Code name: PAM00024 — or to its friends, the PAM24 — is the first piece in the Submersible collection, which officially saw the light of day in 1998. This iconic watch has outlived later trends and collections, making it the PAM with the longest run in the brand’s catalogue. Its ethos traces its origins directly to Panerai’s Vendôme period, from the name of the group that bought it out in 1997 (before going on to become Richemont).
An Assertive Design
The PAM00024 echoes and updates — or more accurately, imposes — the style used for the Luminor. This timepiece is unashamedly modern and assertive, with a bold and confident diameter of 44 millimetres and a thickness of 15.3 millimetres. Officine Panerai came up with an angular, no-nonsense, and characterful case — much more so than those of the 1950s Luminor models — featuring the widely spaced yet very short lugs that have become its hallmark. The rotating bezel and crown protection bridge are directly inspired by the Egiziano model created in 1956, known to collectors as GPF 2/56.
The PAM00024 has several distinguishing features. It’s one of the first to be fitted with an easily adjustable and secure folding clasp. The bezel’s markers literally emerge out of the steel rather than being integrated in a smooth surface as previously. The PAM00024 dial doesn’t have Panerai’s characteristic sandwich structure, either: it’s flat with applique and printed indicators; and to meet ISO requirements, the Submersible concept makes use of a clearer display of the first quarter-hour on the bezel.
Indeed, this particular PAM complies with ISO 6425 standards. To achieve this, it has traded in its fixed bezel for a unidirectional one. It also has an independent small seconds hand at 9 o’clock, while hours and minutes hands are skeletonised in such a way as to ensure optimum readability at all times. The magnificently polished case is certified water-resistant to a depth of 300 metres.
Pure Panerai
While these features were new at the time, marking the evolution of Panerai towards the contemporary world of dive watches, a number of other characteristics ensure the PAM24 also remains a Panerai through and through. They include the crown protection system (mounted on a ball bearing for a softer feel), typical of Panerais since 1956, the Egiziano, and later Reference 6152/1, better known as the Luminor. This feature prevents any unwanted movement of the crown. Panerai has added a clever touch on the PAM00024: the crown automatically releases when the pressure on the protection system is released. In other words, the crown is activated as soon as it’s released, with no need to unscrew it.
For the movement, Panerai used a Valjoux 7750-P1 base movement known as the OP III: a COSC-certified unidirectional automatic winding caliber beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 42-hour power reserve. This model was followed by the PAM00025, featuring a titanium case. More recently, the OP III has been replaced by the celebrated P9010, a 100% in-house movement with a three-day power reserve. First developed in 2015, this is now fitted in all Submersibles.
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:
