Today I had the chance to stop by at the auctioneer Dr. Crott in Mannheim/Germany. Their 84th upcoming auction features a 3646 / Type C which I wanted to see “in real” before it finds a new owner. After the nightmare experience last week when I was contacted by a collector regarding a fake 3646 “Kampfschwimmer”, it was a pleasure to see such a “raw diamond” as described below:

This “Kampfschwimmer” watch is to me what a vintage Panerai collector can dream of. It appears to be put away in a drawer for decades. It shows a lot patina and proof of wear with thousands of super fine scratches which give the case a nearly matte finish. Lovely aged – I would never put a polishing tool on it. This proof of age is something which have to be kept on this watch (hopefully) by its future owner… Put away in a drawer for decades also mean that it needs a service. I recommend the future owner to go to his “watchmaker of trust” to clean the movement and fix the crown tube.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010147
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

Actually the crown can’t be screwed down to the case as the tube has no winding grip anymore. Known as “the #1 part to be worn off”, the onion shaped crown is always something to be sensible with. Imagine that the crown has to be used evey day and if the watch gets many wrist time (which has obviously been the case in this piece…) one day a new tube is needed.

My personal review:
The plexi: original, never polished, shows scratches and wonderful cracks inside, the rare “volcano dome” shape, lurking a bit above the bezel – just as it should be and similar on many other 3646 watches.
Dial and hands: anonymous dial, nicely aged, numbers and markers fading colors from yellow to orange, including some typical cracks inside the luminous material. Both hands appear to have the original luminous material, not broken out, complete pair. Hands show partially stain, a proof that they have never been polished and/or fixed. Nice blueish shine in different ankles…!
The case: full size Ref. 3646 body, never polished. Typical shape of 3646 / Type C watches. Lugs without damage. Patina all over, proof of “age & use” let it look matte – great!
The caseback: fantastic and rare tatoo-style engraved initals with owner’s initials “HD” and “Marine-Kampfschwimmer 1945″. A true tool watch used in WW2. The inside of the caseback shows the typical Rolex SA embossing known for 3646 / Type C watches. Reference and case number 1010147 matching our database perfectly. No surprise at all. Another piece of the puzzle added.
The Rolex movement: typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 (17 Jewels, no incabloc). A service is recommended, as the crown is not winding down onto the case to close the watch, tube has to be fixed.
Extra: the buckle part of the original leather strap is still with the watch! These buckles are hard to find alone, especially those which have not bent down. A strapmaker can make the other part in similar leather or take off the buckle from the original strap to create a complete new strap in same color and style.

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

Recently we have added another yet unknown watch into our database.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 1010168
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

You can read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”. Find the illustrations of  ref. 3646 / Type A – C casebacks here.

After the auction house Dr. Crott has provided more details to us, we were able to add the watch into our database with all important features to compare it with other existing watches of this number group.

Our database entry (click above) shows the following detials: Inner caseback signed 1010147. Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement. Anonymous “Kampfschwimmer” dial with aged numbers and markers. Steel hands. Original, nicely aged Plexiglas. Onion shaped “Brevet+” crown.

This watch will be auctioned at Auktionen Dr. H. Crott on their 84th auction on november 12th, 2011. Further details about this LOT 33090 are published at their website. You can also read and see more about the different versions of Ref. 3646 watches in our 2nd book “Vintage Panerai – The References”.

We hope it will find a good new home!

A very interesting 3646 / Type C watch will be auctioned at Auktionen Dr. H. Crott on their 84th auction in November 2011. Further details of the auction and this LOT will be published at their website soon.

The watch is matching in all details with our database. Until today 39 watches of this type are known, and only 4 of them have an anonymous “Kampfschwimmer” dial. The caseback bears a rare engraving (“Marine Kampf-Schwimmer 1945″) with the initials “HD” of the german frogmen. It comes with the original brass coated buckle and one part of the original strap.

A similar watch can be found in chapter I.III of our book “Vintage Panerai – The References”. We hope it will find a good new home!

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type C
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 1010147
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

[Photo courtesy of Auktionen Dr. H. Crott / S. Pflaesterer]

Tried to catch some nice views on my Vintage Panerai watches today. The Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 (Ref. 3646) and Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 (Ref. 6152/1) movements are doubtless a part of the Panerai DNA. Strong machines, which are still keeping perfect time after many years of use.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260554
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.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6152/1
Dial: “Luminor Panerai” (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 124537
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4

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

Stunning view of a Ref. 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer” Panerai.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260530
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The removed bezel put the entire dial infront of the lens, showing the depht of the sandwich construction and different colors of the luminous numbers and markers which have changed during many years of UV impact as a natural aging process.

Tried to catcha nice view of the engraved caseback of the 3646 / Type D “Kampfschwimmer”…

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

A Vintage Panerai “Kampfschwimmer” watch will be auctioned at Christies  on may 16th in Geneva. The watch is matching our database, being a “clean” 3646 / Type D watch with case number 260628 and correct Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement.

The caseback is individually engraved with two initials of the previous owners – together with the anonymous sandwich dial its a typical “Kampfschwimmer”.

A yet unknown Ref. 3646 / Type D ”Kampfschwimmer” surfaced recently.

During a visit at the german navy divers in Eckernförde, Ralf was able to put another watch into our database. One more piece of the big puzzle is placed into its right place!

Features of the watch:
Reference: 3646 / Type D
Dial: “Kampfschwimmer” (sandwich, anonymous)
Case number: 260518
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1

The watch has the original strap fitted on, including the “bent down” crome coated brass buckle and bears a fantastic individual engraving on the solid caseback: “Marine-Kampfschwimmer 1945 – RD” (“RD” are the initials of the unit, which used the watch during his missions. The engravings are done in the same style (with the same tool) as other watches of this type have been “personalized”. The watch is matching our database perfectly, of which we published several identical watches in chapter I.IV of our book “The References”.

Its a big pleasure to see a “clean” Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 1 movement in this watch. It underlines our database theories as well. It bears the typical features of a Type 1 movement, beside the fact that no parts of this movement have been replaced or changed with others.

[photos by Ralf Ehlers]