Panerai Black Watch Imitation, Cheap Panerai Black Watches

Panerai Luminor Chrono Automatic AMG (PAM00108)

Best service, really 5 stars, thank you very much!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Annemarie Dempster, From Orange Newburgh New York

Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 2500M 3 Days Automatic Titanio (PAM00364)

I love the appearance and styling of this Panerai Luminor 1950 watch. The one downfall is the metal band - it constantly comes out of the sliding metal piece that is meant to help keep the watch fastened on your wrist.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Jessica Irwin, From Italy Cittadella

Panerai Mare Nostrum (PAM00008)

This Panerai Mare Nostrum watch is pure class and elegance". For the man who is very articulate and sophisticated this is the watch for him.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Earl N, From USA Sumter

Panerai occupies a unique position in the watchmaking world. Although the original "Officine" was created in 1860, the watches it produces only became available to the public in 1993. Until then, the various developments and products by the Florence-based brand were dedicated exclusively to the Italian navy, an experience that enabled Panerai to patent a number of systems and above all to test them in the most credible possible manner. Their arrival in watch stores implied its own challenges, largely due to their substantial size of its cases with their eminently military design. However, the daring bid proved successful since the brand immediately found its place on the wrists of a number of male and female stars, igniting a trend for outsized watches. Since them, Panerai has adopted a slightly more low-key approach and the model loaned to us for this test bench is a prototype of the new Radiomir 1940 42mm.

Exterior
Panerai's historical developments and patents mostly related to the case. How about today? First of all, the object of this test bench is accurately named, since it features the 1940 version of the Radiomir cushion-shaped case. That was the year that the welded wire-lugs and the cone-shaped crown were replaced by monobloc lugs and a screw-locked cylindrical crown meeting new norms.
Despite its more discreet 42mm size and its transparent sapphire crystal back, the case of this Radiomir is reliably water-resistant to 10atm. In its 2015 version, the dial displays the small seconds at 9 o'clock in addition to the hours and minutes. Otherwise, the design and the iconic construction of the Panerai dials remain the same. A first plate is coated with a luminescent material. These days Super-LumiNova replaces Radiomir (actually the name of a luminescent material patented by Panerai) while providing comparable luminescent properties. A second plate, in which the numerals and hour-markers are cut out, is laid over the first. The indications appear distinctly by day or night.
Although the design of this watch as a whole has always been guided by a purely functional vocation, it features a powerful design with a pleasingly balanced combination of curves and sharp angles.

Movement
Yesterday's military secret is now common knowledge: movements that equipped Panerai watches during the brand's navy-dedicated history were supplied by Rolex that held a virtual monopoly of the reputation for reliability. As soon as it opted to pursue civilian missions, the Italian brand naturally had to find movements. Its first "public" models were equipped with Unitas calibers - a wise choice, since their reliability and size were a perfect match for the product. But this was not an "in-house movement" and it joining the Richemont group that sealed the brand's destiny as a Manufacture.
The P.1000 caliber powering this watch stems from a fully integrated development process. It is driven by two barrels ensuring a 72-hour power reserve and its balance oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, a standard frequency these days. This caliber has nothing else to prove other than its reliability and its precision, two missions it fulfills to perfection. The only "fancy touch" is the seconds-resetting when the winding stem is in the time-setting position.

The architecture and the construction of this caliber are entirely in tune with Panerai's vocation and its "military" past. Functionality and reliability are the predominant first impression. One might even at first glance consider these models as somewhat austere. But they desire a closer look. The decoration on the bridges is a daring but praiseworthy choice. Panerai has decided to finish their surface with straight-graining, an apparently simple choice that is nonetheless delicate and difficult to perform, especially by beveling the edges. While the polishing of the angles is pretty standard (and perfectly acceptable), the various surfaces are quite distinct from each other. The focus here is on consistence and common sense rather than the trend among certain Manufactures to aspire to the realm of Haute Horlogerie whatever their identity. Finally, the design of the barrel bridge and the going train centered around the fourth wheel.

Tests
It is not surprising to note that the watch exterior lives up to its promises. Functionality, robustness, water resistance and readability: all the qualities one expects from a Panerai are indeed there.
In terms of movement performances, the amplitudes are good at 0, 24 and 48 hours, respectively measured at between 255° and 295° in horizontal positions and between 235° and 275° in vertical positions. The two power-reserve measurements were also well beyond the data supplied by the manufacturer, at more than 75 hours in both instances. It is on the wrist that the Radiomir 1940 42mm reveals its key assets. Its exceptional ergonomics make it both comfortable and elegant to wear for both men and women.

Conclusion
In "going public", Panerai also sparked a number of trends and fashions. The Florence-based brand has nonetheless succeeded in preserving its identity, its values, but above all the remarkable qualities that have forged its well-deserved reputation. A tricky transition that has caused many brands to lose their way. As confirmed by this Radiomir 1940 42mm, Panerai has managed to become more widely available and to adapt to every-day life situations while safeguarding its technical assets and its unique character within the watch industry. Given its excellent price positioning, the Radiomir 1940 42mm is probably one of the finest possible responses to the difficult times watchmaking is currently going through.

A large Panerai wall clock, with the iconic minimalist design which makes every timepiece of the Florentine brand immediately recognisable, enables anyone entering the Info Point at the Expo Gate at Piazza Castello to read the time in Milan and five other world capitals, chosen for their international vocation and their connection with Universal Expositions: London, New York and Paris (seat of the BIE, the Bureau International des Expositions) and also Shanghai and Dubai (hosts respectively of the last and the next Universal Expositions).

Like all the brand's timepieces, the clock provides exceptional visibility at night, making it legible even in darkness, and it is therefore visible at all times from outside the Info Point, thanks to the building's ethereal structure of transparent glass and tubular steel.

This summer, Officine Panerai will also completely renew its Milanese boutique at Via Montenapoleone 1. The boutique is currently being restyled and enlarged under the supervision of the designer Patricia Urquiola, creator of the new concept already incorporated in the Flagship stores recently opened in Florence, Hong Kong, New York and Paris.

This 44mm model features a case and bezel in polished steel. The crown and the device protecting the crown are in brushed Type AISI 316L steel. The black dial features luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers, and the inscription 8 Giorni Brevettato ("8 Days Patented") at 3 o'clock. Functions include hours and minutes, as well as small seconds at 9 o'clock. Inside, the in-house Calibre P.5000 has a 8-day power reserve (192 hours) inspired by Angelus-made 8-day watches of the past. This calibre features a KIF® Parechoc anti-shock device and two barrels.

True to Panerai's navy heritage, the Luminor Marina 8 Days is water resistant to 300 meters. The water-resistance is ensured by the case's Type AISI 316L stainless steel, as this steel alloy is particularly resistant to corrosion. Panerai's iconic bridge device also features a lever that exerts pressure on the winding crown to improve water-resistance and to protect it from accidental shocks.

The vintage inspiration is also expressed in the form of a historical inscription on the solid case back. An engraving represents the Italian Navy human torpedeos used by the Navy to carry out their underwater missions.

The Luminor Marina 8 Days (PAM00590) is fitted with a brown untreated leather strap and is supplied with a spare strap and a steel screwdriver.

Angelo Bonati was born in 1951 in Milan, and studied economics in his native city. He started out in the jewellery business in the mid-1970s. In 1980 he joined the Vendôme group (now Richemont) and worked as sales manager for a number of luxury brands on the Italian market before being appointed Director of Sales and Marketing for Cartier Italy in 1987.
In 1993 Angelo Bonati entered the fashion world, holding the position of Sales and Marketing Worldwide Director in the Ginori group and Sales and Marketing Director of the Trussardi group. In 1997 Angelo Bonati returned to the Vendôme group, overseeing the public launch of the Officine Panerai brand, of which he has been CEO since the year 2000.

Gmt n°29 - Fall 2012

Angelo Bonati, CEO of Panerai
 

Brice Lechevalier: When did this passion for sailing emerge ?
Angelo Bonati: It goes back to my childhood, when I lived in the country and was fascinated by the sails when I saw them on TV. I wondered how it was possible for them to float in the wind. Unfortunately, the years rushed by all too fast, and it was only after I turned 30 that I was able to take lessons on Lake Como.
What's your best memory in this domain ?
The first boat I bought, a Jeanneau..
And as far as regattas are concerned?
I love the sea but I don't do much competitive sailing. I have excellent memories of a leg raced at 15 knots on the historical Bona Fide tall ship during the Regates Royales de Cannes a few years ago.
Of which achievement are you most proud ?
Of the restoration of Eilean, a ketch built by the Fife shipyard in 1936 and brought back by Panerai from Antigua in 2006 in order to be entirely renovated in keeping with tradition. It took us two and a half years in order to restore its original understated elegance, a period that taught me a lot. It is a symbol of the love of the sea that only sailing can fully express.
What would be your ultimate dream ?
To sail around the world on a monohull, to get to know all the many seas and to meet people on the other side of the world - while taking time to stop wherever I feel like it and for as long as I like.
What do you think of the 34th America's Cup ?
I have no opinion about it and am not even following it. They have totally destroyed a proud tradition.
How does this passion influence your professional activity ?
It's not really a matter of influence, in that I definitely distinguish between the two. I am lucky to be able to manage a brand with b maritime connections, and I am able to bring to the table my knowledge of this milieu. But even though it's pleasant, it's still work. The latter only stops when I'm aboard my boat.
Denis Flageollet, co-founder of De Bethune
 

Brice Lechevalier: When was this passion for sailing born ?
Denis Flageollet: When I was a child, the carpenter's workshop that made fishing boats out of pine and larch wood was 100m from my grandfather's watchmaking workshop and it smelt nicely of a combination of wood and tar and I loved watching him work. My father used to take me fishing on the lake where I always saw orange sail boats that I found incredibly attractive. After making a number of models that irritatingly sank, at about 12 years old I was finally able to sail. Even if it was only the boring but famous Vaurien designed for Glenans sailing school, it was still an adventure for me and an extraordinary discovery of the elements.

What is your favourite memory ?
The first time I crossed the raz de Sein (in Finistere) during the full moon under a spinnaker with a Sparkman & Stephens built by Rasmussen in 1954, of which only a very few examples still exist in the entire world.
What achievement are you most proud of ?
The single-handed restoration of a Shark made of mahogany in 1960! I stopped counting my hours after 1000 and I have now been renovating it regularly for more than 40 years.
What would the ultimate dream be ?
The Everest of sailing - the Vendee Globe - although it would obviously be totally inaccessible at my level. Imagine yourself alone for even a single night on a 60 foot Imoca going flat out in the Southern Ocean !...
What do you think of the 34th America's Cup ?
I think it is a great technological and human challenge. I appreciate the fact that the race is going back to one design sailing and a lot of regattas are planned, from the World Series to the final of the America's Cup.
How does this passion affect your professional life ?
This activity helps you to free up your head immediately, and to take time out. It's a school of patience that encourages introspection. These are virtues that are indispensable to balancing a tough professional life

Many watch brands would like to be in Panerai's shoes. Since its acquisition by the company that became the Richemont Group, the watch firm with Italian roots has become one of the most collectible in the industry. Not many other brands can boast their own vast online collector community?

The Paneristi, as they are known, are passionate about their favorite brand. The community comprises collectors all stripes, from every continent and just about every walk of life—people of varied interests and ages, dwelling in cities and in the countryside. What brings them together is the joy that a certain watch designed in Italy and made in Switzerland brings to their lives.

Though the Paneristi are spread out around the world, several members make a point of gathering annually in a different city to celebrate "P-Day." Two years back, that celebration took place in New York, hosted by one of the more visible Paneristi to call the Big Apple home, the artist Eng Tay. International Watch caught up with Mr. Tay to discuss what makes the Paneristi tick.

iW: What drew you to Panerai?
Eng Tay: I've always been a watch enthusiast, even as a young man. I started out collecting modestly, but as my passion grew over the years, so did my eye for style and impact. I have to admit that at first I wasn't at all into Panerai watches because I was a little intimidated by the size.

Then my brother mentioned Panerai to me in 2000, and I had a second look. I had always worn 36 to 38mm, but then I went and tried one on. That was it! The weight was so reassuring and after a while, I began to stop looking at smaller models in other brands! Then the collecting started.

How did you discover the Paneristi community?
I discovered the Paneristi.com website in 2004 and I lurked there for quite some time, before becoming bold enough to join and reach out. It was a great experience. I found a place where passion for watches is a requirement, not an oddity.

What led you to become an active member?
I love to travel and one of the things that I enjoyed about the Paneristi community was that it was not only all across the U.S., but also international. As I was preparing for each trip, I was able to include meeting up with other 'Risti's, which added a whole new dimension to my travels.

Also, I met new people right here in New York, who again, not only shared the passion for the brand, but also had the same spirit of friendship that I had discovered on the Forum. I'm not much of a poster, but I do connect with others through e-mail. I also loved the spirit of giving that was evident in the fundraisers, which is something that has always been important to me.

How many Panerais are currently in your collection?
About forty pieces…

Do you collect vintage as well as modern pieces? Any highlights?
I do collect both vintage and modern pieces. I have a passion for things that are old, or from a different era. When a watch comes with an interesting provenance as well, it makes it all that more special.

Having said that, I also collect from an artist's point of view and I love good design. Many of the modern pieces are so beautifully styled, that I can be equally as passionate about them too.

I do have a few highlights….my PAM 21 Complete NOS is a highlight because it's one of the first that I bought, then there is the 6154….you know, I can't really answer this question definitively! There are too many special pieces.

You hosted P-Day in New York a few years ago. Have you traveled to other P-Days in the past? If so where?
I have been to P-Day on Hamilton Island in North East Australia, and I have been to P-Day in Germany. It was such an honor for me to host P-Day in New York. I am looking forward to traveling to London in the UK for this year's P-Day event. I'm sure it will be a blast.

How many attendees were at P-Day in New York? How many were local and how many traveled to attend?
Oh boy, that is a hard question to answer without going back into old files! I know that we were at full capacity and it was a very well mixed group. New York is a huge attraction on its own but we had attendees from all over Europe, not to mention Hawaii, Russia and Asia. The local attendee numbers were very high also. I think altogether we had close to 150 people there.

Panerai collectors are very well known for their passion. What do you think it is about the brand that inspires their passion?
I think the Panerai brand shows such a b connection to history which makes them that bit more special than other pieces.

The visual design and style is also so special; with Panerais there are no wasted details. Visually they are understated yet are still eye catching. They are weighty, yet reassuring to wear.

The "Panerai Catalogue" is organised according to the classification of Officine Panerai watches, which are subdivided into four collections: Historic, the models driven by hand-wound calibres; Contemporary, the models with automatic movements; Specialities, the watches that express the highest level of technical excellence of Panerai production; Special Editions, the limited edition timepieces, which embody the values that are deeply rooted in the history of Panerai, namely rarity, exclusivity, authenticity and simplicity. Each watch from the different collections is illustrated with images and detailed technical information.

A specific section of the Panerai Catalogue application is devoted to calibres developed in-house by Officine Panerai at its manufactory in Neuchâtel. The technical features and functions of each of the ten calibres are illustrated through images, videos and detailed information, and each one can be instantly associated with all the models it powers.

Panerai Magazine is the second application developed by Officine Panerai specifically for the iPad, following the Panerai Magazine dedicated to 2011 news and novelties. It is available in English and can be downloaded free from the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/panerai-cat/id433429616?mt=8

Press Release
In the history of Officine Panerai, wristwatches for left-handers appeared for the first time in the early 1940s, when the first examples were produced for the commandos of the Italian Navy with the winding crown and bridge protecting the crown on the left; today these are very rare and highly sought-after by collectors. A possible historic justification for the existence of these watches may lie in the overall equipment carried by the commandos, which included not only the watch but also the compass and wrist depth gauge, which could have been worn on the left wrist instead of the watch.A new Officine Panerai Special Edition repeats this feature, which not only has its roots in the history of the brand but which also provides better functionality and comfort for everyone who prefers to wear a watch on the right wrist: the Luminor 1950 Left-handed 8 Days Titanio - 47 mm..
The Luminor 1950 case, in the classic Panerai size of 47 mm in diameter, is made of brushed titanium with a polished bezel and a sapphire crystal back which enables the manufacture P.2002/9 movement to be observed and the power reserve to be read. The buckle which closes the brown antiqued leather strap is also made of brushed titanium, a material chosen for its characteristics of lightness and strength as well as its hypo-allergenic qualities.The brown sandwich dial has the small seconds dial at 3 o'clock, perfecting the aesthetic balance of the watch which has the bridge protecting the winding crown positioned on the left. The sandwich structure, the justification of which lay in the need to maximise the dial's legibility when used underwater, consists of two superimposed discs between which is placed the luminous material with which the markers and figures are displayed. The hour and minute hands, as well as the small seconds hand, are coated with Super-LumiNova®. On the dial, as well as the inscription "Luminor Panerai", the inscription "8 DAYS" refers to the movement's lengthy power reserve, which also has historic origi
The Luminor 1950 Left-handed 8 Days Titanio - 47 mm is fitted with the P.2002/9, calibre, completely designed and produced within the Officine Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel. The hand-wound calibre has three spring barrels which provide a power reserve of eight days, displayed on the back of the movement, and the seconds reset function, which zeroes the seconds hand, thus enabling the watch to be perfectly synchronised with a reference time signal.Water-resistant to 10 atmospheres (100 metres), the Luminor 1950 Left-handed 8 Days Titanio - 47 mm(PAM00368) is a Special Edition of only 1,000 units.
Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.2002/9 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 13¾ lignes, 8.2 mm thick, 23 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 28,800 alternations/hour. KIF Parechoc® anti-shock device. 8 days power reserve, 3 highspeed spring barrels, seconds reset device. 246 components.Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator on the back, seconds reset.Case: Diameter 47 mm, brushed titanium.Bezel: Polished titanium.Back: See-through sapphire crystal.Device protecting the crown: (protected as a Trademark) Brushed titanium.Dial: Brown with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Seconds at 3 o'clock.Crystal: Sapphire, formed of corundum, 2mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.Water-resistance: 10 bar (~100 metres).Strap: PANERAI personalised leather strap and large-size brushed titanium buckle. Supplied with a second interchangeable strap, a tool to change the strap and a steel screwdriver.Reference: PAM00368.Calibre P.2002The P.2002 hand-wound calibre is the progenitor of the P.2000 series and it takes its name from the year in which the project was launched to supply Panerai watches with movements entirely designed and developed in the Manufacture in Neuchâtel.
The P.2002 calibre consists of 247 components; it has 21 jewels and a thickness of 6.6 millimetres. Hand-wound and with a power reserve of 8 days with linear indicator on the dial, it has the characteristics peculiar to all the calibres of the P.2000 series: great structural strength; three spring barrels; GMT function with 24-hour indicator; seconds reset; rapid adjustment of local time; freesprung balance; balance wheel oscillating at 28,800 alternations per hour (a frequency which is unusual in a movement with a large power reserve).The three spring barrels in series, the design of which is an Officine Panerai patent, ensures the delivery of an even, optimal force which remains stable for 8 days, thus delivering a force which is constant for all the days of the power reserve.The P.2002 calibre also has the seconds reset device which resets the seconds hand to zero, enabling the watch to be synchronised perfectly with a reference time signal. The operation of the system designed by Officine Panerai is very special: when the winding crown is pulled out to the second position, a thin blade moves into contact with the balance wheel, stopping it. At the same time, a small hammer lever moves downwards and acts on a heart-shaped cam which instantly moves the seconds hand to the zero position. As soon as the winding crown is returned to the normal position, the balance wheel is freed, the hammer lever is raised, thus releasing the cam, and the seconds hand resumes its normal course.Functions- Hours, minutes, small seconds- Date- GMT 12/24 h- Seconds reset- Rapid adjustment of local timeTechnical specifications- Hand-wound- Power reserve 8 days- 247 components- 21 jewels- 13¾ lignes in diameter- 6.6 mm thick- Three spring barrels- Frequency of oscillation 4 Hz- KIF Parechoc® anti-shock device

With its automatic Panerai P.9000 movement, its Luminor 1950 case in Panerai Composite and its strict adherence to the functional and aesthetic codes which make every Panerai watch unique, the Luminor Composite Marina 1950 3 Days Automatic - 44mm is a classic example of Panerai's tradition for innovation and quality.

The Luminor 1950 case and the bridge protecting the winding crown are executed in Panerai Composite, the synthetic ceramic, used in haute horlogerie for the first time by Officine Panerai, which is created by an electro-chemical process involving the transformation of aluminium. Panerai Composite is much lighter than ceramic but at the same time it is much harder and more resistant than steel, furthermore it is matt and extremely distinctive in appearance.

The large, unadorned brown dial is of a sandwich construction consisting of two superimposed layers containing the Super-LumiNova® which forms the fluorescent figures and hour markers. It is in the classic Panerai style, reflected by its thickness and high legibility even in the dark. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.The P.9000 automatic movement, which can be observed through the smoked sapphire crystal case back, is 13 ¾ lignes in diameter and 7.9 mm thick and it has been entirely designed and constructed within the Officine Panerai manufacture at Neuchâtel. This calibre has a date function, small seconds at 9 o'clock and a power reserve of three days, achieved by two spring barrels connected in series, with an oscillating rotor which winds the springs in both directions.

The Luminor Composite Marina 1950 3 Days Automatic - 44mm is water-resistant to 30 atmospheres (about 300 metres) and it is supplied with a strap of antiqued brown leather, with a Panerai Composite buckle of the same colour. Identified by the reference PAM00386, it is part of the Contemporary collection.

Movement: Automatic mechanical, Panerai P.9000 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 13¾ lignes, 7.9 mm thick, 28 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 28,800 alternations/hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 197 components.
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date.
Case: Diameter 44 mm, brown Panerai Composite.
Bezel: Brown Panerai Composite, integrated into the case.
Back: See-through burnished sapphire crystal.
Device protecting the crown: (protected as a Trademark) Brown Panerai Composite .
Dial: Brown with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Date at 3 o'clock, small seconds at 9 o'clock.
Crystal: Sapphire, made from corundum, 2.6mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance: 30 bar (~300 metres).
Strap: PANERAI personalised leather strap and large-size Panerai Composite buckle. Supplied with a second interchangeable strap and a steel screwdriver.
Reference: PAM00386.

Calibre P.9000

The P.9000 automatic movement, entirely designed and created in the Officine Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, has a diameter of 13¾ lignes and a thickness of 7.9 mm. The three versions available - P.9000, P.9001 and P.9002 - have the date at 3 o'clock and the small seconds at 9 o'clock. They are distinguished by the variable inertia balance wheel, that is, one in which the adjusting screws are arranged radially, and is the single base balance cock. The frequency of oscillation is 28,800 alternations per minute, equivalent to 4 Hz, and the balance wheel is free-sprung.
 

The power reserve is 3 days, achieved by the two spring barrels connected in series, the second of which has a slipping spring. The use of two spring barrels means that long, thin springs are used which provide a very even force. The evenness with which the force is delivered translates into very accurate timekeeping in that it keeps the oscillation of the balance wheel at a constant amplitude. The oscillating weight winds the springs as it rotates in both directions.

The system which supervises the rapid adjustment of local time is the same as that used in the P.2000 calibres: a star wheel with 12 teeth and a small spring clutch enables the hour hand indicating local time to be moved in clicks of one hour at a time, without interfering with the movement of the minute hand or the running of the watch.

An innovative device enables the automatic winding system to be disconnected when the watch is being wound by hand: this is arranged by a moving intermediate wheel which can adopt two different positions. When the winding crown is rotated, the wheel moves and engages a wheel beneath it with the teeth of the first spring barrel; but when it is in automatic winding mode, it is the spring barrel which, as it rotates, moves the intermediate wheel and disconnects the engagement with the wheel below and therefore the connection with the winding stem.

Functions
- Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Date

Technical specifications
- Automatic winding
- Power reserve 3 days
- 197 components
- 28 jewels.
- 13¾ lignes in diameter
- 7.9 mm thick
- Two spring barrels
- Frequency of oscillation 4 Hz
- Incabloc® anti-shock device

Officine Panerai presents a new Special Edition in Panerai Composite, the synthetic composite used in haute horlogerie for the first time by Officine Panerai and produced by an electro-chemical process of transforming aluminium. The new Luminor Composite 1950 3 Days - 47mm combines the characteristics and performance of this material, exceptional for its lightness, strength and durability, with the new hand-wound P.3000 calibre, entirely designed and produced in the Officine Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel.
The Luminor 1950 case in Panerai Composite is 47 mm in diameter, a classic size for Panerai watches, and it has a matt brown appearance of great evenness. Made of the same material are the bridge protecting the winding crown with the classic clamping lever and the round bezel which surrounds the sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment. Water-resistant to 100 metres, the case has the polished crystal back which enables the movement to be seen.The sandwich dial too is dark brown and stripped to essentials with the characteristic small seconds dial at 9 o'clock. The dial is of sandwich construction, being formed of two thin metal discs, the upper one of which is perforated to allow the luminous substance placed between them (Super-LumiNova®) to be seen. The hands are also covered with the same luminous substance, in a special ecru colour so as to reproduce the vintage appearance of the dials of the period.
The movement used in the Luminor Composite 1950 3 Days - 47mmis the manufacture P.3000 calibre. With a diameter of 16½ lignes and hand-wound, the movement has a structure with large bridges, comparable to plates, while from the technical point of view it has two spring barrels, ensuring a power reserve of 72 hours (three days), and a large-diameter balance wheel with adjusting screws.Identified by the reference PAM00375, the new Luminor Composite 1950 3 Days - 47mm is produced in a unique numbered edition of 2,000 examples and it is supplied with a leather strap, closed by a buckle made of Panerai Composite.
Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.3000/1 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 16½ lignes, 5.3 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 160 components.Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds.Case: Diameter 47 mm, brown Panerai Composite.Bezel: Brown Panerai Composite, integrated into the case.Back: See-through burnished sapphire crystal.Device protecting the crown: (protected as a Trademark) Brown Panerai Composite.Dial: Brown with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Small seconds at 9 o'clock.Crystal: Sapphire, made from corundum, 2mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.Water-resistance: 10 bar (~100 metres).Strap: PANERAI personalised leather strap and large-size Panerai Composite buckle. Supplied with a second interchangeable strap and a steel screwdriver.Reference: PAM00375.
Calibre P.3000Entirely designed, developed and produced in the Officine Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, the hand-wound P.3000 calibre presents the main characteristics of the Panerai movements both in terms of structure and in terms of performance, robustness, accuracy and its long power reserve.

The thickness of the calibre P.3000 is 5.3 mm and the diameter is 16½ lignes, a substantial size which traces its origins from that of the movements which were fitted to the historic Panerai models. The calibre is immediately recognisable by its construction, which is similar to that of a three-quarter plate movement: a large bridge, next to another smaller one, covers the majority of the mechanical parts and it is fixed to the bottom plate by a series of screws of substantial thickness, thus forming a particularly rigid structure.

The movement has 21 jewels and it uses two spring barrels connected in series. Such an arrangement enables long, thin springs to be used, which ensures the delivery of a more even force and also does so over a longer period of time, with a power reserve of 3 days. The balance wheel is unusually large (13.2 mm) and it is the variable inertia type, with four adjusting screws arranged externally round the ring, so that the rate can be regulated without it being necessary to remove the whole assembly. Supported by a bridge with twin supports - a fixing much safer and more stable compared to the cantilevered single bridge - the balance wheel oscillates at a frequency of 3 Hz, equivalent to 21,600 alternations per hour. It is fitted with an Incabloc® antishock device and is free-sprung, so there is no regulating lever.

With brush-finished bridges and chamfered angles - that is, with the angles smoothed and polished - the P.3000 calibre is also fitted with the device for the rapid adjustment of the time: a star wheel with 12 points and a small spring clutch enable the hour hand to be moved one hour at a time, without interfering with the movement of the minute hand or the operation of the watch.

Functions

- Hours, minutes, small seconds

Technical specifications

- Hand-wound

- Power reserve 3 days

- 160 components

- 21 jewels.

- 16½ lignes in diameter

- 5.3 mm thick

- Two spring barrels

- Frequency of oscillation 3 Hz

- Incabloc® anti-shock device

"This is an emotional thing for me", Angelo Bonati, CEO of Officine Panerai, stated last week as he opened the ambitious Galileo exhibition at famed Nobel Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. "And I am extremely proud to sponsor this exhibition," he continued in front of the international press that covered this special occasion in the Swedish capital on the very same day as the Nobel prize in literature went to German writer Herta Muller. Mr Bonati also announced a limited edition of a model offering a special Equation of Time.

The impressive exhibition that contained several old telescopes, including two surviving telescopes made by Galileo, astrological drawings and vintage Panerai watches, celebrated the historical introduction in 1609 of Galileo's landmark invention - the instrument that changed the perception of the world.

Initially this exhibition was created by the Istituto e Museo delle Scienza in Florence - also the home town of Officine Panerai. The exhibition marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo´s first celestial discoveries and is a unique occasion to experience one of the treasures of all time.

Not only is Officine Panerai sponsoring this unique event, but the watch company is also making its own unique contribution with a rather striking and extraordinary mechanical instrument, the Jupiterium. This is a watch that no Panerist expected to see. This is no tribute to Italian navy divers during Second World War. This is no Luminor, Radiomir nor the long awaited Mare Nostrum reintroduction. This is a mechanical instrument with a watch that shows time and has a manual-wound movement with a 40-day power reserve. The instrument also features a unique perpetual calendar that determines the exact date, day, month and year without any need for manual regulation, even in leap years.

Issued in a strictly limited edition of just three, the Jupiterium comprises a square wooden base that supports a glass sphere holding the Earth and planets on titanium arms. The constellation of the zodiac is picked out in superluminova on the surface of the sphere, shown as they can be seen both of Earth´s hemispheres.

During an interview with Angelo Bonati, Panerai's CEO, he told Worldtempus about a new model that will be released at the SIHH in January. It appears that Panerai will produce a limited (probably 30-piece) series of a particular model offering the Equation of Time function, yet tailor made to the owner's particular geographical location. This is indeed interesting yet surprising news, from the popular Florentine watch brand. And definitely something to look forward to, come January 2009.