After an interesting 2016 for the Florentine brand, what do they have in store for 2017? Although not generally known for its revolutionary innovations or flashy launches, last May, Panerai nevertheless unveiled the Luminor Due collection, in the thinnest case ever designed by the brand, as well as the most complex timepiece ever produced in its Neuchâtel workshops, the Radiomir 1940 Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon GMT. Nor should we forget the highly technical Luminor 1950 Equation of Time 8 Days GMT, with its astronomical complication.
We’ll have to wait for the opening of the SIHH on 16 January to find out what Panerai has up its sleeve for next year. However, as has become customary for the autumn season, the watchmaker recently dropped a few hints. To whet our appetite, we were given a glimpse of the new turquoise bracelet of the Luminor Due, a powerful argument to win over the ladies, and, as a sort of starter, the new Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio. We look forward to sampling the rest of Panerai’s SIHH menu.
Vintage design, new colour
Unsurprisingly, Panerai has once again plundered its archives for inspiration for the new Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio. Dedicated Paneristi will recognise the 12-sided bezel with its rounded corners, bearing the inscription “Officine Panerai - Brevettato”, which also features on the back of the watch. It comes from a 1930 prototype designed for the Italian navy, which was driven by a Rolex movement. This is not the first time Panerai has used this dodecagonal design; in 2013, the Radiomir PAM 521 and PAM 522 special editions in platinum and rose gold had a similar bezel, but without the inscription. The adjective “brevettato” refers to the luminescent material – Radiomir – that the Italian company had just patented, which made its measuring instruments legible in the murk of the ocean depths, and which would lend its name to the entire collection.
The new steel timepiece borrows more features from the original model: the screw-down bezel and caseback (hermetically sealed cases were one of the main characteristics of the original Panerai watches), the 47 mm tripartite cushion-shaped case, and the highly readable dial with its two hands and luminescent figures and indices. In fact, it’s the innovative dial that propels the Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio definitively into 2017. While the watch exists in black, like the original model, Panerai is also introducing a spectacular brown ombré dial for the first time. The sunburst shading is a nod to the incandescent effect that Radiomir (radium) produced against the black dial, back in the 1930s, adding a vintage touch that will delight collectors.
The manually wound manufacture P.3000 movement measures 16.5 lignes, another period reference. It has generously proportioned brushed bridges, an imposing 13.2 mm balance wheel and two barrels capable of delivering a 3-day power reserve. It also enjoys a simplified adjustment system that enables the hour to be advanced in one-hour increments without affecting the minute hand.
A natural brown leather strap with ecru saddle stitching is fitted to both versions of the new Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio, which is water resistant to 30 metres. Adjustable lugs ensure that the strap can be easily changed.
