Panerai Luminor Base White (PAM00114)

Whether it is the fruit of the ingenuity of a maestro or whether it is born almost spontaneously from the function for which it is intended, a design classic is immediately recognisable for the strength and the naturalness with which it imposes itself on the collective imagination. Officine Panerai's Radiomir 1940 has the authority of a classic of modernity. Its simple, quintessential form tells the story of the years in which it was designed while maintaining its unchanging up-to-date character. Its design stands out for its functional rigour and the simplicity of its lines, free of decorative excess: features which in 1940 were related to a new way of life and a world of evolving values which in the following years would lead to the international recognition of Italian industrial design.

Created to satisfy the demanding requirements of the specialist underwater forces of the Royal Italian Navy, the Radiomir 1940 today still has the characteristics of solidity, endurance and reliability that are the hallmarks of a timekeeping instrument designed for military use. The design of the case and dial have the same overall quality and the identical iconic power as the original, demonstrating the great versatility of a classic which is today enriched with the highest technical content of luxury contemporary watchmaking from the Officine Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel.

The new Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic models embody the characteristics and qualities which make every Panerai watch unique but at the same time immediately recognisable. The 45mm case represents that of some of the historic models created by Panerai in around 1940. The large polished bezel surrounds a classic dial providing excellent legibility, with its minimalist design and its structure of superimposed plates sandwiching the luminous substance between them. This construction means that the hour figures and the baton markers cut in the upper plates shine with great brilliance. The seconds hand rotates in a small sub-dial at 9 o'clock on the dial, which is black in the steel version and brown in the red gold version.

The Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic is water-resistant to ten bar (around 100 metres) in the steel version and five bar (around 50 metres) in the red gold version, and it is supplied with an alligator strap, black or brown respectively.

The Radiomir 1940 is presented for the first time with an automatic movement, the new P.4000 calibre which is the latest creation of the Officine Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel. The distinctive feature of the new calibre is its off-centre oscillating weight, winding in both directions. With a diameter of 13¾ lignes and just 3.95 mm thick, it has been developed to integrate perfectly with the proportions of the Radiomir 1940 case. Its elegant finish and decoration can be appreciated through the sapphire crystal porthole fitted in the back.

The new P.4000 calibre is the first Panerai automatic movement with an off-centre micro-rotor. This means that the rotor is smaller in diameter than the calibre itself: a sophisticated technical solution which enables the movement - and therefore the watch itself - to be much thinner. In the model with a steel case, the oscillating weight is made of tungsten; in the red gold model, the rotor is made of 22 carat red gold. Next to the oscillating weight is the balance wheel, which oscillates at a frequency of 4 Hz, and a large bridge concealing much of the mechanism, making the structure of the movement exceptionally stable. With two spring barrels connected in series, the P.4000 calibre has a power reserve of at least three days, and it is also fitted with the device which stops the balance wheel when the winding crown is pulled out to set the time, useful for synchronising the watch exactly.
 

The P.4000 calibre is produced in two versions which differ in the kind of finish, the engraving and the material of the micro-rotor. The first, for models with a steel case, has bridges with a horizontally brushed finish, blue engraving and an oscillating weight of tungsten alloy, with relief decoration on the matt surface. The second version is for the models with a gold case and it has bridges with a circular brushed finish, gilded engraving and a rotor of 22 carat gold, with clous de Paris hobnail finish and polished decorations in relief on the brushed surface.