Becoming the Official Sponsor of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli for the first time in 2019, it was during the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada, held in the Hauraki Gulf of Auckland in 2021, that Panerai culminated its nautical ties with the sailing team. This partnership emerged naturally for a brand like Panerai that makes performance and technological innovation its distinctive flags. Over these six years of cherished partnership, Panerai has relentlessly developed collections of technical watches, one for each year of preparation in the run-up to the ultimate challenge, either drawing inspiration from the technologies and materials used in the America’s Cup or from the insights and needs of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team.
“Our association with the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team resonates deeply with Panerai’s maritime heritage and our pursuit of boundary-pushing performance. This partnership is a natural extension of our brand’s core values,” says CEO of Panerai, Jean-Marc Pontroué. In the run-up to the 37th America’s Cup set in Barcelona, Panerai reaffirms its commitment as the Official Sponsor, joining forces with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team for the second consecutive edition.
“The synergy with Panerai takes us on a shared journey in pushing the limits of performance, where precision, innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence are at the heart of our endeavours,” says Max Sirena, the team’s Skipper and Director.
This collaboration intersects with all the pillars of the Panerai identity, embodying Italian DNA, the Maison’s deep-rooted connection to the marine world, and its commitment to crafting instruments for modern heroes. Watches engineered by the Maison’s Laboratorio di Idee at the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel and tested for the toughest conditions, epitomizing the brand’s dedication to durability, reliability, and functionality.
The new Submersible Luna Rossa PAM01579
The new timepiece, engineered by Laboratorio di Idee at the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, will make its debut at the new Casa Panerai and at Panerai’s pop-up at Milano Rho Fiera during Milan Design Week, where Panerai proudly serves as the Official Timekeeper. This showcase not only highlights the Maison’s ongoing commitment to the Milan Design Week but continues the series of launches in collaboration with the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team. The watch will be available for the first month exclusively in Italian boutiques with a worldwide release from June 2024.
“The new Submersible Luna Rossa PAM01579 celebrates our support to the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team in their journey to the America’s Cup 2024 inaugurated with the grand revealing of the collection presented at Watches and Wonders Geneva. We are proud to offer a watch that is a beacon of resilience, endurance, and the spirit of sailing,” says Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO Of Panerai.
Launching during Milan Design Week 2024, the Submersible Luna Rossa PAM01579 is inspired by the technical innovation and the indomitable spirit of the sporting event. Encased in a 42mm brushed steel case, the watch boasts a unidirectional rotating steel bezel with black matt ceramic disk, chosen for its notably higher resistance to scratches than a metal one, essential for withstanding the shocks or unintended contact with various objects the bezel is usually exposed to and might be damaged by. The bezel’s robustness complements the watch’s steel case, ensuring the Submersible Luna Rossa is ready for challenge, whether it’s aboard a racing yacht or deep beneath the waves. Water resistant up to 30 bar (~300 meters), this watch has been rigorously tested, subjecting it to a pressure up to 25% greater than the guaranteed water resistance value to ensure it meets Panerai’s stringent standards.
The watch is powered by the automatic P.900 movement, renowned for its reliability and with a 3-day power reserve. The P.900 is an automatic caliber that integrates expansive function within the confines of remarkably streamlined proportions. Measuring 121⁄2 lignes (28mm) in diameter and only 4.2 mm thick, the movement is among the slimmest automatic calibers in the Panerai portfolio. The energy necessary to accumulate a power reserve of three days is delivered by a bidirectional oscillating weight and stored in a single barrel. Its balance wheel, oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, is securely fixed in position by a balance cock. The caliber is equipped with a stop-second function that enables precise time setting.
The sophisticated, white grained matt dial is created through a process where the dial is first pressed to obtain a grainy effect and then finished with a white varnish lacquer. Adorned with the Luna Rossa decal, luminous dot and baton hour markers, along with a date window at 3 o’clock and a small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock, enhance readability against the backdrop. The hands are treated with Super-LumiNova®, ensuring visibility in all conditions, and the small red second hands complete the piece’s color scheme that is inspired by the Luna Rossa the training boat of the sailing team. The screwed case back, which helps to ensure the watch’s high degree of water resistance, is made of stainless steel and it is engraved with the image of a Slow Speed Torpedo, the notorious “pig” on which the commandos of the Italian Navy sailed through the depths of the sea on their missions while wearing instruments made by Panerai, in the 1940s.
Innovation at Panerai extends to the user experience with the intuitive interchangeable strap system, an intuitive tool that allows the wearer to effortlessly switch between straps, that accompanies the timepiece. The first bi-material strap is a nod to the Luna Rossa with its gray tone and striking red accents, while the second black rubber strap offers a more subdued option.
