Tag: Type C

Ref. 3646 / Type C “Radiomir Panerai” @ Christie’s NY

by on Nov.18, 2013, under Watch Point

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]

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A yet unknown 3646 / Type C watch surfaced

by on May.24, 2013, under General

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).

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Just because… Radiomir!

by on Mar.07, 2013, under General

Recently we got the chance to take a photo of a Ref. 3646 / Type C watch, which is representing the DNA of Panerai all over by its distinguished design elements.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 10102xx
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

A “clean and simple” dial, reduced to the max, fitted in a 47 mm cushion shaped case with welded loops and the “Brevet +” crown… it does not need much to create a legend, which is lasting for more than 70 years and keep collectors of these watches all around the globe so fascinated…

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“…and sold!”

by on Nov.10, 2012, under Watch Point


Fortunately I was able to follow Dr. Crott’s 86th auction in the “Skyloft” at the Sheraton hotel in Frankfurt. Both “Kampfschwimmer” watches, LOT 16 (Ref. 3646 / Type C) and LOT 17 (Ref. 3646 / Type D) have been successfully auctioned and found new owners.

The bidder (and new owner) of  the Ref. 3646 / Type C watch was present in the audience, the new owner of the Ref. 3646 / Type D watch was a telephone bidder from Asia. After the auction of both Vintage Panerai watches I was able to meet a german paneristi which I knew before only from his nickname in the public forum at paneristi.com. It’s always nice to put a face behind a nickname…!

It will be interesting to follow the traces of both watches in the future… congratulations to the new owners! [Volker Wiegmann]

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Upcoming auction in November @ Dr. Crott

by on Nov.05, 2012, under Watch Point


November will be interesting to follow the auction at Frankfurt’s Hotel Sheraton (saturday, november 10th), where two Ref. 3646 watches will be up for sale. German auctioneer Dr. Crott will have their 86th auction with more than 500 lots, including a Ref. 3646 / Type C watch and a Ref. 3646 / Type D watch. 

We hope they find a good new home and that they remain surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. The Ref. 3646 / Type C watch and it’s history will be featured in one of the chapters of our new book “History2” (available in 2013).

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“History2″: research in progress…

by on Sep.18, 2012, under General

We lately got access to study further historic documents which were kept together with an interesting Ref. 3646 / Type C “Kampfschwimmer”.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 1010351
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The set – Panerai watch and documents from the first owner – including letters, photos, his Kriegsmarine pay book and rare decorations from WW2 and post-WW2-aera will hopefully find a good new home at Dr. Crott during their 86th auction on november 10th, 2012.

During the research on these documents we found further info on the missions which this german frogmen took part. These informations underlined locations and sites that were mentioned from other german veterans and are featured in our latest book “History1”, e.g. the quarters of the german combat swimmers in List on Sylt  (Training Commando 700 unit) which was known as “Weisskoppel”. All together, these documents and the Ref. 3646 / Type C watch will build one more interesting chapter in our future book “History2”.

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A guest in the middle… “the italian thing”

by on Sep.07, 2012, under General

Some time ago I had the chance for making this photo, in the middle the Ref. 3646 / Type C watch of our good friend. I had the chance for comparing the differences between Type C and Type D cases, bezels, casebacks – aside the different dial versions: engraved “Radiomir Panerai” and the “Kampfschwimmer” version. The younger companion on the right, the Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” is making the line-up a big load of Panerai DNA at one spot. All three of them powered with the Rolex Cal. 618.

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Spot on: the Panerai sandwich dial

by on Sep.06, 2012, under General

Captured the surface of the sandwich dial on a Ref. 3646 /  Type C Vintage Panerai watch.

The milled digits and indexes on the matte black aluminium dial with a diameter of 37 mm are two of the typical features that each Panerai watch bears – from the past until today. The reduced design of the dial – only 4 numbers and 8 indexes – represents the DNA of the Panerai brand on first sight. Even from a distance, a Panerai can be spotted easily because of its “clear” face…

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Just because… blue hands!

by on Sep.01, 2012, under General

Captured the blue color of the steel hands on Ref. 3646 watches. Always an amazing detail on these watches: the matte black sandwich dial, the aged luminous material in a color range from honey-like orange to a deep red.

These watches carry the DNA of Panerai in many details. Each of these rare watches aged individually. It is always interesting to see how different these watches passed nearly 70 years… and they are still keeping great time!

Features of the Ref. 3646 with “Kampfschwimmer” dial:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260554
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Features of the Ref. 3646 with “Radiomir Panerai” dial:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010244
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

You can find more information about Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter I, pages 31-159.

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Comparing two “warbirds”

by on Aug.31, 2012, under General

Recently I had the chance to take some photos of two Ref. 3646 watches. The differences between Type C and Type D cases are always nice to point out, but the steel hands are striking eyecatchers on both of them. The blue color of the temperature-treated hands is coming well in a different ankle towards the light source, not easy to capture.

The Ref. 3646 / Type C appears to be one of the “dark red” dials which changed the color of the luminous “Radiomir” over decades. The Ref. 3646 / Type D marks a typical “Kampfschwimmer” watch with anonymous dial.

The casebacks of these watches bear the roots of their origin – both are individually engraved on the outer caseback. The Ref. 3646 / Type D watch has the personalized initials of the first owner and the unit he belonged to, engraved by hand. The Ref. 3646 / Type C watch bears the machine engraved name of the famous italian unit, which carried out underwater missions in the mediterranean sea – the Decima Flottiglia MAS – including its matriculation number.

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