The Panerai 3646 is—in many ways—the beginning of the Panerai brand itself. Allegedly under the request of the Italian military, who out of nationalist pride was seeking to equip their forces with Italian-Made machinery, Guido Panerai placed an order for a large Rolex Oyster case model. That initial 47mm watch was essentially a Rolex pocket watch with wire lugs, and passed naval testing with flying colors. That first watch laid the groundwork for what would become the first ‘true’ Panerai, the Reference 3646. The present example is the earliest known Type B in existance, and has been a highlight of The Hammer Collection for over a decade. It will be offered in ‘Important Watches’ at #SothebysNewYork on 7 December, more details at the link in bio. #SothebysWatches #Panerai