The connection with the sea expressed through the colour of their dials, which are a deep marine blue with a sunbrushed finish, is not the only commonality between the four new special editions presented by Panerai, which will only be available from the brand’s global network of its own stores. Three of the new models have a GMT function and they are split equally between the Radiomir 1940 and Luminor 1950 cases. One aspect in which each model differs, however, is size, which ranges from a relatively standard 42mm diameter up to an imposing 47mm.
A slender 2mm differentiates the Luminor 1950 3 Days GMT Automatic (PAM 688) from the Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT Automatic (PAM 689). To attribute this slight difference to the threefold increase in power reserve between the former and the latter, however, would be mistaken. The P.9001 in-house calibre that powers the three-day model shares the same 13¾ - line diameter as the P.2003 movement that provides 240 hours of power reserve from three mainspring barrels. The latter movement is just 0.1mm thicker than the former (7.9mm for the P.9001 against 8.0mm for the P.2003).
Visually, there is little to distinguish between the two models. Both have a stainless-steel case with the trademark lever-activated crown lock at 3 o’clock, a date indication, a central GMT hand and the familiar sandwich construction on the dial with generous apertures to show off the beige SuperLuminova beneath the hour markers and oversized Arabic numerals at the quarters. The 10-day model has a linear power reserve indicator above the 6 o’clock position (on the three-day model the power reserve indicator can be seen on the movement side through a transparent sapphire crystal caseback) and an additional am/pm indicator hand on the same subsidiary counter as the small seconds at 9 o’clock.
The same P.2003 calibre is used in the Radiomir 1940 10 Days GMT model in red gold, which has 45mm diameter case in Panerai’s house blend of gold, which contains a few per cent of platinum (for additional protection against oxidation), giving the polished case its distinctive, rich red tone. Like all four models in this special series, it comes in an elegant blue presentation case in polished cherry wood.
Paneristi and those who love a simple, clear design with clear vintage influences will adore the Radiomir 1940 3 Days, with its hand-wound P.3000 calibre, which fills the case entirely and can be admired through a huge sapphire crystal case back. The 47mm case, manually-wound P.3000 calibre with three-day power reserve and the Assolutamente calfskin leather strap put it in the same pool as classic collector’s pieces such as the PAM 504 composite model, the PAM 532 “Paneristi Forever”, as well as the sought-after “California” models with their quirky mix of Roman and Arabic numerals.
See the collection in detail on the dedicated Panerai blue dial website.
