. Also their life as members of the “paneristi.com collectors’ community” has been in the spotlight of the interview.

During the interview, Volker was sporting a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” of which three photos have been published aside the “group picture” with the complete Belloni frogmen gear from 1944.

The interview for the spring edition (available from march 9th onwards) has been taken by chief editor Dr. Dirk M. Becker. The “VivArt” magazine is published four times per year. More info at www.vivart.de

A local Panerai AD in Hesse state’s capital city Wiesbaden, Juwelier Stoess (www.stoess.eu), is having a special Panerai exhibition for two weeks (february 25th to march 10th) with a completely “Panerai corporate designed shop window” which is getting a lot attraction in Wiesbaden’s famous shopping area Wilhelmsstrasse – close to the well known Kurhaus / Casino.

There are special and rare Panerai models in the display, also some Vintage Panerai instruments are placed. Beside a battery powered light gun, a so called Elettrosegnalatore GPF 1/58, two parts of Arillo’s “Trittico” in their wooden storage box are in the spot: a Luminor depth gauge (16 meters) and a Luminor compass.

Tried to catch a nice movement view of a Vintage Panerai “Kampfschwimmer” watch. The Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 used in Ref. 3646 watches are doubtless a part of the Panerai DNA. Strong machines, which still can keep perfect time after many years of use…

Returned home from my visit at the SIHH in Geneve yesterday. It was great to see that Panerai continue to use their DNA in the new collection.

My personal highlight was “the return of the 8 mm crown” (PAM 399) on a Luminor case, which was only produced with the legendary crown protecting device in modern Panerai watches since 1993. This type of crowns have been used on vintage Panerai watches of the references 6152, 6154 and 6152/1 (Rolex 8 mm Brevet crown). You can find more info in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter VI.III on page 325.

Features of the watch:
Reference: PAM399
Case: 47mm AISI 316L polished steel
Movement: Hand-wound mechanical,exclusive Panerai OP XXVII calibre, base Minerva 16-17
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds
Water resistance: 30 metres
Crystal: Plexiglas 3.0 mm
Back: See-through sapphire crystal

You can find a detailled overview of the 2012 models at www.paneristi.com, also at www.panerai.com

As a vintage Panerai enthusiast, it was a big pleasure for me to see the famous “74” Ref. 6152/1 watch with Angelus movement and single pencil hands on display at the Panerai booth! Panerai showed a couple of special and rare watches, also the PAM203 with vintage Angelus movement (a special edition model of the year 2005).