| LOT 66 |
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| Panerai – Rolex - Marina Militare - Brevettato
Panerai “Officine Brevettato," case No. 124949, Ref. 6152. Made in the early 1950s.
Very fine and very rare, cushion-shaped, large, water-resistant, stainless steel, military diver’s wristwatch with a stainless steel
Panerai buckle.
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| C. Three-body, polished and brushed, inclined bezel, straight lugs, transparent screwed-down case back, patented winding-crown
with security lever.
D. Black with luminous Arabic numerals and baton indexes. Luminous blued steel baton hands.
M. Cal. 16''', rhodium-plated, 15 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, self-compensating flat balance spring.
Dial and case signed, movement signed Rolex. Dim. 47 x 47 mm. Thickness 21 mm. |
Estimate: 60,000 USD - 80,000 USD
Estimate: 47,000 EUR - 65,000 EUR
Estimate: 67,000 CHF - 90,000 CHF
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Grading system
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Officine Panerai,
founded in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai, was the first distributor of fine Swiss watches in the Florence region of Italy. The company
didn’t gain historical importance until Giovanni’s grandson, Guido Panerai, become involved. In the early 1900’s Guido began
experimenting with luminous materials and developed a method for making optical equipment luminous by the use of a
material he invented called Radiomir. As a specialist supplier of precision optical equipment Officine Panerai were granted the
license to supply the Italian Royal Navy with various specialized instruments such as compasses and timing devises. Officine
Panerai were therefore the obvious choice when the Navy wished to provide its elite divers with wristwatches. Panerai then
turned to Rolex, who manufactured the most reliable waterproof wristwatch of the era, to assist them. In 1938 Panerai launched
the Ref.3646, using a Rolex movement and Oyster Watch Co. case (a division of the Rolex Watch Company) and fitted with
a sandwich construction dial made by themselves with a base plate of Radiomir and an upper black plate with cut-outs for
numerals. The 3646 proved a success when tested in the field and issued to the Italian Navy divers.
After 10 years of use and more widespread disbursement, further developments were considered important and the model updated
with more robust shoulders, although initially released in a new case with the standard Oyster locking crown used by Rolex, later
versions were fitted with a lever design locking crown patented by Officine Panerai that enabled the watch to descend to 200m and be
wound under water if required. The new revised model was given the reference number 6152.
Examples of the Ref.6152 issued to the commandos, frogmen and specialized SLS torpedo riders of the Italian Navy were allowed to
have the prestigious title of ‘Marina Militare’ printed on the dial.
The example of Panerai 6152 offered as lot 66 features a further rarity being fitted with a glazed case back and signed ‘Officine Panerai
Brevattato’, this can be presumed developed as an exhibition model or for use by a senior ranking officer who no longer participated in
wet missions. For a prototype of a Marina Militare fitted with similar display back see The Panerai in Florence by Dina Zei, p. 65.
Provenance, Christies Geneva, November 12, 2007 lot 322 |
Important Collectors' Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks
10-06-2010 |
Sold including buyer's premium:
74,400 USD |
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