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.

Bonhams Auction House in London has a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” in their Fine Watches & Wristwatches auction (LOT273) on december 4th, 2013.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260505
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement, typical for 3646 watches of this type, is matching our database criteria. A tubular crown (“Oyster Patent” inscription / Type 13) is screwed down on the neck of the 47 mm cushion shaped case.

The outer caseback of the watch bears the initials of its first owner, a german frogmen (H Sch), which leads the traces back to the end of the 2nd world war, when the watch changed ownership to a servicemen of the United Kingdom. Here it has been kept for the following 68 years as a memorable piece.

It is fantastic to see such a rare watch surfacing in “untouched condition” after so many years, which makes it also a new entry into our database. Further informations on rare Ref. 3646 watches with similar engraved casebacks can be found in our two books History1 and History2.

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

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

Christie’s New York has a Ref. 3646 / Type C “Radiomir Panerai” in their Important Watches auction (LOT 343) on december 17th, 2013. The watch is recorded in our database since 2006.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010091

Inside the watch works the typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. The inner caseback engravings, in combination with the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement, are matching our database criteria.

The outer caseback of the watch is engraved with a matriculation number of the italian Decima Flottiglia MAS – short “Xa FLOTMAS No. 048”. A similar 3646 / Type C watch (“Xa FLOTMAS No. 040”) has been published here.

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

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

Additional photos reached us “just in time” before the auction at Christie’s Geneva is about to start (November 11th).

As we published info and an excerpt of our database earlier, we can provide here a couple of interesting photos, showing the condition of this Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” with two engraved initials on its caseback.

The watch comes with original strap and buckle, both case and plexi appear to be unpolished with heaps of patina “built” over the past decades. The movement shows the typical features of a Rolex Cal.618 / Type 1 movement. A tubular crown (“Oyster Patent” inscription / Type 13) is screwed down on the neck of the 47 mm cushion shaped case.

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

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

We recently received a few more photos of the Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” watch, which will be auctioned next week in Geneva.

In Addition to the previously published info on this watch, we can see on these photos interesting details: the “volcano dome” plexi (top left), the non-engraved caseback (top right), the typical 3646 / Type D cushion shaped case with short looped lugs (low left) and a close look at the sewn-in buckle (low right).

For further info on the different shape of soldered lugs on Ref. 3646 watches, you can see comparing photos on page 769 in chapter VIII.I of our book “History2”.

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

Sotheby’s has a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” watch in their upcoming Important Watches auction in Geneva, november 12th (LOT 293).

This watch is one of the lowest case numbers known today in the number group of Ref. 3646 / Type D. It is accompanied with a compass and comes with its original domed plexiglass. The tongue part of the leather strap is missing, while the buckle part is still present.

The inner caseback engravings, in combination with the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement, are matching our database criteria (see photo below).

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260429
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

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

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

Christie’s has a Ref. 3646 / Type E “California Dial” in their next auction (LOT 219) in Geneva, november 11th. Great to see another surfaced watch matching the criteria of our database work.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type E
Dial: “California Dial”
Case number: 261078
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 mod.

Typical features of Ref. 3646 / Type E watches are the removed / not existing Rolex stamp in the inner caseback and the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 mod. movement. You can compare the different inner caseback engravings in Ref. 3646 watches here. Also the “California Dial” is corresponding with the flat bezel of the watch – a typical combination of dial version and bezel. A Panerai dial with its sandwich construction would need a higher bezel due to its height. You can read more about 3646 / Type E watches in our book “Vintage Panerai – The References”.

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

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

Christie’s has a Ref. 6152/1 “Marina Militare” in their next auction (LOT 290) in Geneva, november 11th. With ist case number 124516 it is one of the low case numbers in our records of todays existing 89 watches of this reference, reaching from 124495 to 124986.

The watch comes with 8 mm Rolex crown / without crown protecting device and typical “double pencil” shaped hands with “dull pins”. Inside the watch is working a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 3 movement (15 Rubis + Incabloc shock protection). The inner caseback of the watch bears the typical Rolex marking of the refence 6152/1, on the outside of the caseback is the letter “D” engraved / stamped in the center.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6152/1
Dial: “Marina Militare”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 124516
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 3

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

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

View on the inner caseback of a Ref. 6154 “Egiziano Piccolo” – the unique and beautiful decorated Montres Rolex S.A. Symbol, different to the other references made for Panerai in the 1950s (6152, 6152/1).

You can find an overview on the differences in the inner caseback of the three references 6152, 6154 and 6152/1 here.

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.