Phillips will feature a Ref. 6152/1 “Luminor Panerai” in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR. The watch is recorded in our database since 2010 and appears to be a perfect example for a 6152/1 with Rolex 618 / Type 4 movement in excellent condition.

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 signed “BREV. ITAL.” and additionally numbered “10” on the underside.

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. An overview about the “BREV. ITAL.” signatures on watches with crown-protecting device can be found on page 975.

Further info on this watch (lot 82) can be found here.

We hope that also this 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]

Phillips will feature a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR. The watch is recorded in our database since 2006, when it was auctioned for the first time in Germany at Dr. Crott Auctioneers. By its inner and outer details it is representing a typical “Kampfschwimmer” watch with anonymous sandwich dial, onion shaped “Brevet +” crown (Type 11) and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement.

It appears to be one of only a few specimen which still have their original leather strap and original pin buckle. This particular watch is featured – in detail – in our new book “The References” 1930’s-1940’s in chapter II.IV (Ref. 3646 / Type D) on page 516-523 as well as in chapter V (Straps and Buckles) on page 678.

Further info on this watch (lot 152) can be found here.

We hope that also this 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]

Since we added a Ref. 3646 / Type E “California Dial” into our database in March 2016, the personalized caseback of this watch got our attention, too.

After the watch was auctioned earlier this year in May at Phillips (The Geneva Watch Auction THREE, lot 122, read the note in our watch point here), we continued research on the known personal dates, scratched with a sharp tool onto the caseback of the watch: Name, date of birth and home town of Heinrich Hauenstein.

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

Having already a few watches with personalized casebacks recorded in our database, we wanted to find proof about the personalized dates in general and if further information about the history of the first owner of this watch could be found more than 70 years after its use.

Since we exchanged information about Heinrich Hauenstein with his family, we know that he has passed away in 1976 at the age of 55. He was married but had no children. In 1951 he was a founding member of a shooting club in his hometown Solnhofen (Bavaria/Germany).

The family has recently shared a historical photo of Heinrich Hauenstein with us, dated October 1942 on the backside, showing him as a sailor of the German Kriegsmarine / Navy. To put a face behind the name on the caseback, we are pleased to publish here the photo from 1942 aside the auction catalogue from Phillips.

[Historical portrait photo with kindly permission / courtesy of Heinrich Hauenstein’s family]

One more piece to the puzzle added, another gap closed and a remarkable and noteworthy match in our Vintage Panerai database: Phillips features a rare Ref. 3646 / Type E “California Dial” on May, 15th (lot 122, The Geneva Watch Auction: THREE). Added into our records in March 2016, this specimen bears the important and typical internal and external details of a Ref. 3646 / Type E watch.

Watches of the Reference 3646 / Type E are featured in our new book “The References” 1930’s-1940’s in chapter II.V (page 532-573). With this new addition we have now recorded 27 watches in this group, extending the 3646 / Type E number range downwards by six numbers, filling another gap between the watches of the Reference 3646 / Type D and 3646 / Type E.

The information and measurement results provided by Phillips confirmed the cross-section of a 3646 / Type E caseback, which we put in the focus on page 536-539 of our new book. The caseback of this watch has been engraved with a name, date of birth and hometown of the first owner from Bavaria/Germany.

The Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 mod. movement in this “California Dial” watch is another important element, which appears with confirming details of most of the today recorded watches in this number group.

We hope that also this 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]

Phillips features a very rare Transitional 3646 on May, 15th (lot 123, The Geneva Watch Auction: THREE). Added into our database in 2010, this is one of only five examples which are recorded until today. The rare casing design is based on the pillow-shaped casing of the Reference 3646, on which stronger lugs have been soldered. According to our database it is the only recorded Transitional 3646 with two-lined “Luminor Panerai” dial and Angelus 240 SF movement with date engraving “JUIN.61”.

All known examples of the Transitional 3646 feature a grey anti-reflective coating on the center part of the case, as used on compasses, depth gauges and watches of the Reference GPF 2/56. The screwed-in bezel an caseback are not coated due to the construction of the casing. This example is one of two Transitional 3646 watches featuring a low, two-digit serial (matriculation) number on the display caseback.

Transitional 3646 watches are featured in our book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s in chapter X.II. One of the only five known examples, the Transitional 3646 from the Museo Panerai Collection, is shown on page 1196-1211. The coffee table shot shows page 1208-1209 with a side view of the Transitional 3646.

We hope that this 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]

Phillips will feature a Ref. 3646 / Type D in their upcoming The Hong Kong Watch Auction: ONE (December 1st, 2015). The watch (LOT 223) is recorded in our database since 2010 and is one of the more than 70 recorded watches of the 3646 / Type D number group. The watch has been auctioned in November 2012 at Sotheby’s Geneva before.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260XXX
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Similar Ref. 3646 / Type D watches with anonymous “Kampfschwimmer” dial will be featured in the 2016 edition of our new book “The References” in volume 1, chapter II.IV on page 398-531.

Ref. 3646 / Type D watches with anonymous “Kampfschwimmer” dials are featured in our books “History1″ (chapter II) and “History2″ (chapter V and chapter VII).

We hope that also this 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]