Bronze Millimetre Prototype

[Mellons]

Was just sent these images of a watch soon to come up for sale. Amazing patina. Genuine Bronze Millemetri Prototype- enjoy

BTW I don't own this!!!

[Mellons]

You can see the areas where the lume is missing and the brass behind the dial is showing

[Emilio]

Nice!

One question, is the dial an engraved brass plate or is it plexi over brass?

[blueradish]

Where will it be for sale, I need to follow this sale. Really curious on price.

[Mellons]

looks like plexi- this one sold a while back

[Luminor]

Sorry, I didn't get it, was this a genuine watch or a built?

[Emilio]

Sorry, I didn't get it, was this a genuine watch or a built?

It's a gen. But one of those on which there are almost no records.

Supposedly designed by the head of Panerai's mechanical design department, Alessandro Bettarini, on the 80s-90s

INFO
https://goo.gl/XSgH1w

[Mellons]

Bettarini did make these- i have seen parts of original fabrication drawings

[Luminor]

Thanks, guys. Interesting information.

[Mellons]

See here:

http://www.sothebys.com/it/auctions/eca ... .2186.html

With a letter from Alessandro Bettarini confirming authenticity and a 2012 service invoice from de Alessandro Bettarini.
In 1985, following the success of wristwatches made for the Italian Military during the 1930s-50s, Officine Panerai one again began to develop a diving watch specifically for the Diver Corps of the Italian Navy. With specifications that the watch must be antimagnetic, easy to read and water-resistant to great depths, two initial prototype designs were created. In keeping with the origins of the Panerai brand the designs were considered to be functional, retain characteristics of the original 1940s (Egyptian Navy) examples and be technologically advanced.
The original experimental prototypes were made by hand within the laboratories of Officine Panerai in Florence under the guidance of Alessandro Bettarini. Created in two initial versions, one housed in a bronze case and the other in titanium, the bronze version featured a large circular design with movable shoulders and plain rotatable bezel. Bronze was chosen as it was widely used in tools by the Italian Navy, was highly resistant to magnetism and was able to be fitted with a strap considered suitable for the marine environment. The titanium version was made with canted fixed shoulders and plain rotating bezel, both prototypes were tested to a depth of 1000m and used Panerai’s patented locking crown system, plain black dial with luminous 12, 3, 6, 9 numerals and luminous baton hands, similarly both designs used an ETA automatic movement. The final version was developed in 1988 within a titanium case and presented to the Italian Navy, despite successfully passing the rigorous tests it was subjected to, no orders were placed; regardless the initiative for re-launching the Panerai brand had been established. The final titanium prototype offered for testing remains in the Panerai museum with the other known examples in private hands.
Offered by a dedicated private collector and believed to be one of only 4 prototypes built in 1985 within a bronze case, this example is offered complete with a letter from Alessandro Bettarini confirming authenticity and a 2012 service invoice from de Alessandro Bettarini.
For another example of an almost identical bronze prototype see the book ‘Panerai, An Italian Story’, edited by Lugs Edizioni.