Sunday, September 30, 2012

1993 Italian Panerai Magazine Ad Pre Vendôme Group


1993 Italian Panerai Magazine Ad
Pre Vendôme Group

When Panerai was reborn in 1993, they came out with this magazine add that showcased the 44mm Luminor Paneria [Reference 5218-201A] which featured the new Officine Panerai logo and was commonly referred to as Luminor Logo Watch. They also showcased the 42mm Mare Nostrum Chronograph [Reference 5218-301/A], next to a base Luminor Panerai with. 

Friday, September 28, 2012

Human Torpedo Documentary


Italian Royal Navy 
Human Torpedo Documentary
By The U.S. Chief Of Naval Operations
World War II

In October of 1945, The United States Chief Of Naval Operations presented this video documentary produced by the O.S.S. (Office of Strategic Services) and the Bureau of Aeronautics, named German and Italian Sneak Craft. The first video is showcases the Italian Human Torpedo. The second and third video show the fascinating documentary.



The next 7 images are screen shots I took from the U.S. Navy documentary seen above. The first two images show the Italian Human Torpedo, which was also commonly referred to as a Pig, Hog, Chariot,  Slow Speed Torpedo, and Maiali.



German Kampfschwimmer's 
Wearing Panerai Watches

The next 5 photos show a German Kampfschwimmer's wearing Panerai watches during World War II. You can tell they are German because their diving suits have shoelace like eyelet holes running down their arms.


This next O.S.S. image is of the same German Kampfschwimmer pictured above, and it shows him with his frontal oxygen tank, and breathing cable dangling in front of him. You can see he is not only wearing a Panerai watch over his diving suit, on his left wrist, but he is also wearing a Panerai Underwater compass, or metric depth guage on his right wrist.



In the photo below we see five German Kampfschwimmer's preparing to dive, and notice they are all wearing Panerai wrist watches.


In this next image, we see a German Kampfschwimmer in the water and he is wearing a Panerai on his left wrist.


This last image is interesting because it shows a German Kampfschwimmer wearing a Panerai while piloting a mini submarine during World War II.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Radiomir Panerai 45mm Reference: PAM00210


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

Radiomir Panerai
45mm Reference: PAM00210



I have been absolutely fascinated with the evolution of Panerai  design language , and the modern Radiomir PAM00210 is one of my favorite models. I created the illustration below years ago to show how the original Panerai cushion case evolved from a Rolex Oyster pocket watch. You can learn much more about the history and evolution of Panerai design language by reading The Complete History Of Panerai.

By the way, notice how similar the modern PAM00210 (pictured above) looks compared to its Rolex Reference 2533 Case Radiomir pictured below which was made in 1938!!! It is also fascinating to note that Rolex did not develop the now trademark, half crescent winding crown guard mechanism for Panerai until 1946, when they introduced the 6152/1.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Rob Lowe Panerai


...Panerai Coolness...

Rob Lowe
Rockin' A Luminor Marina
47mm PAM127 with 1950 Case

1000m Diver Chronograph


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

Tommy's Panerai 1000m Diver Chronograph
Reference PAM 187: 47mm Automatic
Limited Edition of 1000 Pieces

Modern Panerai Cushion Cases


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

Making The Case For

Modern Panerai Cushion Cases

Pierre Sims from France took this photo and I really like it because it very accurately shows how the modern Panerai brand evolved the vintage cushion case and modernized it by squaring it off. In other words, the watch on the right is a modern Panerai which has a classic vintage cushion case shape, like the Panerai cases from the 1950s. The case located on the left is a modern Panerai case, and it has a more macho vibe to it. 


For some reason the newer "square" Panerai cases remind me of Albert's Moritz "Ice Cubes" chocolate squares, which I fondly remember from my childhood ;-)



Heidi Klum


...Panerai Super Hotness...

Heidi Klum

Luminor Panerai Reference: PAM00372


Love At First Sight On Waikiki Beach

Luminor Panerai
Reference: PAM00372

I have an interesting story to share with you about the first time I ever saw a Panerai PAM 372 in person. In August of 2012, I was on vacation with my girlfriend in Honolulu, Hawaii. I took this first photo as we flew into Honolulu, and you can see Diamond Head on the far right edge of the photo.


I took the next photo below, of Waikiki Beach when the waves were really mellow.


Waikiki Beach is the a magical place and it is the home of the Surfing, where the original Beach Boys created and mastered the sport of Surfing. I took this first photo of Waikiki Beach from our Hotel Room, and you can see all the surfers in the water.


I took the next photo below of Waikiki Beach, with Diamond Head in the background, after we noticed this amazing rainbow which was really beautiful.



My girlfriend and I just happened to walk by an authorized Panerai dealership, and walked in to take a look around. This was the very first time I ever saw the Panerai Luminor PAM372 in person, and it took my breath away!!! I had never seen anything like it before, and of course I decided to snap some photos of it, which you can see here. At the time, I had no idea that a year later I would own a PAM372, and be madly in love with it!!!




The PAM00372 is 47mm, and it has a plexiglass crystal and is almost an exact duplicate of the original Panerai Reference 6152. It even has a dial with a beautiful antique-like patina. The Panerai PAM 372 is hand wound and Panerai revealed it would produce 3500 of them in 2012. The watch has been very popular for obvious reasons. In comes in the 1950 case with an in-house Panerai 3 Days movement.


Since this model has a vintage looking plexiglass crystal, if it gets scratched, you can easily remove it with a cape cod cloth or with Polywatch, or Brasso, or silver cleaner.


I think the Panerai PAM00372 on some level will always remind me of Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, since that was the first time I ever saw it in person and tried it on.  There was something about the 372 that was just so authentic, zen-like and beautiful, just like Hawaii. I will leave you with one more fascinating photo I took on Waikiki beach, which I think is beautiful and reflects the paradise it is. Click on the image to see more detail.


Panerai Marina Militare Reference 6152-1


Panerai Marina Militare
Reference 6152-1: 47mm

If you wonder what I look like, here is a photo of me wearing an original Rolex made Panerai 6152-1 with the Marina Militare dial. This watch was made in the 1950s an is one of my absolute favorite Panerai watches of all time.

Rolex Made Panerai Small Egiziano [Reference 6154]


Rolex Made Panerai Small Egiziano
[Reference 6154]

Rolex made every vintage Panerai from the very first one in the late 1930s up until the last one in the mid 1950s. The Small Egiziano is pictured below and it is the last model Panarai Rolex ever made in 1955 or 1966. Of course, the Small Egiziano is my favorite Paneari of all time as pictured below. This amazing photo of this amazing Paneria was taken by Martin Wilmsen who publishes The Panerai Wristwatch Blog which is superb!!! The patina on this watch is outrageously beautiful!!!

If you want to learn much, much more on the history of the Rolex made Panerai watches, you could check out the story I wrote named "Panerai & The Italian Navy–The First Professional Rolex Diving Watch."

IF YOU ENJOY JAKE'S PANERAI WORLD BE CERTAIN TO CHECK OUT JAKE'S OTHER BLOGS: