Vintage Panerai Luminor Watch Review

Another auction highlight in may will be a “Luminor Panerai” watch: Sotheby’s Important Watches in Geneva presents the watch of a famous owner on May 14th, 2014 (LOT 298). The watch comes from the descendants of Admiral Gino Birindelli (1911 - 2008). It is one of very few existing watches with rotating plexi bezel. The movement of the watch is corresponding with our database, being a typical Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 4 version with incabloc shock protection and 17 jewels.

During the 2nd world war, Gino Birindelli was a pilot in the early SLC missions G.A. 1 (august 1940 against Alexandra, transported by the submarine Iride), B.G. 1 and B.G. 2 (october 1940) in which he and his well known comrads (Damos Paccagnini, Teseo Tesei, Luigi Durant De La Penne, Alcide Pedretti, Emilio Bianchi / Gastone Bertozzi, Giuseppe Viglioli) were transported by the submarine Scirè under the command of Junio Valerio Borghese against targets in the harbour of Gibraltar. Birindelli and his co-pilot Paccagnini were captured and became POW. After his release from POW he was awarded with the gold medal for galantry at war (M.O.V.M.) in 1943 for his achievement during the mission B.G. 2 in Gibraltar, 1940.

After the 2nd world war, Birindelli was commander of the Com.Sub.In. (Comando Subacquei ed Incursori) special forces in Varignano near La Spezia from 1948 to 1950 and from 1954 to 1956. Later he became commander of NATO forces of the Mediterranean in the early 1970s, followed by a political career in the italian parliament.

Italian watch manufacturing company Panerai created watches solely for the Italian navy from 1936 towards the nineteen fifties. Producing civilian watches didn't begin before the last decade from the twentieth century.

That's most likely why, whenever a rare stainless steel Panerai Luminor from 1955 increased for sales at Sotheby's Important Watches purchase in Geneva lately, it offered for any record cost. The watch offered for $478,000, an exciting-time record for just about any Panerai watch.

This specific watch is really a reference 6152/1 that may be dated circa 1955. It had been possessed by Admiral Gino Birindelli (1911-2008), a medal of Military Valour champion who offered with distinction throughout The Second World War. The watch includes a stainless steel case having a classic levered bridge device safeguarding the winding crown. It arrives with a handbook-wound mechanical movement, and black n everyda with baton makers and amounts at cardinal points.

Distinctively, this watch has a rotating bezel that is detachable, recommending - based on a Panerai release - this watch would be a prototype that never entered production.

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