Since January 1st, 2010 we have received more than 40 new entries in our database, spread over all references. Most of the new entries are in the reference 6152/1.

Very interesting for our research is a “group” of three Ref. 6152/1 watches in a row: 124805, 124806 and 124807.

The first two watches have both “Luminor Panerai” dials. Watch 124805 has a crown protecting device signed “10″, while its “brother watch” 124806 has the crown protecting device signed “9″. It will be interesting to compare these two watches with close lower numbers to see if they have crown protecting devices signed with matching numbers (between “1″ and “8″) to them.

All three watches come with the -  typical for this reference – Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement (17 Rubis + Incabloc shock protection) which is one of the main features of Ref. 6152/1 watches with Rolex movements.

Both watches with “Luminor Panerai” dials have the “double pencil” hands, but they are not 100% identical: watch 124806 has the “sharp pin” versions, watch 124805 has the “dull pin” versions. Both watches, 124805 and 124806, have no matriculation number engraved on the caseback.

Watch 124807 comes with a “Marina Militare” dial and so it could be part of a different order, in case that the Italian Navy ordered watches with identical dial inscriptions from Panerai. This question can be answered in the future when we have found more watches which have close case numbers to these three here. 

Watch 124807 has the crown protecting device signed “7″ and the “BREV. ITAL.” trademark inscriptions. The caseback of this watch bears a matriculation number: “M.M. 005″. It holds also the “double pencil” hands with “sharp pins”.

You can find more information about Ref. 6152/1 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” in chapter IV, pages 202-255.

Everytime we get the chance to take a close look at a rare Ref. 6152 Panerai, we can’t resist to make a very close observation of its case profile, which is – compared to Ref. 6152/1 case profile – very different. During the X Club Panerai Meeting in Viareggio there was another chance to take a close look at a collector’s stunning Ref. 6152 watch (see illustration on the left).

Both references were delivered with 8 mm Rolex crowns, but the main feature of the better known (and more produced) Ref. 6152/1 is the Panerai crown protecting device. For many collectors it is difficult to understand the difference between a Ref. 6152 and a Ref. 6152/1 if they only see photos of both references.

If you ever have the chance to hold a Ref. 6152 Panerai watch in your hand: you must see and feel the small hollow and the slope (pink colored in the illustration) on the side of the case. If you compare it with the rounded case profile of a 6152/1, the difference is very clear and easy to spot.

You can read more about the Ref. 6152 Panerai in chapter II of our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” with detailled dimensions and supporting photos, comparing all three 615X references and their differences.

The references produced in the 1950′s and 1960′s show clearly differences in caseback markings. Beside the different shapes of center cases and lugs between 6152, 6154 and 6152/1, different Rolex markings are visible when caseback removed.

The illustration shows the following caseback versions:
Ref. 6152 Rolex (with case number)
Ref. 6154 Montres Rolex S.A. (with case number)
Ref. 6152/1 Montres Rolex S.A. (without case number)

You can read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 615X watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”.

An example of our classification work: The reference 3646 is divided into seven production groups (Type A – Type G), of which the different caseback markings and numbers (inside) are just one of the most important indicators.

The illustration shows the following caseback versions:
Ref. 3646 / Type A Oyster Watch Co (large)
Ref. 3646 / Type B Oyster Watch Co. (small)
Ref. 3646 / Type C Brevetee Rolex S.A.

You can read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”.

Recently we added another Ref. 3646 / Type B watch into our database.
It expands the number group of today existing Type B watches from 1010015 to 1010024.

Typical features of Ref. 3646 / Type B watches are the small “Oyster Watch Co” stamp in the inner caseback and the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement.

Research in vintage watches is boring? Absolutely not! This week we got three new entries in our database, so three more pieces of the puzzle added. All of them are Ref. 6152/1 watches with Rolex movements, two with “Marina Militare” dial and one with “Luminor Panerai” dial. They all match with our database structure, which confirms its functionality during our research since years.

It happens rarely, and probably only in Italy, that you can spot a Vintage Panerai on a wrist “in the wild”. So it was when we visited the Museo Technico Navale (“Arsenale”) in La Spezia during the X Meeting Club Panerai.

Our museum guide was wearing a stunning Ref. 6152/1 with “Marina Militare” dial, Rolex movement, double pencil hands (sharp heads). The caseback bears a rare S.M.Z M.M. matriculation number. Fantastic piece – one more for our database!

Today’s extract out of our database is a 6152/1 watch. It holds the Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 movement (typical for 6152/1 watches), which has 17 Jewels (bridge engraved “17 Rubis”) and Incabloc shock protection. The crown protection device bears an engraved “1″ on its backside.

Panerai collectors call this kind of watches “The Luminor Base” because of the typo on the dial, the missing second hand (only 2 hands) and the crown protecting device, which is one of the main design elements that makes a Panerai watch “different” to many other watches.

Powered with the Rolex movement, this type of vintage Panerai stands for the “Base” version without small second (modern Panerai watches of ref. PAM2, PAM112 and PAM176).

The title “Luminor Marina” (modern Panerai watches of ref. PAM1, PAM111, PAM177) has its root in the vintage 6152/1 watches (see the 6152/1 on the left), which are powered by Angelus movements (Cal. 240) with the typical small second function. They symbolize “The Luminor Marina” as version with 3 hands, that is hours, minutes and small second.

A very interesting 3646 / Type C watch will be auctioned soon at Auktionen Dr. H. Crott (LOT 379). It’s matching in all details with our database, where it is listed since august 2009. In this condition, such Panerai watches are quite rare to find in these days. It comes even with an original leather strap, which is absolutely hard to find, as most of the original straps were cut off after long time of use, because the lugs on 3646 watches are welded to the case (which caused the straps to be sewn onto the lugs / not interchangeable like on Ref. 615X watches ).

Our database entry (click above) shows the following detials: Inner caseback signed 1010288. Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. Dial signed “Radiomir Panerai” with redish aged numbers and markers. Steel hands. Onion shaped “Brevet+” crown.

We hope it will find a good new home!

A fellow collector has provided detailled information of his ref. 6152/1 with Angelus movement for our database.

The Angelus movement is signed JUIN 61, which is matching our files perfectly. It comes with a very rare dial version: as most of the known 6152/1 Angelus watches have a “Luminor Panerai” dial, the dial of this watch is engraved “Marina Militare”.

The massive Rolex caseback bears matriculation numbers of the italian navy. Together with this caseback, there is also a 2nd display caseback, signed “Officine Panerai Brevettato”.

To keep the owners privacy, we don’t publish the complete case number, which we keep confidential in our database. You can read more about this type of vintage Panerai watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References” (chapter VI.III).