Another Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” with Rolex movement and crown-protecting device has been added into our records: The first specimen of this group in 2019.

The son of the first owner, a high decorated veteran of the Mezzi d’Assalto, provided us information about the watch and his father who continued his career in the Marina Militare after the end of the war until his retirement in 1982. His father took part in missions of the Decima MAS against enemy ships in the bay of Algeciras / Gibraltar in 1943.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6152/1
Dial: “Luminor Panerai” (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1246XX
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4

The 6152/1 is powered by a Rolex 618 / Type 4 movement under its unsigned solid caseback (find classification of the 615X references here) and dust lid, which can be found in more than 80% of all Ref. 6152/1 watches, recorded in our database until today.

The hands of the watch (double pencil, sharp pin) appear today without their initial luminous material, however they have not been re-lumed during a service in 2004. The crown-protecting device of this watch is signed “BREV. ITAL.” and additionally numbered “3” on the underside. The family of the veteran kept the original strap and buckle (visible in the first photo), and at the moment a modern Panerai strap is mounted onto the watch for the use on special occasions.

Similar watches of the Reference 6152/1 with Rolex movement and crown-protecting device can be found in chapter VIII.II (page 922-1057) of our book  “The References” 1950’s-1960’s .

Phillips will feature a rare Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in their Geneva Watch Auction: SEVEN, which will be held on Sunday, 13 May 2018. The watch was recorded in our database in 2017 being one of three “new surfaced” Ref. 6152/1 watches – all three of them with engraved casebacks. Read more about lot 212 here at Phillips.

The “Luminor Panerai” dial is the most used in all Ref. 6152/1 watches recorded in our database, as well as the Rolex 618 / Type 4 movement is working in more than 80 % of all recorded watches of the Reference 6152/1. The crown-protecting device of this watch is not signed with “BREV. ITAL.” but instead numbered “9” on the upper side (usually such numbers can be found on the underside of crown-protecting devices). The initial “double pencil” shaped hands have been replaced by the current pair of hands, probably during a service in the past.

The caseback of this watch is marked with a very rare matriculation number of the Guardia di Finanza. In addition to the Italian navy, divers of the military Guardia di Finanza (G.F.) and Carabinieri (C.C.), Polizia di Stato (P.S.) and civil divers within the fire service (V.F.) were also equipped with watches from Guido Panerai & Figlio. The present watch is one of only two watches in our records with a matriculation number of the Guardia di Finanza. The second watch belongs to the Archivio Storico Panerai.

Chapter VIII.II of our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s is featuring similar watches like this specimen on auction at Phillips, with Rolex movement and Panerai crown-protecting device, on page 922-1057.

We hope that this Ref. 6152/1 will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[Photos with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Two Vintage Panerai watches will be up for auction in The Geneva Watch Auction: SEVEN at Phillips on 12 & 13 May 2018. Inbetween a total of 185 watches in this auction, Lot 212 is a Ref. 6152/1 with “Luminor Panerai” dial and rare caseback engraving of the Guardia di Finanza, followed by Lot 213, a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” with anonymous sandwich dial.

Read more in our watch point.

Phillips will feature a rare Ref. 6152/1 with “Marina Militare” dial in their Winning Icons – Legendary Watches of the 20th Century, which will be held on Thursday, 26 October 2017. The watch was recorded in our database in 2007 with a “non-matching” Ref. 6152 caseback. Taking the documented history for granted, this watch came directly from a veteran of the COMSUBIN and sold to the collector (the current owner / consignor) in the same year.

In 2013, the current owner of this Ref. 6152/1 added a very rare Ref. 6152 / Type B into his collection, which was recorded in our database with a “non-matching” Ref. 6152/1 caseback (read more here). Due to these circumstances, the owner of both watches (the Ref. 6152 with “non-matching” 6152/1 caseback and the Ref. 6152/1 with “non-matching” 6152 caseback) was able to swop the casebacks to get “matching” casebacks on both of his watches. The result was, that his 6152 / Type B has a “matching” 6152 caseback and the current lot 39 comes with “matching” Ref. 6152/1 caseback (engraved with S.M.Z M.M. 170). Lot 39 is published in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s on page 894-901.

Furthermore we take into account that over the years we have recorded several Ref. 6152/1 watches with “non-matching” casebacks of the Ref. 6152. The first surfaced Ref. 6152 / Type B watch was recorded in 2010 with a “non-matching” caseback of a Ref. 6152/1, too. The owner of this watch was able to swop the caseback with a “matching” Ref. 6152 caseback as well. More about this can be read on page 767 in chapter VI.II of our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s.

At the release date of our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s, 87 specimen of the Ref. 6152/1 with Rolex movement were recorded in our database, and only 23 of them come with an 8 mm crown like the present watch on auction (the other 64 Ref. 6152/1 watches with Rolex movements have a Panerai crown-protecting devicve). Lot 39 is one of only eight watches of the Ref. 6152/1 with Rolex crown, which comes with a “Marina Militare” dial, known until today.

Further info on this watch (lot 39) can be found here.

We hope that this rare watch will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Two Vintage Panerai watches will be up for auction in the WINNING ICONS auction at Phillips on 26 October 2017 in New York. Inbetween a total of 50 watches in the auction with the subtitle “Legendary Watches of the 20th Century”, Lot 16 is a 3646 / Type E with “California Dial” (photo), followed by Lot 39, a Ref. 6152/1 with 8 mm Rolex crown and “Marina Militare” dial. Find further info on both watches in our Watch Point.

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Phillips will auction two Vintage Panerai watches on Sunday, 12 November 2017 during their Geneva Watch Auction: SIX. Lot 209 is a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” and Lot 210 is a Ref. 3646 / Type C “Kampfschwimmer” (photo).

Read more on both “Watches with History” in our Watch Point. Lot 209 is featured in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s – more info here. Lot 210 is featured in our book “History2” – more info here.

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Phillips will feature a very rare Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in their Geneva Watch Auction: SIX, which will be held on Sunday, 12 November 2017.

It is one of very few existing Ref. 6152/1 watches with a rotating plexi bezel. Until today we have just four 6152/1 watches in our records that still feature such an additional rotating bezel – and one of them is the watch up for auction. The Rolex movement of the watch with “Luminor Panerai” dial is a typical Cal. 618 / Type 4 version with incabloc shock protection and 17 jewels. The watch came from the descendants of Admiral Gino Birindelli (1911 – 2008) and was auctioned for the first time only a few years ago at Sotheby’s in May 2014.

Further info on this watch (lot 209) can be found here.

What makes this watch special for us:
During the 2nd world war, Birindelli was a SLC pilot in the very early missions of the Mezzi d’Assalto against Alexandria (G.A.1) and Gibraltar (B.G.1 and B.G.2) in 1940. He was in fact the first SLC pilot who entered an enemy harbor with his device in the night of 30 October 1940, for which he was awarded with the gold medal for galantry at war (M.O.V.M.). Birindelli survived being a prisoner of war from October 1940 to March 1944. After the 2nd world war his career in the Italian Navy continued and became quite unique. Birindelli was commander of the Incursori (COMSUBIN) from 26 September 1948 to 30 April 1950, once again from 1 May 1954 to 5 June 1956. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1959, headed the I Divisione Navale as well as the fleet command (Comandante in Capo della Squadra Navale). Gino Birindelli headed the Allied naval forces in southern Europe before he retired in December 1973 in the rank of Ammiraglio di Squadra. Read more on Admiral Gino Birindelli here.

The watch of Admiral Gino Birindelli and the unique story behind his career can be read in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s (chapter VIII.II, page 1006 to 1043).

We hope that this remarkable watch will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

Compass, watch and depth gauge made by Guido Panerai & Figlio: a “Trittico”. Huge and impressive instruments worn on the wrist. Compasses, watches of the Ref. 6152/1 and depth gauges are featured in several versions (with “Radiomir” and “Luminor” luminous material) in the chapters VIII.II, XI.I and XI.II of the second volume of our book “The References”.

Chapter VIII.II is about the watches of the Ref. 6152/1 with crown-protecting device and Rolex movement and holds information about nine different models (page 922 to 1057) with “Marina Militare”, “Radiomir Panerai” and “Luminor Panerai” dials (as shown in the photo). Chapter XI.I is about compasses from Guido Panerai & Figlio. Five different models are featured from page 1320 to 1333. Three with “Radiomir”, two with “Luminor” dials. Chapter XI.II is featuring depth gauges. Ten different models are featured from page 1334 to 1367. Six with “Radiomir” dials, aimed to 7, 30, 35 (2 versions: adjustable and non-adjustable dial), 50 and 60 meters. Four with “Luminor” dials, aimed to 7, 15, 16, 30 and 40 meters. Last but not least, chapter XII gives an overview of the straps and buckles used on watches and instruments from Guido Panerai & Figlio in this era.

Information on “The References” 1950’s-1960’s can be found here.

Of the less than 70 registered watches of the Reference 6152/1 with Rolex movement and crown-protecting device, almost a third feature a “Marina Militare” dial. The specimen shown here was a new entry into our database in 2016, which is also engraved on the caseback with the “long version” marking Sommozzatori Marina Militare, together with a three-digit number (S.M.Z. M.M. XXX). Less than fourty casebacks with such a matriculation number are recorded in our database until today, used on both, Ref. 6152/1 watches with 8 mm Rolex crown and Ref. 6152/1 with the crown-protection device from Guido Panerai & Figlio, no matter which movement is inside (Rolex or Angelus).

This 6152/1 is powered by a Rolex 618 / Type 4 movement, which can be found in more than 80% of all Ref. 6152/1 watches, recorded in our database until today (Type 4 = 17 Rubis and Incabloc shock protection.

Find information about the different matriculation numbers on Ref. 6152/1 watches in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s in chapter VIII.I (page 913-917). Watches of the Reference 6152/1 with Rolex movement and crown-protecting device can be found in chapter VIII.II (page 922-1057).

Introducing another piece of the Vintage Panerai puzzle – and one more from the watches, which were used by the Carabinieri, bearing a rare engraving on its caseback. Until today we have recorded only seven Ref. 6152/1 in our database with C.C. engraving and matriculation number on their casebacks.

Beside this watch, four similar specimen with “Luminor Panerai” dial and crown-protecting device are part of our database. The new owner has recently provided photos and informations, after purchasing the watch from the family of a Carabinieri veteran, for our records.

More than 50% of all recorded Ref. 6152/1 watches with crown-protecting device bear a “Luminor Panerai” dial. Inside the watch works a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement which is known in more than 80% of all Ref. 6152/1 watches, recorded in our database until today.

Read more about watches with C.C. engraving on page 964-971 in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s. Read also more on Vintage Panerai watches with engraved matriculation numbers here.