The appeal of Panerai watches: “The brand that the Italian Navy Special Forces also purveyed!

Panerai watches are known for their massive presence, which is instantly recognizable. Developed as instruments for the Italian Special Submarine Forces, “watches for warriors” may be interpreted in a modern way as “watches for elite businessmen” who fight on the front lines. In this issue, we focus on such Panerai watches and introduce their hidden charms and standard models!

What is Panerai?

PANERAI

Panerai (Officine Panerai) was founded in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai, who opened a watch store in Florence. Originally, his business was the sale and repair of imported watches and the production of optical instruments such as sights. Around the time of World War I, the company began developing waterproof watches at the request of the Italian Ministry of Defense. Panerai has been delivering advanced precision instruments to the Italian Navy. In 1938, at the request of the Italian Navy, Panerai completed its first diver’s watch using the luminescent material Radiomir.

PANERAI

Panerai started out as a wristwatch brand with the development of its masterpiece ” Radiomir “, which inherits many of its features in the current model. However, for a long time, from the beginning of its development to the end of the Cold War, Panerai was a brand specializing in military watches. 1993, in response to an ardent demand from European watch enthusiasts, Panerai launched a collection of watches for the civilian market. The “Luminor,” “Luminor Marina,” and “Mare Nostrum” models, which followed the historical models developed for the Special Forces during World War II, quickly became very popular among European watch collectors and enthusiasts.

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In 1997, the company became part of the Richemont Group, which established an excellent distribution network. After the completion of the manufacture in 2002 and the development of a completely in-house movement in 2005, Panerai has now established itself as a top-class luxury watch brand.

The appeal of Panerai watches (1): “Not so much a ‘big design’ as an ‘extravagance'”.

The most attractive feature of Panerai watches is their large, thick exterior, which is instantly recognizable as Panerai. (*Some Radiomir models are thinner than others.) In order to maintain the robustness and legibility required by the Italian Navy’s Special Forces during operations, the standard case is 47 mm in diameter, and even the smallest models have a diameter of 40 mm. In fact, Panerai is said to have been the spark that ignited the boom in the late 1990s in the popularity of “thicker watches. Since this boom, the “standard size” of wristwatches in general is said to have become one size larger.

Panerai has long delivered wristwatches to the battlefield, where the slightest error can lead to death. The Panerai watches have long been delivered on the battlefield, where even the slightest error can lead to death. The silhouette of Panerai wristwatches, which sought such ultimate durability, has become a symbol of “strong men” in the modern age after the war.

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Panerai’s Appeal (2) “Strong Luminous Power

Since most of the missions of the Special Submarine Forces are carried out in the dark, luminescent paint, which emits light even in the dark, is indispensable. Panerai excelled at luminescent paints, and it was Panerai that developed Radiomir, which contains radium. (Radiomir was later discontinued because it contained radioactive materials, and the newly developed Luminor replaced it.)

At the same time as the development of luminescent paint, emphasis was placed on sandwich dials. A sandwich dial consists of a lower disk coated with luminescent paint and an upper disk with hollowed-out indexes and numerals. (*As you can see from the “6” on the dial of the watch, the unique design (notation) was created to prevent the “6” from falling off when it is hollowed out.)

The “sandwich dial” allows the use of more luminescent paint than if the numbers were printed or painted on the dial, and the superior luminescence technology makes the “luminescence” stronger.

In fact, Panerai watches were used in the attack on the Port of Alexandria, and Emilio Bianchi, a POW who participated in the mission, testified after the war that “without this watch, the mission itself would have been impossible.

Attraction of Panerai (3) “Common base design that does not change greatly. Radiomir & Luminor

Panerai is a brand with a very large number of models, currently over 600, which makes them highly collectible for Panerai aficionados. However, many of them differ only slightly in design, materials, and the movements inside.

In terms of design, there are two main types of Panerai’s masterpieces: the ” Luminor ” and the ” Radiomir “. The design base has been followed throughout the long history of Panerai, even in the latest models.

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Luminor

The first is the ” Luminor “, which has been a mainstay of Panerai’s wristwatch collection since the company’s full-fledged entry into the general market in 1997.

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Radiomir

On the other hand, the Radiomir, which was first introduced for military use by the Italian Navy, was initially positioned as an “enthusiast” watch for the general market. However, in 2004, with the introduction of the ” Radiomir Black Seal “, it became the main product line of Panerai. From a historical perspective, the Radiomir has a more classical connotation than the Luminor, and with a sleeker silhouette than the Luminor, it is currently the mainstay of Panerai’s product line and is as popular as the Luminor.

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panerai’s appeal 4: “A wide range of interchangeable belts (straps)

Panerai’s simple yet attractive case with a strong presence is also interesting in that it can take on a completely different look depending on the belt to which it is attached. There is a large selection of genuine accessories alone, including rubber, calf, and alligator.

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Third-party straps are also available in a wide variety. For example, there is a rather unusual geometric camouflage pattern. Camouflage belts, which at first glance may seem out of place on a luxury watch, create a stylish atmosphere when combined with the powerful form of a Panerai watch.

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The braided leather gives a luxurious impression.

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Even the same brown leather can change its atmosphere depending on its hue.

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It is a privilege for Panerai owners to change the belt according to their mood and coordination. The same color belt can be worn with a khaki or green tie, or with the NATO belt used by Sean Connery in the 007 movie. Related page: NATO belt ” Change the impression of your favorite watch with a strap!

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Panerai’s Attraction 5: “A Variety of In-House Movements

In the past, Banerai used movements from other companies such as Rolex and ETA. However, today, Banerai has become a manufacture that independently produces a wide variety of movements.

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Starting with Panerai’s first movement, Cal. This expensive model is packed with all kinds of features, including a power reserve of over 8 days, a horizontal power reserve indicator, GMT display, and day and night displays.

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The Cal. P.9000 series, a self-winding movement with a 3-day power reserve and date display, is a model designed for the most general audience.

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The Cal.P.3000 series, a robust hand-wound movement with a three-day power reserve, is also used in many large models.

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The Cal.P.999 series, with a 60-hour power reserve, is more modest than other models, but is used in smaller models due to its reliability and durability.

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Cal. 5000 manual-winding movement with an 8-day power reserve, introduced in 2013.

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Self-winding movement with a 3-day power reserve. The latest Cal.P.4000 movement, launched in 2014, has been successfully miniaturized while maintaining its specifications.

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Although the massive design tends to attract attention, Panerai’s appeal lies in the fact that it produces movements that are more powerful and elaborate than their external appearance.

Introduction of Panerai’s recommended models

Panerai ” Luminor Base Eight Days Achaio PAM00560

Equipped with the hand-wound Cal. P.5000 movement, this model has a long power reserve of eight days, meaning that once fully wound, the watch will not need to be wound for a week. The “Luminor Base” is simple in design, with a case diameter of 44 mm, making it smaller and thinner than the previous Luminor. This makes it more accessible to men with thin arms.

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Panerai “Luminor 1950 Three Days Chrono Flyback PAM00524

Based on the popular Cal.P.9000 series movement, this model uses the self-winding Cal.P.9100 with a three-day power reserve. This luxurious model incorporates the latest features in a classic look with a dial conceived in the late 1930s.

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Panerai “Luminor Marina PAM00104

A faithful successor to the historic Luminor, produced for the Italian Navy’s Special Submarine Force in the 1940s and 1950s. This practical model features a highly visible design and 300-meter water-resistance, and is powered by the Cal.OP III automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve.

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Panerai “Radiomir Black Seal PAM00388

The Black Seal, which means “black seal,” is one of Radiomir’s most royal models and is equipped with a Cal.P.9000 movement with a 3-day power reserve.

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Panerai “Radiomir 1940 PAM00514

The ” Radiomir 1940 ” series features a dial designed in the late 1930s in a traditional 47mm case. The quintessential Panerai design is equipped with the Cal.P.3000 with a 3-day power reserve. The beauty of the movement, which can be seen through the see-through back, is also noteworthy.

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