Fake Panerai Hand Wind Watch, Swiss Panerai Hand Wind Watches For Sales

Panerai Luminor Marina Automatic White Gold (PAM00180)

The Panerai watch was not as expected. In the picture the saphire on the watch seemed to be very big and highly visible however it did not fulfilled my expectation. Any ways thank you for the quick delivery.

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

Review by NOBUYUKI TORII, From Switzerland Muntelier

Panerai Ferrari Scuderia GMT (FER00009)

I love this watch, will be ordering a different style soon .

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

Review by Theresa J Foley, From Canada Vaughan

Panerai Luminor Marina Black Dial Tan Leather Men's Watch PAM00590

I bought this after seeing it in Wired Magazine. It has lived-up to expectations. A durable watch that looks sharp and has a somewhat unique band. The glow-in-the-dark arms could use a touch more glow, but that's a bit of a nitpick.

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

Review by Dorette W, From USA Mays Landing

In honour of its own Florentine origins, Panerai has for many years been promoting the genius of Galileo Galilei as a tribute to the great Tuscan scientist who, by formulating the law of isochronism of the small oscillations of the pendulum, revolutionised the history of time measurement. Thanks to the sponsorship of Panerai, in 2012 the Museo Galileo in Florence created a section where period exhibits and interactive multimedia devices illustrate Galileo's decisive contribution to the history of time measurement. At the same time, Panerai created a range of exclusive timepieces of the highest quality named "Lo Scienziato", which are a 16 tribute to the memory and fundamental legacy of the great physicist, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer.

Panerai's most recent creation in the "Lo Scienziato" range is the new Radiomir 1940 Tourbillon GMT Oro Rosso - 48mm, developed by the "Laboratorio di Idee" of the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel. What immediately stands out is the work of skeletonising the P. 2005/S movement, the hand-wound calibre with a tourbillion regulator which brings this superb timepiece to life. Every component has been reduced to its essential structure and it is therefore possible to admire the arrangement, finish and action of the movement in great detail, both through the dial and the back.

The mechanism of the rotation of the tourbillon cage created by Panerai is unusual in that a single rotation is completed in 30 seconds - instead of the traditional 60 - and it rotates on a perpendicular axis, instead of parallel to that of the balance wheel. This special construction compensates more effectively position errors caused by the force of gravity, thus ensuring more accurate time measurement.

The skeletonised bridges and plates not only reveal the interlacing of the gear wheels and components of the watch but also the unwinding of the springs inside the three barrels which give the timepiece a power reserve of six days. The power reserve remaining is indicated on the back of the movement.

"Lo Scienziato" is presented for the first time in a Radiomir 1940 case of red gold, the diameter of which is an imposing 48 mm. To enable the skeletonising to be admired, the watch does not have a normal dial: the small seconds dial at 9 o'clock, with its indicator dot rotating simultaneously with the tourbillon cage, and the counter at three o'clock, with the AM/PM indication are integral with the movement. On the other hand, the linear hour-markers and numbers, all coated in ecru Super-LumiNova® are directly fixed to the black flange on which the name "Lo Scienziato" is engraved.

The P.2005/S movement also has the GMT function with a central hand indicating a second time zone, day/night indication on an auxiliary dial at three o'clock and the system for quickly setting local time. This is done by means of a star wheel with 12 teeth and a small friction spring, which enables the single hour hand to be adjusted in jumps, without interfering with the movement of the minute hands or the running of the watch.

Produced in a limited edition of 30 units, the new Radiomir 1940 Tourbillon GMT (PAM00559) comes with a black alligator strap and a polished red gold folding buckle. Like all Panerai watches the new model is water-resistant, in this case to a depth of 50 metres.

The first historical element of the new models is the Luminor 1950 case. There is a subtle difference between the Luminor case and the Luminor 1950 case, and naturally the origins of this distinction are to be found in the history of Officine Panerai. The number "1950" refers to the year when the case with the iconic lever device protecting the winding crown was designed; it was developed to make the watch worn by the commandos of the Italian Navy even ber and more water-resistant. The proportions of this historic case were not reproduced by Panerai until 2002, when the first Luminor 1950 (PAM00127) was launched.

The two new models have a small detail marking their link with Panerai's history: the date "1950" is engraved on the lever locking the winding crown. The case is made of titanium - a light, b, hypo-allergenic material - coated with DLC and it is 47 mm in diameter, like the vintage models. The result of the interaction of all these elements is a case with a vintage design cut the performance of contemporary high-end watchmaking. Emphasised by the brown leather strap with contrasting stitching, with the OP logo stamped upon it, the look is dark, sober and sporty, and is reminiscent of the depths of the sea where Panerai watches were born and in which the new models will be able to dive, since their water-resistance is guaranteed up to a depth of about 100 metres.

The two new Luminor 1950 3 days Titanio DLC differ from each other in the dial, which in both cases is protected by a rounded crystal. One version (PAM00617) has the black dial with the classic Panerai design, with large bar markers and figures, the seconds counter at 9 o'clock, the OP logo and the traditional sandwich construction. By contrast, the other model (PAM00629) has a black dial with a combination of Roman and Arabic numerals and graphic markers; this variant is known as the California dial and is much sought-after by collectors because it reproduces the design of the first Panerai watch in history, the Radiomir of 1936.

The movement of the new Luminor 1950 is the P.3000 calibre, hand-wound with a power reserve of three days. The P.3000 calibre is 16½ lignes - a size typical of the vintage models - and it has a very sturdy, reliable structure, with a wide balance wheel 13.2 mm in diameter, firmly held in place by a transverse bridge. Most of the wheelwork is covered by wide, brush-finished, chamfered bridges, a finish which gives the movement a sporty yet sophisticated appearance. Entirely designed and built by the Officine Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, the calibre also has the device for quickly setting the time, enabling the hour hand to move in jumps of one hour at a time, without interfering with the movement of the minute hand or the running of the watch.

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.

French Paneristi don't have to wait till Christmas for a special treat. Artcurial is organising a "Panerai Only" auction entirely dedicated to the Italian brand on December 8^th in its Parisian headquarters on the Rond-Point des Champs-Elysees. A hundred pieces dating from the 1930s to the present day will be going under the auctioneer's hammer, to the delight of collectors who are sure to compete fiercely for several historical lots or for more recent models produced in limited editions as the brand loves to do, and equally coveted. Among the watches on offer, 15 are from the same private collection.

To underscore the importance of this sale and the enthusiasm generated by the brand among aficionados, the watches to be auctioned in Paris were on show in two prior exhibitions - one in Geneva on November 6^th and the other in Milan from November 19^th to 23^rd.

The sales catalogue comprises three sequences. The vintage watches date from 1930 to 1950, the period when Panerai was official supplier of diving instruments and watches for the Italian navy and did not produce timepieces for the general public. "Pre-Vendôme" models comprise the first Panerai watches intended for the public market, launched in 1993, and those produced until the brand was bought up in 1997 by the Vendôme group (which was itself subsequently absorbed by the Richemont group). And finally, the "Vendôme" period which includes timepieces that have come on the market since 1997 and through to the present day.
 

The vintage historical models include a 1940 ref. 3646 Radiomir that is exceptionally rare. This cushion-shaped 46 mm steel wristwatch features a black 'sandwich' dial with luminescent hour-markers and Arabic numerals, and a mechanical Rolex movement. It is estimated at between 80,000 and 120,000 euros.
A ref. 6152 Marina Militare dating from the same year has the now famous crown guard specially designed at the time to meet the requirements of Italian navy combat frogmen. Valued at between 85,000 and 150,000 euros, it is supplied in its presentation box complete with a Panerai compass. In 1956 the Egyptian navy placed an order for a Panerai diver's watch, resulting in the Radiomir Egiziano, a giant 60 mm model and the first diver's watch to boast an 8-day power reserve and a shotblasted rotating bezel. On auction for the first time, ref. GPF 2/56 is estimated at between 100,000 and 150,000 euros.
 

In the "pre-Vendôme" section, a 44 mm Luminor Marina, produced around 1994 in a 200-piece limited edition and equipped with a hand-wound Unitas movement, will doubtless appeal to collectors - not only because of its rarity but also because it is one of the very first Panerai watches with a PVD case.

In 1993, Sylvester Stallone ordered a watch from Panerai and thereby played a key role in the brand's spectacular rise to public fame. The Luminor Submersible SlyTech Sylvester Stallone special edition that will be up for auction in Paris dates from about 1996 and was initially announced as a 200-piece limited edition, but only 95 were produced in the end. This collector's watch bearing the number 090/200 comes with a presentation box, two additional straps, a scale model of the Italian SLC torpedoes and an authentication letter from the Panerai quality control director! The buyer can expect to shell out between 40,000 and 50,000 euros to take this one home.

The most recent timepieces include around 20 Radiomir watches produced between 2009 and 2013, notably two featuring the Californian dial with Arabic and Roman numerals, a handsome Regatta chronograph (PAM00246 n° 1074/300) driven by a self-winding movement with split-second and jumping seconds functions, and a large 52 mm Mare Nostrum (PAM00300 n° M60/99) housing a Minerva column-wheel movement. Finally, the catalogue also includes several Luminor models: Chronograph, Submersible, Marina and Power Reserve.

But the truly original Christmas present for a die-hard Paneristi is the large black wooden box containing a watchmaker's lathe and tools (139 in all), built at Officine G. Panerai in Florence, and estimated at…. Shh, gifts are priceless!

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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.

Presented for the first time at the exhibition "O'Clock - time design, design time" (Milan Triennale, 11th October 2011 - 8th January 2012), the Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days - 47mm (PAM00422) is an excellent example of the mix of design and technique embodied by Panerai watches.
The special design of the case is inspired by a rare historic model and is characterized by the pronounced cusp rounding of the carrure. This feature, rich in meaning from the historical viewpoint, testifies to the transformation, which occurred in the early 1940s, of the Radiomir's cushion case into that of the Luminor, and in the Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days - 47mm it enhances a 47mm steel Luminor 1950 case (AISI 316L), with the classic lever device protecting the winding crown made of brushed steel.

The black dial of the Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days - 47mm is typical of the Panerai style, with small seconds at nine o'clock and the classic succession of large numbers and indexes. The dial has a "sandwich" structure with the ecru Super-LumiNova® layer enclosed between two plates, which emerges from the holes made in correspondence with indexes and numbers, to give maximum clarity and depth to the dial. The engravings "Luminor Marina" and "Panerai", made using characters from the period, complete the design of the dial.
The movement of the Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days - 47mm is the hand-wound Panerai calibre P.3001, entirely executed at the Neuchâtel manufacture. With a 16½ lignes diameter, the P.3001 has a structure characterised by large bridges, two barrels providing a 3-day power reserve, and a variable-inertia 13.2mm-diameter balance, which permits adjustment of the movement rate of the watch thanks to the screws on the outer ring. The movement is visible through the crystal of the back case, which also allows the wearer to read the power reserve indicator placed on the main bridge.
Identified by the reference PAM00422, the Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days - 47mm is made in a series of 2,000 pieces. It comes with a strap in a pure and natural leather, without any additional lacquer finishing, closed with the classic Panerai brushed-steel buckle.

IW Magazine - 1st November 2011

If there is one Italian phrase that those familiar with Panerai watches already know, it is Laboratorio di Idee. This mantra, literally "Laboratory of Ideas," is the governing philosophy at the heart of this luxury watchmaking company. Panerai prides itself on creative virtuosity, and over the course of its long history this unique philosophy has borne diverse fruit in the form of compelling watchmaking firsts, from the 1936 premiere of the Radiomir luminous watch to the more recent invention of a scratchproof ceramic-like case material called Panerai Composite, a material that enjoys the benefits of aluminum's lightness and high-tech ceramic's scratch resistance.
Though the Laboratorio di Idee slogan could be interpreted as a metaphor for all of Panerai's operations—the design and marketing team based in Milan, the Swiss movement production and assembly near Fleurier and in Neuchâtel, and even the carefully curated shopping experience provided at worldwide boutiques—the phrase is never more apt than when used to describe Panerai's Neuchâtel-based R&D department, which is responsible for furthering the Panerai legend by harnessing cutting edge technologies.

Growth
Over the past decade or so, Panerai has grown impressively in two key areas: the first has been to achieve an enviable degree of vertical integration in its movement production—to the tune of ten new movements since opening its Neuchâtel manufacture in 2002. In just short of a decade, Panerai has evolved from a "hot" design brand using only supplied movements into a respected manufacture, whose prolific invention of new calibers has caused the watch industry to take note.
More recently, however, observers of Panerai have witnessed a renewed level of attention paid to the Panerai watch case, the classic, oversized cushion shape on which the Italian design powerhouse built itself cult status. That's right, Panerai has a real cult following: They gather at least once a year in a different major city to celebrate "P-Day," and they call themselves the "Paneristi."
One need not figure among the Paneristi to know just how important those iconic case designs are to Panerai's image. Perhaps more than any other watch brand, innovations in case design have helped to shape the development of Panerai, from the wire lugged Radiomir to the bold, tough and highly water-resistant Luminor, with its iconic crown protector. And let's not forget who started the whole oversized watch case trend.

Materials
Over the last few years Panerai has pioneered a number of bold breakthroughs in case manufacture. It was last year that the firm came out with its first watch housed in proprietary Panerai Composite, a material formed when aluminum is immersed in an electrochemical bath; and it was just this year that Panerai released a watch that has become a true critic's darling, the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronzo 47 mm.
According to Panerai, development of Panerai Composite watches resulted from a relationship that the firm forged in the high-end sports-automotive industry. Ceramacized aluminum was invented originally to shield parts of the engine. When the R&D department at Panerai learned of the material and its possibilities in case manufacture, it became very interested in being the first watch marque to take advantage of the metal's highly desirable attributes, including a phenomenal weight-to-strength ratio.
The new material also presented Panerai with a simpler, more effective method for producing scratchproof cases. Unlike high-tech ceramic, which Panerai forms into rough case shapes from zirconium powder and then machines into proper watch cases, Panerai Composite begins as a block of aluminum, which is machined into the case shape almost exactly as the firm would one of its steel watch cases.
It also helps the technicians achieve the right tolerances in fewer attempts: the holes for screws, for example, are right the first time. Other components can also be made in the Composite material to match the case, including the ardillon buckle and the caseback.
"Panerai Composite is the ideal material for the creation of watch cases, as it guarantees both comfort and great aesthetic qualities, resistance to knocks, scratches and high temperatures," Panerai CEO Angelo Bonati told iW. "Furthermore, Panerai Composite is ductile, allowing for complex geometries and processing, and is inert, so it does not change its structure or appearance over time."
Making cases
How exactly does Panerai turn aluminum into ceramic? As mentioned before, the process begins with an aluminum block, which Panerai machines just like steel. A technician puts the machined aluminum case into a chemical bath, through which a very high electrical charge is allowed to pass. When the charge passes through the liquid and the aluminum, a chemical transformation occurs in which the aluminum molecules of the case attach to the oxygen molecules in the bath.
The result is Al2O3, an aluminum-based version of ceramic. Depending on the case shape, the chemical transformation occurs approximately 40 to 70 microns deep: more than enough to prevent scratching, but not so deep that the lightness of the aluminum inside is compromised. (By way of comparison, the typical black PVD or DLC-coating found in high-end watchmaking is between one and two microns thick.)
To date, Panerai has made three timepieces from the new Panerai Composite. Last year the material made its debut in PAM 339, a 47-mm Radiomir-cased limited edition with eight days of power reserve from manual winding. The timepiece, powered by the in-house caliber P.2002, was the hottest limited edition that Panerai released in 2010 and was exceedingly difficult for many of Panerai's most devoted fans to get.

This year at SIHH, sensing the pent-up demand for Panerai Composite watches, the firm released two Luminor versions, one a special edition and the other an unlimited piece that joins the contemporary collection. The watches are available in 44 and 47 mm sizes, respectively.
The Luminor Composite 1950 3 Days 47 mm, the special edition, is limited to just 2,000 numbered examples. At 47 mm in diameter, the timepiece is a classic size for Panerai, and has the distinction of debuting the all-new in-house movement P.3000/1, a hand-wound mechanical caliber with a frequency of 21,600 bph and three days of power reserve. In addition to the case, the watch's winding crown, crown protector, bezel and buckle are all also made from Panerai Composite.
The other composite timepiece to debut this year is the Luminor Composite Marina 1950 3-Day Automatic 44 mm. This timepiece is powered by the in-house P.9000 automatic caliber, which offers 72 hours of power reserve from its two winding barrels. Among its more impressive attributes is its water resistance to 300 meters, all the more impressive because of the smoked sapphire crystal case back that enables an open view of the back of the movement.
The Bronzo
Among the biggest hits from any brand at the SIHH 2011 was the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronzo. This 47 mm diver's watch marked the very first time that Panerai made a watch from bronze. The Paneristi and other fans of the brand enthusiastically applauded the Bronzo at its debut and clamored for it when its 1,000 examples were released, causing it to sell out very quickly.
Many in the industry cited the piece's rarity, in terms of its limited nature but also because there are so few bronze watches from any brand on the market. According to Panerai, the inspiration for the Bronzo came from the firm's longstanding sponsorship of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, an international circuit of classic yacht regattas, and the recent restoration of a very special classic yacht, Eilean, which the firm oversaw and funded.
"As often happens with Panerai, our inspiration comes from the sea, and in particular from the world of classic yachting, which we are deeply involved in through our sponsorship of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge," Bonati told iW in an interview.
Nautical influence
If you were to board Eilean, and walk along her wooden deck, you would see gleaming bronze and brass fittings and instruments dotting her surface. The Bronzo, a tribute to the instruments of classic yachting, also gleams when it is delivered to its customer. But its appearance from that point on can go in any number of directions.
Over time, the watch's bronze case develops a unique patina, with a number of factors contributing to just how deep that patina will go. These factors include but are not limited to the frequency one wears the Bronzo, the oils and acids of the wearer's wrist, and the climate in which the watch is worn. In this sense, the Bronzo is a living timepiece that evolves with the wearer and becomes, over time, more and more his own.
If, as is often asserted, an individualized experience is central to luxury, then the Bronzo, with its limited production, is one of the most luxurious timepieces one can buy.
According to Panerai, manufacturing a bronze watch is no more difficult than machining steel or aluminum. However, the real difficulty in producing and delivering the Bronzo to Panerai customers is in the handling. Because the Bronzo is "living," an errant fingerprint or other accidental touch to human skin can start an unwanted patina on the case.
Therefore, everyone who touches the Bronzo—during machining, casing, testing, shipping and even retailing—must wear protective gloves.
Panerai sees the Bronzo as an ultimate collector's piece, for informed buyers who understand that the case is supposed to change color and texture. That being said, Panerai has not ruled out the possibility of more bronze editions in the future, a development that would please collectors.
Ceramic
High-tech ceramic is a well-established material in haute horlogerie. Panerai's preference for durable, sporty watch cases makes it a natural brand for making stealthy, stylish and sporty ceramic watches. Had ceramic watch case technology existed in the 1930s and 1940s, the Italian Navy might have commissioned just such a sleek diver's timepiece from its preferred instrument supplier.

Today Panerai makes its ceramic watches from zirconium oxide, which it obtains by pressurizing the material in powder form, to achieve a uniform, even appearance, and very high quality. The method is a far cry from the less costly ways ceramic cases are produced, such as injecting the material into a mold.
This year, Panerai has cased its P.2002/3 in-house movement in a 45 mm ceramic Radiomir case to create the Radiomir 8 Days Ceramica. The watch has a completely black look, from the case, bezel and dial to the DLC-coated pin buckle and buffalo leather strap. Even the sapphire window onto the in-house movement is smoked, reinforcing the all-black appearance of the Radiomir 8 Days Ceramica.
Though perhaps not as rare as some of the other materials that Panerai uses for watchmaking, titanium remains one of the best materials for making large, sporty watches because of its excellent weight-to-strength ration. This year Panerai presented a left-handed monopusher chronograph in a Luminor case, the Luminor 1950 Monopulsante Left-Handed 8 Days Titanio 44 mm.
Powered by the in-house P.2004/9 manual-wind chronograph caliber. With three spring barrels powering timekeeping and the monopusher chronograph, this timepiece is anything but underpowered.
As we've seen, Panerai offers one of the widest ranges in materials of any firm in the high-end watchmaking sector. With composite, bronze, ceramic and titanium to choose from, collectors in search of a high-end watch with real originality will find no shortage of options. Of course, Panerai continues to make several best-selling models in steel, as well as the occasional gold and platinum timepiece. And as we've seen in recent years, many of these cases surround in-house movements—another facet of the firm's manufacturing research and development that will undoubtedly reward Panerai collectors again in just a few months as the firm's 2012 models debut in Geneva.

The Mare Nostrum, the most mysterious and rarest of all Panerai models, returns thanks to an exceptional re-edition that is absolutely faithful to the main characteristics of this impressive chronograph: case, measurements, dial and production processes. The result is a large watch with big historical appeal and big visual impact.
Mare Nostrum is the chronograph that Officine Panerai supplied to the Italian Navy in 1943 as standard issue for officers on deck. The ongoing historical events put an end to any possible development of this model, of which only a very few prototypes were produced - almost certainly three in total - of which first all trace and then all relative documentation was lost, following the flood that hit Florence in 1966.
Discovery by Officine Panerai of one of the prototypes, now part of the collections at the Officine Panerai Museum in Florence, enabled creation of a new Mare Nostrum an extraordinary model from a collectors' point of view, in a single edition of just 99 examples that reproduce the original right down to the smallest detail.

The Mare Nostrum - 52 mm has an impressive brushed case in three parts and measuring 52 mm in diameter, like the original. With very b lugs, it has a tonneau shape, but looks round due to the wide flat bezel with ridged edge on which, just as on the prototype, a fine circular mark stands out, perhaps due to an unfinished process or a reference mark for a subsequent scale engraving. The screw-down back plate has four grooves to assist unscrewing and this too is in brushed steel, but unlike the original, it features a sapphire crystal window through which the movement can be seen. The cylindrical winding and regulating crown, with the words Mare Nostrum engraved on its ridged edge is of the screw-down type and the pump buttons are cylindrical.
The watch is guaranteed watertight to 3 bar (about 30 metres), a depth that depended on the historical use of the Mare Nostrum. The two reasons for this were that, firstly, the model was designed for use on ships and not underwater and secondly, at that time it was virtually impossible to make the chronographic buttons on a watch totally waterproof for any length of time.
Protected by a 1.6 mm thick anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the dial has a black base and two levels. The outer, upper ring, bears small Arabic numerals, stick hour markers and round minute markers, all coated in luminescent material. The central one level, over a millimetre lower, bears the names of the brand and model and the two subsidiary dials. On the left the small seconds one, on the right the minute counter, set to 45, as was the norm in those days. The considerable gap between the two layers of the dial gives it unique depth and the chronograph hand, unlike the luminescent hour and minute hands, is blue, just like the prototype.

This new edition of the Mare Nostrum uses, like the original, a hand-wound mechanism: OP XXV calibre, deriving from a Minerva calibre that measures 16 ¾ lignes. The balance makes 18,000 alternation an hour, the same as the Angelus movement of the prototype. Fitted with a anti-shock device, the column-wheel movement can easily be seen through the window on the back plate and all the levers are polished with rounded corners.
With reference PAM00300, Mare Nostrum - 52 mm even has the same strap colour and material as the original: military green in leather-lined fabric. The buckle however is different, larger and trapezoidal in shape, like all current models by Officine Panerai.