A mechanical timer, used by the italian navy during the 2nd world war. To our knowledge today, these type of timers were used in warheads which have been carried by SLC torpedos. They have been inserted into a circular cavity on the starboard side of the warhead.

The countdown scale (delay mechanism) is adjustable to max. 10 hours. The case is made of brass. As the adjustable scale is not luminous, it had to be set before the mission (usually in total darkness underwater / night mission) started. Once the explosive was placed under the target, the timer had just to be activated.

In our hunt for well documented vintage Panerai watches, we have received a letter, written by a german “Kampfschwimmer” veteran. It tells the story about the 3646 Type D watch, which has been published in our 2nd book (chapter I.IV).

The detailled informations about it’s previous owners let us follow back the history to the year 1945, when it was used by a german unit of the “Kampfschwimmergruppe Keller” at the eastern front, who let engrave his initials on the caseback. 

An unique mission report has been published in our 1st book “Watches with History”, taken from a diary of another frogmen of the Keller group. The complete line-up of ownerships until today makes it a very interesting piece.

After years of travelling across europe, the watch has returned to Germany in 2008. It was completely serviced and now appears in good shape, well running – after more than 65 years…

We start to publish a “Vintage Panerai instrument of the week” photo series of interesting pieces provided from private collectors.

Beside the legendary watches (which have been only a small part of Panerai’s product range) the company produced a large number of different instruments and tools for nautical use over decades in the last century.

Since 2007, both of our books have been featured in german and swiss watch magazines. The latest press review was published in “Armbanduhren“, one of germany’s leading watch mags.

After the release of the 2nd book we sent copies of our both books to Mr. Franco Cologni.
We received his following comment:

Dear Sirs,

I have just received your beautiful present which I appreciate a lot. These two books represent a very important testimony for Panerai and they are certainly a fundamental reference of the story of this brand. A true story that, also thanks to your job, is becoming legendary. In your books appears an emotion that it isn’t present in a lot of other books concerning watches: the passion.

With my best and heart-felt compliments!
Franco Cologni

Mr. Cologni served until March 2005 as Chairman of Panerai, the watch brand that Richemont had acquired in 1997 thanks to his intuition regarding its promising potential. He is currently the president of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH).

With great pleasure we took note of the release of the Mare Nostrum chronograph (PAM300) at the SIHH in Geneva, january 2010.

Finally Panerai has launched the legendary chronograph, which is a milestone in the brand’s heritage. We are sure that this watch, produced in only 99 units, will be come a sought after piece like PAM21, PAM203 and PAM267… giving applause to Panerai for turning the mythos into reality!

It will be interesting to see, if Panerai will keep this case design exclusively for the released special edition only, or if further Panerai chronographs come in this case – maybe in smaller size and with inhouse movements (P.2004)?

(Photo: Archivio Storico Panerai)

We appreciate the FHH anti-counterfeiting campaign
« FAKE WATCHES ARE FOR FAKE PEOPLE ! ».

Find more informations here.

An interesting fact is at watches from the reference 6152/1, that there is no relationship between Rolex case number (engraved between the lugs) and the M.M. matriculation numbers, which are engraved on the caseback. Today we believe that the numbered watch cases (or entire watches) have been mixed after they were delivered (if they ever came in a matching number row out of Rolex) to their customer.

Good examples of this non-present relationship are 6152/1 watches 124527 (caseback engraved M.M. 023) and 124766 (caseback engraved M.M. 025). As the gap between 023 and 025 is only 1, the cases are 239 numbers away from each other.

Watch 124822 comes with engraved M.M. 066 caseback. Its 41 numbers higher than M.M.025, while their cases are 56 numbers away from each other.

The reason might be simple: caseback engravings (to use as a military matriculation number) may have been done by the customer and not by Panerai. What we find today let us think so. Additional, you can find no relationship on further details: dial versions, movement versions (Angelus 240 or Rolex 618), with or without crown protectors…

Since we have crossed the closing line of our 2nd book on april 1st 2009, we are still on the hunt for new, yet unknown datings on Angelus movements, which have been used in vintage Panerai watches.

Until today we know three different datings: 12.55 (in GPF 2/56), MAI.61 (in 6152/1 watches, find below the location at the movement in the red circle) and JUIN.61 (in 3646 and 6152/1 watches). It will be interesting to see further datings in the future, also because it can answer questions about the type of decoration and engraving on the bridges of the Angelus movements, which we know in different versions.

By collecting facts and details of today existing watches, we have continued to increase the entries in our database with more than 250 (1.1.2010) watches so far.

Beside case numbers and dial versions, we add further details, which allow us to create graphics of the files, which is helpful for our research and a great addition next to informations in the usual way as text and numbers.