When Giovanni Panerai first opened his watchmaking workshop in the centre of Florence in the 1860s, he could hardly have realized it would be the start of a global brand with a cult-like following. That first shop opened in 1860 also served as the first Florentine watchmaking school and set the tone for excellence from the beginning.
As early as 1916, the brand was working with the Italian Royal Navy to supply precision instruments, including brighter dials for its gauges and indicators. In fact, the brand registered the Radiomir patent 106 years ago in March of 1916. That was for a self-luminescent compound that Panerai used for its brightness. Decades later, the brand released its first Radiomir watch, which boasts the beloved ‘round within a cushion’ dial and case design that we find today also on the Luminor series.
It was in 1949 that Giuseppe Panerai patented the name Luminor as a more neutral label for the radioactive material that was on the sandwich-type dials. Later tritium became the substance of choice for the lume, but the Luminor name held fast. As the brand continued to work with the Italian Navy and other navies around the world, future developments led to additional patents (including one for the crown guard). When the brand changed hands in the late 20th century, the new owners — today under the auspices of the Richemont Group — sought to keep all of the signature marks of the brand intact. The relaunch of the collection in the late 1990s was an astounding success. Watch lovers clamoured for the huge “underwater” watches that had served such an important purpose.
As the millennium turned, Officine Panerai opened a new Manufacture in Switzerland and — while still focusing on Italian design influences — started a new era of technological excellence for all of its collections. In-house movements began to emerge and high-tech materials were utilised not only for cases, but also for movement parts and even dials.
Sleek and simple
This is especially true with the beloved Luminor watch, which is the first go-to model for collectors. The newest Luminor 1950 3 Days PAM 00372 timepiece is crafted in AISA 316L stainless steel, ensuring water and corrosion resistance. Additionally, this hypoallergenic steel is used in many medical tools and procedures. It recalls the past when the brand created watches made of AISA 316L steel for the Italian Navy.
Simple, sleek, yet highly readable, this Panerai Luminor watch is a beloved staple for water- and watch-lovers around the world. The round dial and bezel situated within the cushion-shaped case has become an icon in time and this version is highly recognizable from across a crowded room. Measuring 47mm in diameter, its high-polished case houses the brand’s powerful hand-wound mechanical P.3000 calibre. The in-house movement, visible via a transparent sapphire caseback, boasts a high-tech Glucydur® balance and an Incabloc® anti-shock device. The 161- part movement is further equipped with two barrels and therefore offers three days of power reserve.
Showcasing just the hours and the minutes on a midnight black dial, the watch features luminescent Arabic numerals and hour-markers. It is sold with a dark brown Scamosciato leather strap that boasts beige stitching to match the colour of the numerals on the dial. The watch is not one of Panerai’s most advanced dive pieces, but it is water-resistant to 100 metres. The crown guard — another signature look for the Luminor — helps to ensure the 10ATM water resistance and prevent dirt or sand from getting in. This watch is also covered under Panerai’s PAM Guard program, meaning it is eligible for additional international warranty for eight years.
This year GMT Magazine and WorldTempus have embarked on the ambitious project of summarising the divers watch since 2000 in The Millennium Watch Book - Divers watch, a big, beautifully laid out coffee table book. This article is an extract. The Millennium Watch Book - Divers watch is available in both French and English here:
