Manufacturer: Panerai Year: 2006 Reference No: PAM00249 Movement No: 515'648 Case No: BB1246689 Model Name: Radiomir 1936 Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Mechanical, OP X, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Brown Panerai calf leather strap Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Panerai buckle Dimensions: 47 mm. width Signed:Case, dial and movement signed, case further engraved I1834/1936 Accessories: With Officine Panerai undated International Guarantee Certificate, Certificate confirming the present watch is numbered 1834 of a limited edition of 1936 pieces only, product literature, instruction manual, leather wallet, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Introduced in 2006, the present PAM00249 is a special edition made in tribute to the vintage model 3646 dates back to 1936. Representing the heritage and evolution of the Radiomir collection, the watch is fitted with a California dial that consists of half Roman and half Arabic numerals. Numbered 1834 of a limited edition of 1936 pieces only, the present watch is complete with certificate and fitted presentation box.
Known for its robust designs and large case sizes, Officine Panerai was established in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai in Florence, Italy. Around 1900, Giovanni's grandson Guido Panerai took over, and Panerai became the supplier to the Regia Marina — the Royal Italian Navy. After supplying the navy with high-precision instruments for a number of years, Officine Panerai created Radiomir, a radium-based powder that gives luminosity to the dials of sighting instruments and devices. By 1936, the Royal Italian Navy approached Panerai again with the request to design a watch resistant to extreme underwater conditions. The watch they created became known as the "Radiomir".
Panerai's watches made during the early twentieth century era were comprised of cases designed and manufactured by Rolex SA, with Cortébert, a Swiss manufacturer, supplying the majority of their movements. The most recognizable designs from the firm are the Radiomir and Luminor. To date, vintage models from the first half of the 1900s, such as the reference 3646 and 6152 models, remain the most desirable among collectors.