Almost one year after I visited Karl-Heinz Kiefer for a personal delivery of our book “History1”, it was time to deliver him a copy of our new book“History2″. For me it was all about keeping a promise – again. Both, Karl-Heinz Kiefer and his kind wife Irma, welcomed me at their home in good health. I was able to forwarded greetings from my co-author Ralf Ehlers to both of them.

Veteran Karl-Heinz Kiefer, born in 1925, is featured in chapter III of our book “History1″. A preview of “his” chapter can be found here. The photo of the “handover moment” from last year is published in the preface of our new book “History2” on page 428.

Be well and stay in good shape, Mr. Kiefer!  [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

A nicely captured Vintage Panerai Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in the focus, showing an orange coated plexi. The side area of the plexi shows markings from a rotating bezel, which was once attached but did not “survived” until today. Aside this watch, other today existing watches with similar plexi glasses to carry a rotating bezel are filed in our database. The watch is equipped with “double pencil” hands (“sharp pin” version). Under the non-engraved caseback and dust lid, the engine of the watch is a typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement with 17 Rubis and Incablock shock protection.

Today, the reason for the transparent orange coating on the plexi isn’t known. Either it has been applied for a practical reason (anti-reflecting or camouflage) or the color of the coating has been aged and so changed its color over the years, adding up this orange patina.

A special moment for Ralf… and all about keeping a promise: he recently visited Jochen Burnus, the german frogmen veteran, who is featured in our new book “History2” in Chapter V. Ralf delivered, as promised, a personal copy to the veteran right after the production. Jochen, who becomes 90 years old very soon, welcomed Ralf in very good shape with a strong handshake.

Finally there was the moment when Jochen Burnus was able to take the first look into our new book and read “his chapter”…

Be well and stay in good shape, Jochen!  [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

A side-by-side view onto two Ref. 6152/1 Vintage Panerai watches. While both watches with the legendary crown protecting device using a “Luminor Panerai” dial, their movements are different: The left Ref. 6152/1 is powered with an Angelus Cal. 240 SF (8 days) movement (15 Rubis and Incabloc shock protection, signed “JUIN .61″) and the right Ref. 6152/1 is powered with a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 (17 Rubis and Incabloc shock protection) movement.

Noteable is also, that the opened casebacks are different too: on the caseback of the watch with Angelus movement, the Rolex stamp has been milled off, while the watch with Rolex movement is bearing the typical 6152/1 stamp in the middle of its inner caseback.

An interesting Vintage Panerai collectible surfaced lately: a “green light” instrument, powered with “ELUX” from Officine Panerai, in mint condition.

This electrical signal light device was probably used on a ship or submarine and can be mounted with two screws on the backside of the case onto a wall or other surface. It is painted in the typical navy grey color as used on other instruments and tools we know from Officine Panerai.

The german watch portal www.watchtime.net featured the Vintage Panerai Ref. 3646 / Type C – “The Lehmann Radiomir” – with an overview about the details of the watch and the history behind its first two owners, german frogmen Werner Bullin and Heinz Günter Lehmann.

“The Lehmann Radiomir” is fully described in our book “History1” in Chapter I on 75 pages with 38 photos and 4 technical illustrations. Thanks to www.watchtime.net for putting a spotlight onto Panerai’s DNA. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

We have added another unknown watch into our database – yet another piece of the puzzle surfaced. The “Kampfschwimmer” watch with the case number 260739 will be up for auction on june, 11th at auctioneer Bonhams in London (LOT 357).

Aside the flat brass dial and the corresponding flat bezel it is bearing typical features of watches of the Reference 3646 / Type D. The original plexiglas and the winding crown have been replaced. Typical feature of the brass dial is the closed 6 and 9 digit because the numbers and markers are embossed into the brass dial and not engraved into the dial (like the sandwich dials from Panerai are made).

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (painted brass, anonymous)
Case number: 260739
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Auctioneer Bonhams features the following provenance under this LOT:  Provenance: This watch was given to the current vendor’s father by a German prisoner of war in Italy in 1944, while serving in the Royal Engineers bomb disposal unit.

It underlines our theory that in the future such watches will surface in allied countries which fought against german and italian forces in the 2nd world war. Ownership changed quite often and watches were sought after pieces for allied servicemen. From interviews we took with veterans, this has been confirmed several times (read also “History1”, Chapter III, page 207, which features a simliar Ref. 3646 / Type D watch with brass dial).

Special thanks to Mike Wood for providing additional info on this watch for our database. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

We have added another unknown watch into our database – yet another piece of the puzzle surfaced. The “Radiomir Panerai” watch with the case number 1010119 will be up for auction in june, bearing typical features of watches of the Reference 3646 / Type C.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010119
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

This Vintage Panerai Ref. 3646 / Type C watch appears to be one with a “dark red” Panerai dial, which changed the color of the luminous “Radiomir” over decades during its aging process. It comes with an original leather strap and buckle, which is very hard to find in these days.

Further info and photos of the watch can be found on the auctioneer’s website (Auctionata, Berlin/Germany).

Close look at a “Radiomir Panerai” dial of a Vintage Panerai Ref. 6152 watch. The surface of the sandwich dial with the milled letters is showing pure Panerai DNA above the double pencil hands.

This dial version, using the famous “Radiomir” luminous material, can be found across all Vintage Panerai References: 3646, 6152, 6154, 6152/1 and GPF 2/56 and also in the prototype of the “Mare Nostrum” chronograph. The self-iluminating substance “Radiomir” was patented by Guido Panerai already in 1915, which enabled the use of instruments even in complete darkness.

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 Type 4).

The central bridge shows the “ROLEX 17 RUBIS” engraving on the left side. This engraving is used only in Ref. 3646 watches from Type A to Type D, as the Ref. 3646 watches from Type E to Type G bear “17 RUBIS FAB. SUISSE”.