Panerai

Known for its Italian Military watches during WWII, the Panerai story hardly stops there. While the lore of the 3646 models may be the lore of the brand, the 5218-201/A is the foundation for modern Panerai – and is a story that begins in 1972 with the passing of Giuseppe Panerai.

Giuseppe Panerai was the last member of the family to run the business, starting in 1934 and ending in 1972. During that pivotal transition, a Marina Militare engineer named Dino Zei took over the running of the business. While the firm continued being a supplier to the Italian Military, in 1993 Dino had the idea to launch a collection of watches for the civilian market that was rooted in the brand's history. That first model was the 5218-201/A which collectors refer to as the ‘Pre-Vendome Logo’.

This is the model that launched the modern Panerai brand, and was famously worn by Sylvester Stallone in the 1996 film called ‘Daylight’. Seeing a 44mm watch on the wrist of such a leading action star – and a watch that was so distinctive – kicked off a frenzy of collecting for the brand which ultimately led to the acquisition of Panerai by the Vendome Group (now known as Richemont) in 1997.

The present 5218-201/A is not the only one that Hammer had in his collection. He continuously was on the lookout for the best 201/A he could find – no small feat given that less than 700 were ever made. The watch we have offered here came entirely complete from a director of Officine Panerai, whose business card is still with the watch. Complete with all its boxes and papers, as well as its original ‘Sharkie’ Pre-Vendome strap, Hammer collected a series of print advertisements and press materials to accompany this 201/A. Most notably, there is a silver model of the Panerai P.I.G. (known as the Miale) that Panerai-wearing frogmen would use during WW2. According to Hammer, this silver model came from the desk of a Marina Militare Officer and is a treasured icon of the early years of this now famous watch brand.