Online Catalogue
Auction 13 March 2024 - Basel Watch Auction
Literature:
Ralf Ehlers and Volker Wiegmann, Vintage Panerai, The References
Reference 3646 was produced as of 1938 in order to meet the needs of Italian Royal Navy. Panerai which had already supplied instruments of precision by the past, especially through its patent Radiomir, dated from March 13, 1916, this time made a partnership with Rolex to produce a new type of military diver’s wristwatches. The prototype was known as Radiomir and supplied first to the Italian navy commandos (Regia Marina) and later to the German military swimmers (Kriegsmarine). Watches from that period supplied to Italian or German Navy frogmen, SLC torpedo riders and commandos, have become legendary among military watch collectors.
Panerai / Rolex
Radiomir “Type C”
Ref. 3646, No. 260566, circa 1943
A stainless-steel military diver’s
wristwatch
Case: cushion shaped with wire lugs,
with screw down crown case back,
reference and serial numbers inside,
signed Rolex
Dial: so called “Sandwich”, the dial
consisting of two discs, the lower one
coated with luminous substance visible
in between the upper black matte disc,
through baton and Arabic numerals
Movement: mechanical with manual
winding, balance spring with lever
escapement, calibre 618, 17 jewels,
signed Rolex
Clasp/Buckle: buckle on a leather strap
Dimensions: 47 mm
*CHF 30'000 – 50'000
Literature:
Ralf Ehlers and Volker Wiegmann, Vintage Panerai, The References
Reference 3646 was produced as of 1938 in order to meet the needs of Italian Royal Navy. Panerai which had already supplied instruments of precision by the past, especially through its patent Radiomir, dated from March 13, 1916, this time made a partnership with Rolex to produce a new type of military diver’s wristwatches. The prototype was known as Radiomir and supplied first to the Italian navy commandos (Regia Marina) and later to the German military swimmers (Kriegsmarine). Watches from that period supplied to Italian or German Navy frogmen, SLC torpedo riders and commandos, have become legendary among military watch collectors.