Panerai

Panerai. Una Storia Italiana vol. 2 Guido Panerai e Figlio by Loris Pasetto and Luciano Cipullo pg. 110

In many ways the Panerai 3646 represents the launch of Panerai wristwatches as a tool for military use. The story begins with Guido Panerai patenting ‘RADIOMIR’ in 1915. Not a watch, or a design, but rather a patent for a unique radium-based paste that would glow brightly. Guido ran G. Panerai e Figlio, operating a highly-regarded watch shop in Florence, Italy. Appropriately named ‘Orologeria Svizzera’, the Panerai family retailed watches from the likes of Longines, Vacheron-Constantin, and of course – Rolex. It was out of this relationship with Rolex that an idea was born. While Panerai had been a supplier to the Italian Navy, they were not watchmakers themselves. They maintained a staff of watchmakers in their boutique, but the idea of producing a watch was not necessarily their focus.

Allegedly under the request of the Italian military, who out of nationalist pride was seeking to equip their forces with Italian-Made machinery, Guido Panerai placed an order for a large Rolex Oyster case model. That initial 47mm watch was essentially a Rolex pocket watch with wire lugs and passed naval testing with flying colors. That first watch laid the groundwork for what would become the first ‘true’ Panerai, the reference 3646.

The present lot is a superlative example of a reference 3646 known as a ‘Type D’. The 3646 cases had inner case backs stamped ‘Brevette Rolex SA Geneve Suisse’ touting their 31 wins for precision, with a serial number, and the reference number. The Type ‘D’ Dials are further known as ‘Kampfschwimmer’ dials, and primarily date to the mid 1940s. A hallmark of these is the fact that they are ‘anonymous’ or feature no branding or brand markings on the dial.

The 3646 models were watches that were used by the Italian Decima Flottiglia MAS “frogman” units and Kampfschwimmers during the WWII years. Due to their use in WWII Type 'D' 3646 References are extremely rare. The present lot has a dial with a strong Geiger counter reading, with the lume on the dial having possibly been refilled. The surface of the dial has some fine crazing commensurate with age. Their importance in the foundation of the Panerai brand, and the lore of Panerai cannot be overstated, and this early model of Panerai history in exemplary condition would be a centerpiece addition for any collector of military timepieces.