Panerai

The history of Officine Panerai, an Italian luxury watch manufacturer, stretches all the way back to 1860. However, their extravagant watches first became available to the public over 130 years later in 1993. Up until then, this Florentine company was a supplier to the Royal Italian Navy and very secretive about their products.

Today, Panerai creates some of the industry's most highly coveted timepieces. Cushion-shaped cases and massive sizes of 47 mm and above lend these watches a rather masculine feel and make them truly unmistakable. Thanks to luminous hands and indices, the large round dials are always tidy and easy to read under all lighting conditions.

The Radiomir and Luminor collections get their inspiration from historical models from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. On the other hand, the diving watches in the Submersible series pair retro details with modern design and generally appeal to younger audiences.

Despite their fondness for retro designs, Panerai keeps up with the times when it comes to materials. In addition to the usual suspects like stainless steel, gold, and titanium, the manufacturer has developed their own proprietary materials, including the composites Carboech and Fibratech and special alloys like Goldtech and Platinumtech. Beyond that, Panerai is dedicated to sustainability and has produced several watches made almost entirely of recycled materials in recent years.

Panerai has been equipping certain models with in-house calibers since 2005. These movements are produced at the company's facilities in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and vary in their complications. Some calibers feature a second time zone, split-seconds chronograph, tourbillon, or minute repeater. What's more, many of these movements boast astonishing 10-day power reserves. All watches produced before 2005 get their power from calibers from different ébauche suppliers, such as ETA.

You can find Panerai watches on Chrono24 for as little as 4,000 or 4,500 USD. For that price, you can purchase a Radiomir Black Seal or Luminor Base Logo. Be sure to have between 5,400 and 6,500 USD on hand for a Luminor Marina. Models with a chronograph or second time zone change hands starting at around 6,800 USD. A series of Submersible timepieces falls in a similar price range.

A major jump in price occurs when you look into gold or bronze timepieces. For example, a Submersible 1950 Bronzo or Radiomir 1940 in rose gold will set you back about 33,000 USD.

Prices for Panerai's top models easily reach six figures. For example, the skeletonized Luminor Tourbillon GMT Lo Scienziato demands roughly 141,000 USD, and a Luminor Tourbillon Equation of Time in 18-karat gold costs upwards of 225,000 USD.

Vintage watches from the 1940s are great options for collectors. Models with the Rolex caliber 3646 are particularly highly coveted and regularly sell for more than 110,000 USD in good condition.

The Radiomir was the very first Panerai watch. The company began producing models for the Italian Navy all the way back in 1936. Its name comes from the luminous material patented by Panerai in 1916. This material is based on radium, a radioactive element.

This timepiece's design has changed very little since its introduction. It still has a cushion-shaped case, tidy dial, two hands, and luminous indices and numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. Most models come with a "sandwich" dial, i.e., a dial with two layers. The manufacturer cuts the numbers and indices out of the top layer and then places it over the lower layer, which is coated with luminous material. The result lends these timepieces a stunning sense of depth.

The different models range from 42 to 49 mm in diameter. Most have a stainless steel case; however, the manufacturer also offers a few Radomir timepieces in rose gold or black ceramic. The collection is also home to a few different dial designs, including the popular "California" dial. This dial type has hours marked by Roman numerals on its upper half and Arabic numerals on the lower half. Then there's the Radiomir S.L.C., which does without numerals altogether. Instead, it uses dot and line indices to mark the hours.

Panerai has added several more dial varieties in recent years. The collection has included models with green dials since 2017. There are also versions with blue or brown dials. Among the latter group, you'll find the Radiomir Venti. The manufacturer launched this model in 2020 to celebrate 20 years since the foundation of the online "Paneristi" community. The Radiomir Eilean followed in 2021. This watch also has a brown dial but features a vertical teak pattern reminiscent of the deck on the yacht "Eilean." Built in 1936, Panerai helped restore the "Eilean" and get it back in working order in 2006.

The collection is also home to watches with small seconds, power reserve indicators, or GMT functions. The top model is the Radiomir 1940 Minute Repeater Tourbillon GMT. Panerai only produces this 49-mm rose gold watch upon request. It displays the time in two time zones using a central set of hands. By pressing the push-piece at 8 o'clock, the watch will acoustically relay the time in either time zone. Sapphire crystal on both the front and back offers a view of the intricately skeletonized in-house caliber P.2005/MR at work. Officially, this timepiece sells for 400,000 USD.

Entry-level models, such as the Radiomir Base Logo and Radiomir Black Seal Logo, sell for 4,000 to 4,400 USD. Collector's items like the Venti or Eilean will set you back roughly 7,900 USD. If you'd prefer a watch with a second time zone, be prepared to spend anywhere from 9,200 to 12,500 USD. Prices for a Radiomir with a gold case fall between 10,000 and 17,000 USD.

The Luminor collection is an evolution of the Radiomir. Both models share a cushion-shaped case and a clean sandwich dial. The most noticeable difference is the massive crown-protecting bridge that guards the Luminor's crown against impacts and jolts. It also keeps the crown firmly pressed into the case, keeping water out of the delicate interior.

Stainless steel is the most prominent material in the Luminor collection. However, you'll also find models in rose gold, titanium, or ceramic. In recent years, Panerai has put a lot of time and effort into researching and developing materials, resulting in proprietary alloys like Goldtech and Platinumtech. Both are more durable than conventional precious-metal alloys. Other materials to arise out of Panerai's laboratories include Carbotech and Fibratech. These composites are made of carbon and basalt fibers, respectively, and are robust, corrosion-resistant, and up to 60% lighter than stainless steel. In spring 2021, the brand launched the Luminor Marina Steel with a case crafted from recycled steel.

Beyond the many materials, there is a wide array of complications to choose from. This includes models with a tourbillon and a second time zone in addition to a flyback chronograph, perpetual calendar, or equation of time. There are even watches for lefties with the crown on the left-hand side.

Prices for a Panerai Luminor

Simple models like the Luminor Base Logo change hands for as little as 4,700 USD. More complex watches, such as the Luminor GMT Power Reserve with a second time zone and power reserve indicator or the Luminor 8 Days GMT with an impressive eight-day power reserve, cost between 8,900 and 12,000 USD. There's also the Luminor Equation of Time 8 Days GMT, which requires an investment of roughly 19,000 USD. For another 3,500 USD, you can call the Luminor Regatta Chrono Flyback your own.

You'll have to dig quite a bit deeper in your pockets for highly-complicated special editions like the Luminor L'Astronomo Tourbillon Moon Phase Equation of Time GMT. As its name implies, this timepiece boasts a second time zone, an equation of time function, a tourbillon, and a moon phase indicator that also shows sunrise and sunset times. Prices for this model begin around 248,000 USD.

The Luminor Due is an elegant take on the classic Luminor. Its flatter case makes it a fantastic sporty dress watch. At 38 to 45 mm in diameter, there are also plenty of options for smaller wrists. Panerai outfits these models with sunburst dials in silver, graphite, black, or blue, further heightening their elegant aesthetic. The three-hand editions with a small seconds dial at 9 o'clock are available in stainless steel, titanium, or rose gold. Beautiful alligator leather straps hold these timepieces securely on the wrist. As of 2019, these watches get their power from the in-house caliber P.900.

Depending on the size, plan to spend between 5,800 and 8,500 USD for a stainless steel model. The same timepieces in titanium sell for anywhere from 6,600 to 9,900 USD. Finally, the gold editions are much more expensive at 13,000 to 22,500 USD.

The Submersible collection is a modern version of the Luminor. It also features Panerai's characteristic crown-protecting bridge. However, unlike the Luminor, this timepiece comes with a unidirectional diving bezel. With 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft) of water resistance, the Submersible is also suited for diving.

Applied dot and line indices add a fresh touch to the dial. Panerai also turns to contemporary materials for the case. In addition to classic stainless steel, you'll find titanium, ceramic, and carbon editions. The collection also contains models constructed from the company's proprietary materials Carbotech and Goldtech. There are even several sustainable models, such as the Submersible eLAB-ID, which Panerai makes out of 98.6% recycled materials.

Prices for three-hand Submersibles largely depend on the exact edition. Older stainless steel models like the ref. PAN00024 change hands for as little as 5,500 USD on Chrono24. More recent versions like the Submersible Blu Notte or the Azzurro – both made of titanium – cost roughly 11,500 USD. Carbotech and Goldtech watches will set you back anywhere from 16,000 to 28,500 USD. As of writing, the eco-friendly eLAB-ID is hard to come by on the Chrono24 marketplace. However, Panerai officially lists this model for 61,700 USD.

If you're on the market for a Submersible with a flyback chronograph, be sure to have between 14,000 and 33,000 USD. Those who can do without a flyback chronograph may prefer an older Submersible chronograph like the ref. PAM00187. These watches cost about 10,000 USD.

One of the most spectacular Submersible models is the Submersible Bronzo. Its 47-mm case is made of bronze and will develop its own unique patina over time, making every timepiece truly one of a kind. Anticipate prices of around 19,500 USD for a never-worn watch with a brown dial and brown ceramic bezel inlay. A Submersible Bronzo 1950 3 Days Power Reserve with a green dial demands roughly 31,500 USD. In 2021, Panerai released the Submersible Bronzo Blu Abisso, a 42-mm bronze timepiece. As its name implies, it features a blue dial with a matching leather strap. Prices for this watch sit around 21,000 USD.

The history of Panerai began in 1860, when Giovanni Panerai opened a small watchmaking workshop and school in Florence, Italy. However, because a flood in 1966 destroyed all original documents from this time, it's difficult to reconstruct the company's exact history. What is known for sure is that the company's sign bore the words "Orologeria Svizzera" (Swiss watchmaking) at the beginning of the 20th century.

Initially, the company focused on importing and selling Swiss watches from companies like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, and Rolex. To keep import taxes as low as possible, the watches were delivered disassembled. Once the components reached the workshop, they were reassembled and adjusted by professionals who had trained at Panerai's watchmaking school. The brand's customers included prominent, rich Florentines and the Italian royal family.

Working with the Royal Italian Navy

The Italian military has belonged to Panerai's clientele since 1910, and initially, they delivered pocket chronographs. Between 1910 and 1914, Panerai teamed up with Lieutenant Carlo Ronconi to research glow-in-the-dark devices using a radium-based luminous material. The term "Radiomir" first appeared in 1916 on a French registered patent. The word is a combination of the Italian words "radio" (radium) and "mira" (sight or goal). In the years that followed, Panerai delivered compasses, barometers, depth gauges, underwater lamps, and other instruments to the Italian military.

Over the course of the 1940s, Panerai developed their iconic crown-protecting bridge. It remains an unmistakable trademark of every Luminor model to this day. Panerai invented the luminous material Luminor in the late 1940s. This material is made from tritium and replaced radioactive Radiomir.

Panerai's cooperation with the Italian Navy meant that their products were subject to strict military secrecy starting in 1936. Thus, they weren't available for purchase by the general public. This would remain the case until the early 1990s and the lifting of the confidentiality provisions.

Panerai's Success

Large and distinctive timepieces define the luxury watch manufacturer Panerai. Consistent designs and their crown-protecting bridge create a steadfast image that every watch enthusiast recognizes at first glance. The watches impress with their functionality and easy-to-read dials. They take their inspiration from the demands of the military, and more recently, action stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have helped the watches achieve cult status. The company received new financial resources after joining the Richemont Group in 1997. These funds opened doors to new marketing and technological development possibilities that led to Panerai's first in-house calibers. Today, the Radiomir and Luminor models are no longer pure military watches: They're beloved by city dwellers, creative minds, star chefs, and managers of all kinds.