With its timeless design and the sophisticated technical solutions created by the new Manufacture in Neuchâtel, the Radiomir 1940 is the main focus of the new Panerai collection presented at Watches & Wonders 2015.
It is the calibre P.1000, a new hand-wound movement with a power reserve of three days, which powers the new Radiomir 1940 3 Days, available in steel or red gold with
a diameter of 42 mm. Unmistakably Panerai in their design and respect for the company’s historic characteristics, the two new models have sizes and features which make them the ideal choice for all enthusiasts looking for a watch with pure lines but a strong personality, versatile and suitable to every situation.
The new P.1000 calibre is entirely made in the Panerai manufacture in Neuchatel. The movement features a large brush-finished bridge covering the major part of the wheelwork and a bridge with two supports firmly holding the balance, which oscillates at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour). Thanks to the two spring barrels connected in series, the calibre has a three days power reserve, a requirement which has been part of the identity of the brand since the 1940s, when the Florentine watchmakers Panerai decided to use Angelus calibres with a power reserve of eight days for the watches supplied to the Italian Navy. Its commandos had to be able to count on an instrument with reliable timekeeping which would not be subject to wear or leaking as a result of frequent rewinding.
The new Radiomir 1940 3 Days also has the system for stopping the balance which operates in conjunction with the device for zeroing the seconds hand: when the winding crown is pulled out, the balance wheel stops and the seconds hand, rotating in the classic subsidiary dial at 9 o’clock, is moved back to zero, so that the watch can be synchronised exactly with the reference time signal.
The case is water-resistant to 10 bar (a depth of about 100 metres) in the polished AISI 316L stainless steel version and to 5 bar (about 50 metres) in the gold version. The latter is made of 5NPT red gold, the special gold alloy used by Panerai, which has a high percentage of copper, as well as a small amount of platinum which helps to prevent the precious metal oxidising.
The sapphire crystal of the porthole on the back of the new Radiomir 1940 3 Days enables the construction and finish of the P.1000 movement to be admired while the polished bezel frames the classic Panerai black dial, with large bar markers and figures. In the steel model (PAM00574) the alligator strap is coordinated with the light green of the Super-LumiNova, while the model in red gold (PAM00575) is supplied with a black alligator strap.
