Saturday, October 20, 2012

Sylvester Stallone 2009 Special Edition 60MM Radiomir Egiziano


Sylvester Stallone
2009 Special Edition
60MM Radiomir Egiziano
Unique Edition of 500 Units
Reference PAM00341

Nobody was more responsible for the popularization of modern Panerai than movie star Sylvester Stallone. In the photos below Sylvester Stallone is pictured wearing his 60MM Radiomir Egiziano. In the future I will be going much more into detail on Sylvester Stallone and his love of Panerai.


This monster is 60 MMM–and you thought 47 might be too big for you!?!? The PAM00341 has a hand-would mechanical, Panerai P.2002/7 calibre with an 8 day power reserve. The entire body and rotating bezel is made from brushed titanium with a 26mm lug width. The Plexiglass crystal on this  beast is 5.8MM thick!!!

2009 Panerai [Reference PAM00341] 60MM
Radiomir Panerai Dial Designation
8 Giorni Brevettato [8 Days Patented]
500 Examples Made Available To Public






1956 Panerai [Reference 2/56] 60mm
Radiomir Panerai Dial Designation
8 Giorni Brevettato [8 Days Patented]
50 Examples Made for Egyptian Navy Commandos

The PAM00341 (pictured above) pays homage to the 1956 Panerai Reference 2/56 (pictured below) which was made for the Egyptian Navy Commandos. Panerai only made 50 of these watches, which are very rare. An original 1965 Panerai Radiomir Egiziano is pictured below. 

The new PAM00341 is extremely close in design. The only difference is that the original 1956 Panerai lacked fluted spinning bezel teeth. Also the GPF 2/56 had a 16" Angelus 8-day movement which had the subsidiary second hand subdial at 9 o'clock.


Monday, October 15, 2012

Original Panerai Tight Seal Device U.S. Patent Application


Original 1956 Panerai U.S. Patent
Tight Seal Device 

U.S. Patent Application Filed November 26, 1956
[Originally filed in Italy November 30, 1955]

Ever wonder what the origin was of the trademark Panerai Half-Crescent Crown Guard? All the original Rolex made Panerai watches featured a waterproof Rolex Oyster winding crown up until 1954.  The first watch pictured below is of a 47MM 1955 Radiomir Panerai [Reference 6152-1] which has a standard 8mm Rolex Oyster screw-down style winding crown. 

The way it worked, was that you had to grab the winding crown and turn it counter-clockwise until it released. Then you could pull it out to change the hour, or minute, or wind it. Then you would press it toward the case and screw it back down to lock it–kind of like a jar lid. 

This method created a challenge since in order for the watch to run properly, the user would have to unscrew the crown in order to wind the watch every day if they wanted to make certain it kept proper time. If the user did not do this properly with perfect finesse, it could result in the crown tube stripping and having to be replaced, not to mention it would have been a pain to unscrew, wind-up, then screw it back down.


In 1955 Panerai came up with a new idea which they called the Tight Seal Device, which created a half-cresent crown guard that would protect the winding crown. You can see this mechanism on the 1955 Radiomir Panerai pictured below, which is a Reference 47mm 6152-1. It is likely Panerai came up this the novel method of locking the crown in order to allow the user to avoid having to unscrew the winding crown daily.


This watch is unusual, in the sense it is the very first Panerai with the now trademark half-crescent crown guard, but notice it has a Radiomir Panerai dial designation, and NOT a Luminor Panerai designation, which became standard on this model just after the first prototypes were made. Both of these images appear courtesy of my friend, John Goldberger.




On of the great Panerai mysteries, is where did the half-crescent crown guard come from? Who designed it and why? Also, it is important to note that Rolex stopped making Panerai watches in or around 1955, so you have to wonder if this was due to the fact that Panerai filed for a Patent on this new method of waterproofing a watch winding crown? As previously mentioned, it could also have been an attempt to overcome the issue of the crown tubes potentially being able to be striped. Nobody knows today for certain, and an obvious question, is why didn't Panerai fit the watches with automatic movements?

Pictured below it a copy of the original Panerai Tight Seal Device Patent application filed in the United States Patent Office on November 26th, 1956. Figure 1 illustrates how the half-crescent crown guard functions.





The United States Patent Office application 2,954,665 was files by Maria Panerai and Guiseppe Panerai, both of 2 Piazza Galileo Ferraris, Florence, Italy, and it lists them both as the inventors of the Panerai Tight Seal.

The application claims priority back to an application filed in Italy on November 30, 1955. The way U.S. Patent law worked at the time, was that if you filed a patent application in a foreign country, was that you had one year to file your U.S. patent, so we see that the U.S. application was filed 6 days before the 1 year deadline.




U.S. Patent Application Number 2,954,665 (pictured above) begins:

"The present invention relates to a tight seal device for the control knob of instruments, particularly for the setting and winding knob of watches.

It is known that it is a problem to provide a tight seal for the case of an instrument which must be able to work when immersed in a fluid medium, the leakage of which medium into the said case would impair the mechanisms therein contained.

A typical but not limitative example is that of an instrument which is to be used under water."

So what does this patent application mean, and why was it filed? If I understand it correctly, Panerai is claiming that with their Tight Seal Device system, the watch can still be wound underwater, without effecting the waterproofness of the watch.

Another interesting historical note, is that all the Rolex made Panerai watches, which were made from 1936-1955, were essentially the first diving tool watches made. Rolex formally introduced the Rolex Submariner diving watch in 1954, which was the year Panerai filed the original application in Italy. It stands to reason that this is more than a coincidence.

It is also interesting to note that despite the fact Panerai first filed the Tight Seal Device patent in Italy in 1955, it likely took at least a few years to test and develop.

Perhaps in 1953 or 1954, Rolex told Paneari they would no longer continue making Panerai watches since they planned to come out with an aquatic Rolex model named the Submariner?  This brings about the question of why Panerai created and filed this application, made some watches with the half-crescent crown guard for a year or two, and then stopped!?!? 

It is likely that once Rolex introduced the Submariner diving watch, which had the rotating bezel, it functionally obsoleted the Panerai watches. I also learned that many of the Italian Royal Navy divers wanted a Tudor or Rolex Submariner because they had the spinning bezels that could time dives.

If you think about it, the Tight Seal Device is a deeply profound and mysterious gift from the mid 1950s. Why? Rolex essentially made all the vintage Panerai watches from 1936 to 1955. This is a fact. Nobody knows exactly how many watches were made over that 20 year period.

Panerai CEO, Angelo Bonati mentioned in an interview in 2012 that he believed they only made 300 pieces in total, and if you do some basic math, the vast majority of those 300 watches had a standard winding crown, so at the very tail-end of that 20 years period, some of Panerai's last models incorporated the Tight Seal Device–maybe the made 20-30 with the half-crescent crown guard, then Panerai watch manufacturing disappeared into oblivion, and remained dormant until the brand was resurrected in 1993.

The Supreme irony is that if you fast-forward to today, in 2013, the modern Officine Panerai watch company's primary trademark is the Tight Seal Device crown guard. As a matter of fact, early on when the modern Panerai company began, they brilliantly protected the Tight Seal Device crown guard as a Registered Trademark of the brand, and even engrave "REG. T.M." on many Tight Seal Crown Guard fascia. When most people think of Panerai watches today  they think of a watch that looks like the stunningly timeless PAM00372 pictured below.


The modern model (Introduced in 2012) 47MM PAM00372 is one of the most popular vintage Panerai models made today because its DNA is so similar to that of the original Reference 6152 made in the mid 1950s. The most interesting fact to me, is that the modern Panerai company is based upon a piece of mid 1950s design that was left behind in antiquity, only to be revived four decades later, and made into the cornerstone of the modern Panerai Brand. 

Talk about a magnificent gift from the Italian past!!! Panerai really is the ultimate example of the Phoenix crashing violently into the ground, then rising from the ashes to fly even higher and faster. To this day, the Tight Seal Device remains a mystery, and hopefully over time, with deeper research, I may be able to discover more of this magnificent history.

It is also fascinating to note that in 1955, if you wore a Panerai 6152 or 6154, you would have looked out of place, because at 47MM they were considered to be an enormous oversized wrist-watch. But if you fast forward, once again to 2013, human beings have  grown quite a bit on-average in height and weight, and the current PAM00372, which was based upon the original 6152 is perfectly germane today. 

The PAM00372 really is the ultimate example of a Back To The Future watch. In other words, when I wear a PAM00372, it seriously trips me out to think it was designed in the early 1950s, and looks amazing today. If you wore an original Panerai Reference 6152 from 1954, today, it would look very, very cool and apropos, far more so than a Rolex Submariner from the same year. The Rolex would still look cool, but a little on the small side, and definitely not as masculine.

If you think about it, how many things that were designed and made in the 1930s through the mid 1950s could be made almost identically today, and still be magnificently useful and beautiful. Not many, but the vintage Panerai design flawlessly transcends obsolescence!!!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Luminor Panerai 47MM Reference 6152-1


Luminor Panerai

47MM Reference 6152-1

This stunning original Luminor Panerai [Reference 6152-1] was produced in the late 1950s for the Italian Royal Navy, and it was auctioned by Antiquorum in September of 2005 in New York for only $59,800. Today it is worth at least $150,000. The beauty of this watch model lays in its absolute simplicity. Panerai watches that only have an hour and second hand are typically referred to as a Base Panerai model–as in, Basic.


The Aniquorum description was fascinating. It read:

"Luminor” Officine Panerai, “Luminor”, Ref. 6152-1. Made in the late 1950s for the Italian Navy. Fine and very rare, large, cushion-shaped, water-resistant, stainless steel military diver’s wristwatch with Panerai buckle.

Signed Rolex, three-body, polished and brushed, screwed-down case back, straight lugs, winding-crown with security lever, anti-magnetic dust-cap. D. Two plate; black upper plate with pierced Arabic numerals and indexes over a luminous-coated lower plate. Radium-coated "bâton" hands. M. Cal. 15 3/4''', signed Rolex, rhodiumplated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 15 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring. Dial signed Panerai; case and movement signed Rolex. Dim. 47 x 47 mm. Thickness 18 mm.

Anselmo Grimoldi : Has worked in the field of horology for over 50 years with an enormous amount of passion, curiosity and dedication. He has recently launched his own brand of watches and jewellery bearing the name “Grimoldi”. In the early 1980s he was introduced to a former military man Dr. Rossi who told him the story of the unique instrument maker that is The Officine Panerai. This story fascinated him and led to his spending the next 25 years searching for the elusive original models made for the naval commandos of the Italian navy as well as the commandos of other Mediterranean Navies. 

This impressive collection comprises examples of all of the various types made utilizing both Rolex and Angelus movements including the “Egyptian Commando” and the only example of a vintage left handed Panerai. Anselmo Grimoldi's belief in this brand lead to him approching 3 admirals when they took control of The Officine Panerai to negotiate the sole distrubution rights for Milan which they granted him. Later when the company was bought by the Richemont group he and his close friend Angelo Bonati who took over the day to day operations of the company, and often askes Grimaldi his oppinion as a world renowned expert on the brand. 

When asked what he felt about selling his collection he said “ I feel sad to separate myself from my collection, however thanks to the devotion and expertise of the team at Antiquorum, I am sure they will find new homes with other passionate collectors such as myself who are on a constant search for these exceptionally rare watches with a story as unique and original as their design.”

Friday, October 12, 2012

Orlando Bloom Luminor Marina 47mm PAM127 with 1950 Case


...Panerai Coolness...

Orlando Bloom


Luminor Marina
47mm PAM127 with 1950 Case

Orlando Bloom starred in Elizabethtown in 2005, which was one of his first movies where be played the lead character, and as you see below, he is sporting a Luminor Panerai [Reference PAM127].

Sunday, October 7, 2012

...Panerai PAM 180...


...Panerai Studio Shot Of The Day...


Panerai PAM 180
Carbon Fiber Dial

The photo below shows the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM180 in detail. In this photo you can clearly see the black Carbon Fiber dial. The model as produced as a limited edition of only 150 pieces and is out of production. The watch has a 42 hour power reserve C.O.S.C. movement., with a 3.5mm thick synthetic sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Benjamin Netanyahu 40MM Panerai Luminor Marina


...Prime Minister of Israel...

Benjamin Netanyahu
40MM Panerai Luminor Marina
[Reference PAM0048]

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the Health Minister and the Economic Strategy Minister. He wears a Panerai Luminor PAM 048 as seen below.



Benjamin Netanyahu is the first Israeli prime minister born in Israeli Prime Minister born in Israel after the founding of the state. Between 1956 and 1967 he lived in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania in the U.S.A., and to this day he speaks with an American English, Philadelphian accent.



Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is pictured below with Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Lt General  Benny Gantz, as they observe an army infantry exercise taking place in the Golan Heights.



Monday, October 1, 2012

Panerai PAM 368 Design Review 47MM Left Handed Model


Panerai Luminor PAM 368 
Design Review
47MM 1950 Left-Handed Model: 8 Days Titanio

Recently I was in Shreeve & Company in downtown San Francisco, and I was checking out some different Panerai watch models. I happened to check out the PAM 368 which is a Special Edition Panerai, limited to only 1000 individually numbered pieces, which were made in 2011. The PAM 368 is 47MM and it has a brown dial.



The PAM 368 uses the 1950 case and it's made out of titanium. The entire case and crown guard are brushed with a satin finish. The domed crystal is made out of synthetic sapphire crystal, and it has a manual wind movement with the 8 day power reserve. Some people prefer the 8 day movement because if they forget to wind it after a few days, it will keep going.



The PAM 368 has the classic art-deco style Panerai 1950 case, which has superb curves. The lug opening is 26mm, and the crystal is 2mm thick.



The PAM 368 comes with a Panerai antique brown (tobacco/dark chocolate) calfskin leather strap, paired with a Panerai Pre-Vendome titanium tang buckle.



I really like the curved Pre-V bottle opener style buckle, which gives it a really cool, clean, streamlined, modern look. I like this style way better than the flat, non-curved vintage buckles.

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