Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...
Geneva, Nov 16, 2008
LOT 311
Panerai Diver?s Set A very fine and very rare set of Panerai instruments comprising
CHF 65,000 - 80,000
USD 60,000 - 75,000 / EUR 40,000 - 50,000
Sold: CHF 102,000
A. Officine Panerai, Firenze, ?Luminor? case No. 124986, Ref.
6152/1. Made in the 1950s.
Very fine and very rare, oversized, cushion-shaped, waterresistant,
8 day-going, stainless steel military diver?s wristwatch
with the originalOfficine Paneraiwater-repellent leather strap and
the original stainless steel Officine Panerai buckle.
C. Three-body, polished, concave bezel, straight lugs, patented
crown with security lever, screwed-down case back engraved
?SMZ No. 189?. D. Black, ?Sandwich? with luminous Arabic
numerals and baton indexes, subsidiary dial for the seconds at 9.
Luminous steel baton hands. M. Cal. Angelus 240, 15 jewels,
rhodium plated, fausses cotes decoration, straight line lever
escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating
flat balance spring, index regulator.
Dial signed Panerai, movement signed Angelus, case numbered.
Diam. 47 mm. Thickness 18 mm.
Ref. 6152/1.
Introduced in the 1950s and remained in production untill 1980,
it was the evolution of reference 6152. It is fitted only with the 8
day-going Angelus movement caliber 240 and a subsidiary
seconds indication was added at 9. The case back was engraved
with the initials of various military units, which were also
numbered.
Some examples:
SMZ = Frogmen
M.M. = Marina Incursori (combat frogmen)
G.F. = Department of Internal Revenue Frogmen
C.C. = Police Frogmen
V.F. = Frogmen of the Fire Brigade
B. Officine Panerai, Firenze, ?Radiomir 30 Metri, Brevettato?, No. MM 030. Made in the 1950s.
Very fine and very rare, anti-magnetic, brushed stainless steel
military diver?s wrist-depth gauge graduated to 30-meters with
the original Officine Panerai water-repellent leather strap and the
original stainless steel Officine Panerai buckle. Accompanied by
the original Officine Panerai box painted with the number ?30?
indicating the number of meters of depth.
Dial and case signed.
Diam. 69 mm. Thickness: 39 mm
C. Officine Panerai, ?Brevettato?, No. 3002. Made in the 1950s.
Very fine and very rare, water-resistant, stainless steel and rubber
military diver?s torch. Accompanied by the originalOfficine Panerai
box. Dim. 60 x 160 mm.
The Officine Panerai torches (Patent No. 563039, November 14th
1956) were available in varying sizes; they were water-resistant to
50 meters.
In good condition
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AAA |
Excellent |
Notes
In Florence in 1860, Giovanni Panerai (1825-1897) set up a small workshop for precision mechanical instruments on the "Ponte alle Grazie". By 1870, the company had become an official supplier to the Royal Italian Navy. Giovanni?s successor Guido Panerai (1873-1934) continued to develop high-precision instruments. Renamed "Orologeria Svizzera" in the early 1900s, the company sold Rolex and Patek Philippe watches while also delivering optical and mechanical precision instruments to the Defense Ministry. Developing the business and extending the line of military products, the company continued as "Officine Panerai". Special products included luminous firing and aiming devices. In the 1930s Maria and Giuseppe continued their father Guido Panerai's retail business, while strengthening their position as suppliers to the Italian Navy. In 1935 the first wrist-worn depth gauges and compasses were developed, and in 1936, a "Radiomir" watch prototype was produced. 1943 saw the birth of the "Mare Nostrum" and for the first time a safety lever and bridge device was fitted to the "Radiomir". This was a revolutionary and distinctive design, which not only fitted the crown tightly against the case, but also allowed the watch to be wound under water. A patent was granted in 1949 for the luminous material "Luminor"; another, for the "Tight Seal Device", was filed in Italy on Nov. 26, 1956. (Ser. No. 624,234) and later in other countries. "Officine Panerai" continued to be a specialized manufacturer of military instruments. In 1997 the company joined the Richemont group.