The Low Down

As a follow up to their maiden 2021 Submersible S (which stands for Skeletonised) release that kicked off the partnership between Panerai and high-end automotive and boating aftermarket tuners, Brabus, we are getting the second release of this fantastic collaboration this year. The 2021 model featured a full Carbotech case inspired by the Shadow Black Ops series of boats produced by Brabus. It was also the first time that we were treated to the skeletonized version of the caliber P.4001, the P.4001/S, which is a serious piece of kit.

The resulting part is less porous than melting metal ore and casting the desired form. You can even print metal alloys with underlying elements of different melting points or combine metals and plastics together. Sorry, we couldn’t resist geeking out a little. It will be very interesting to see where Panerai goes with this manufacturing process.

The second coolest thing about the Brabus Blue Shadow is the polarized date, which we aren’t seeing for the first time, but is certainly worth a mention. At first glance of the date at 3 o’clock, one can’t help but feel your eyes are playing tricks on you. The date appears in the window as it should, but where is the rest of the date wheel? It is neither revealed nor conceals the skeletonization. The polarization effect works like this: there are three components working in concert, the date wheel, the date window and a tiny piece of polished metal acting as a reflector.

The rest of the watch remains largely unchanged from the 2021 release but no less impressive. The uni-directional bezel, crown and its protective lever are fashioned from Carbotech, a material we are all familiar with by now with its unique variegated pattern, lightness and high resistance to corrosion. The time-telling hands, hour indexes and bezel lume pip are filled with a subdued blue SuperLumiNova with the rehaut in the same shade. The day-night indicator remains at 9 o’clock, working together with the additional GMT hand to indicate a second time zone, and the multi-spoke, steering wheel-shaped bridge with the Brabus logo stays at 7 o’clock.

The Brabus Blue Shadow is limited to only 200 pieces worldwide and both watch and boat are debuting at the 2022 Palma International Boat Show, on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

IMHO

Now that Watches and Wonders 2022 is firmly in our rearview mirror, it feels like Panerai has been holding out on us by keeping this technical beauty under wraps all this time. That was probably a good move though, as it would have overshadowed the brand’s core message at the fair, which was to highlight their sustainability initiatives through the new 44mm Submersible QuarantaQuattro. Because the Brabus Blue Shadow is Panerai at its sports watch creative best.

The Brabus Blue Shadow is really a shoo-in as a daily wearer that any Panerai enthusiast would love to own. The standard fare for a Submersible, 300m water resistance and three-day power reserve are a given. Then you get the added bells and whistles of an updated self-winding, skeletonized movement with micro-rotor, cool-looking power reserve indicator, a perfectly useful GMT complication, a seconds reset feature for accurate time-setting and the mind-bending polarized date. House all of that in a 3D-printed titanium case with Carbotech accents and it’s just the bee’s knees.

Tech Specs

Panerai Submersible S Brabus Blue Shadow Edition Reference: PAM01241