A Panerai acquired from captured German frogman with remarkable provenance goes under the hammer.

by James Buttery

A Panerai 3646 acquired from a captured German frogman just days after Operation Market Garden has sold for £41,000 at Fellows this morning.
The Second World War Panerai 3646 was acquired from one of six German Kampfschwimmer frogmen captured by British soldier Sgt George H Rowson after an attempt to destroy Nijmegen Bridge in Holland in September 1944.

Rowson also claimed a shred of the diver?s wetsuit which was part of the lot, along with a treasure trove of provenance including his military service record, photographs, the original leather strap and pin buckle, a letter from his commanding officer and Rowson?s handwritten account of the action that led to him coming into possession of the watch.
The 47mm watch, serial number 1010292, features a hand engraving on the caseback with Rowson?s name, rank and the year the watch was acquired. It was put up for sale by Sgt Rowson?s son.
Sgt Rowson?s account gives a fascinating glimpse of a period of Panerai?s history that is the subject of much discussion. Rowson reveals that the six thwarted German frogmen emerged from the River Waal, each with a watch on one wrist and a compass on the other.

The Type C Ref. 3546 was part of a batch intended for the Italian Decima MAS but which were taken by the Germans. The Type C was the last 3646 to bear Panerai?s branding as the company was later seized by the German...