A manufacture that gained world recognition thanks to its military-approved timepieces and unmistakable visages, Panerai traces its rich history of high-performance timepieces back to its founding in 1860. Today under CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué, the brand has distilled its offerings down to four distinct and historic collections: The Luminor, Luminor Due, Submersible and Radiomir.
In recent years, Panerai’s strategy has involved indulging its clients in experiences that money cannot buy. Recent special edition Panerai Submersible timepieces, for example, invited their buyers to train with Italian special forces or US Navy SEALs. 2022’s Panerai Luminor Calendario Perpetuo Goldtech immersed its buyers in an opulent experience of Florence, which included wine-tasting, vintage car rides and visits to private palaces to soak in exclusive, majestic views of this city where the Renaissance began.
This Spring, Panerai has chosen to shine the spotlight on the Radiomir, which was created by Guido Panerai, who was the grandson of brand founder Giovanni Panerai. A skilled engineer and inventor in his own right, Guido enthusiastically developed new and innovative designs for underwater timepieces. During his emphatic career, Guido registered several patents for his inventions, including a depth gauge for divers and a luminous material for use on watch dials.
Worn by Italian naval divers on many a perilous mission, Guido Panerai’s Radiomir was illuminated by a radium-based substance and was patented in 1916. However, the Radiomir was kept strictly for military use, and was only made commercially available in 1997.
Panerai Radiomir Annual Calendar
At Watches & Wonders 2023, Panerai introduced the 45mm Radiomir Annual Calendar that invites its owners to discover Rome through exclusive experiences, themed on the rich history and culture of this 2,700-year-old city.
The new Radiomir Annual Calendar is driven by the P.9010/AC caliber, which displays the day, date and month. This caliber switches between 30-day and 31-day months automatically and the owner only needs to adjust the Radiomir Annual Calendar once a year, at the end of February.
The variant named PAM01363 comes with a 45mm Goldtech case that is water-proof to 100m, a sun-brushed blue shaded dial that is darker at the edges and lighter in the center, and a blue hand-dyed matt alligator strap.
The Experience edition, known as the PAM01432, is paired with the aforementioned VIP tour of Rome. The Experience edition comes in a 45mm Platinumtech case, accentuated by a sun-brushed burgundy shaded dial and a black hand-dyed matte alligator strap.
Tech Specs
Panerai Radiomir Annual Calendar PAM01363
Movement: Self-winding P.9010/AC calibre; 3-day power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds and annual calendar
Case: 45mm; polished Goldtech; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Blue sun-brushed with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers
Strap: Dark blue alligator with polished Goldtech buckle
Panerai Radiomir Annual Calendar PAM01432
Movement: Self-winding P.9010/AC calibre; 3-day power reserve
Funtions: Hours, minutes, small seconds and annual calendar
Case: 45mm; polished Platinumtech; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Burgundy sun-brushed with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers
Strap: Black alligator with polished white gold buckle
Panerai Radiomir California
You might’ve seen brands like Balenciaga and Saint Laurent deliberately beat up their accessories before shipping them out to boutiques. The new Radiomir California too celebrates this ‘aged chic’ trend. Secured to the wrist by a unique calf leather with ecru stitching, the Radiomir California sports a California-style dial and a 45mm Brunito eSteel case that makes it look like a handed-down vintage timepiece.
The weathered look of the Brunito eSteel case is a first for Panerai – this cushion-shaped case and its slim wire lugs are endowed a seasoned look via Physical Vapor Deposition followed by individual hand-finishing.
eSteel is a next-generation metal obtained from pre-consumer recycled steel scraps (up to 95%) coming from different industries, preferably from Swiss watchmaking industry. eSteel production has a small carbon footprint and produces significantly lesser CO2 emissions. This case houses the manufacture’s beloved P.5000 movement that packs eight days of power reserve.
What’s a California dial? Inspired by the Panerai Ref 3646, the California dial mixes Roman 1, 2, 10 and 11 numerals with Arabic 4, 5, 7 and 8 numerals. This particular California dial is accentuated by green lume, metallic blue hands and a domed sapphire crystal inspired by the Plexiglas® crystal of early Radiomirs commissioned for the military. This is the first time a 45mm Radiomir has been fitted with a California dial, as the California dial has usually featured on 47mm case size Panerai watches.
Lastly, its calf leather strap is hot printed with the inscription ‘G. Panerai e Figlio’, which is the same signature that emblazons the storefront of the original Panerai workshop in Florence.
Tech Specs
Radiomir California PAM01349
Movement: Manual winding P.5000 calibre; 8-day power reserve
Funtions: Hours and minutes
Case: 45mm; Brunito eSteel; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Shaded green with luminous Arabic and Roman numerals and hour markers
Strap: Dark brown Ponte Vecchio calf leather with ecru stitching
Radiomir Otto Giorni
The legendary P.5000 drives the Radiomir Otto Giorni too, which also sports a distressed Brunito eSteel case. As its name suggests, the 2023 rendition of the Radiomir Eight Days is a tribute to the first manual winding Radiomir prototype of 1935, whose huge power reserve is a key characteristic that made it ideal for long underwater missions.
A utilitarian timepiece engineered to be robust and highly legible even in murky waters, the Radiomir Otto Giorni sports a grainy dark brown dial that pays homage to vintage watches with anodized aluminum dials. Like the Radiomir California, the Radiomir Otto Giorni too has throwback domed sapphire crystal, wire lugs, and cone-shaped Radiomir crown. A small seconds register decorates the 9 o’clock position of the dial, which is mirrored by an 8 giorni brevettato (“8 days patented”) inscription at the 3 o’clock position. This inscription is a tip of the hat to dive watches that the Egyptian military commissioned Panerai to build, and also bore this logo.
Tech Specs
Radiomir Otto Giorni PAM01347
Movement: Manual winding P.5000 calibre; 8-day power reserve
Funtions: Hours, minutes and small seconds
Case: 45mm; Brunito eSteel; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Dégradé Brown with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers
Strap: Cuoio Toscano calf leather dark brown with beige stitching
Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech
At Watches & Wonders 2023, the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta returns in a polished Goldtech case. You might be aware that Goldtech is a trademark Panerai alloy that adds platinum and copper to gold, thus endowing Goldtech with a reddish hue.
The collection’s name, Quaranta, highlights that this series is 40mm in case size, a pared down tribute to the original 47mm Radiomir. Very wearable and subtly elegant, the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech sports many classic Radiomir features, just like this year’s Radiomir California and Radiomir Otto Giorni. Only 10.15mm thick, its Goldtech case is complemented by a white sun-brushed dial and a matt brown alligator strap. This dial has beige Super-LumiNova accents that glow green in the dark. Its brown strap can be interchanged with a wide range of straps of different colors and finishes. The functions of the 3-day power reserve P.900 include small seconds and date displays.
A classic dive watch reinterpreted in Goldtech and intricate hand finishing, this timepiece rounds off Panerai’s beautiful homage to the storied Radiomir dynasty.
Tech Specs
Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech PAM01026
Movement: Self-winding P.900 caliber; 3-day power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds and date
Case: 40mm; polished Goldtech; water-resistant to 50m
Dial: White sun-brushed with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers
Strap: Alligator dark brown with polished Goldtech buckle
