Tag Archives: Panerai

A Panerai Watch with A Prada Strap? Now That’s The Pinnacle of Italian Luxury

What better way to celebrate Italian craftsmanship than with the combination of two renowned names in the world of luxury? During Watches & Wonders in Shanghai, Officine Panerai released a new collaboration timepiece with the luxury fashion house – Prada – to offer a Luminor Due watch paired with Prada’s Re-Nylon strap.

For aficionados of luxury fashion, Re-Nylon should sound familiar as it represents Prada’s take on sustainable fabrics. The straps are crafted from ECONYL®, which is a recycled nylon made from pre- and post-consumer materials such as fishing nets, discarded nylon, carpets and industrial waste. Expertly crafting the material into gorgeous straps for the Luminor Due, Prada has chosen four hues – iron grey, navy blue, alabaster pink and Fiordaliso light grey – to fit the 42mm and 38mm versions of the watch.

Hands down, our pick is the PAM01426, which offers a decidedly unique combination, pairing a stainless-steel case with a white matte dial and the sublime Fiordaliso light grey Re- Nylon strap. Okay, we understand that for men, Panerai watches should sit slightly larger on the wrist but hear us out, even though the case for this particular reference is 38mm, with the crown protection device protruding out, it still maintains its presence on the wrist. And that colour combination is just fantastic!

If you are still not convinced, however, there are versions of this watch with the classic 42mm case size, offering both a sunburst white or blue dial, paired with a grey or navy-blue Re- Nylon strap accordingly. One difference to note however is that for the 42mm versions of the collection, the straps will come with an adjustable polished-steel buckle while the 38mm variants will come with the traditional pin buckle system. Each of the straps offers Panerai’s PAM Click release system which is paramount considering that the strap is just as celebrated as the watch case and buyers would probably want to get all colour options and mix and match them as desired.

All four references of the Panerai Luminor Due Prada Re- Nylon collection come with Panerai’s signature sandwich dial and the small seconds counter at the 9 o’clock position. The watches are all powered by the P.900 calibre, an automatic movement that will offer an Incabloc® anti-shock device, 28,000 bph and a long 3-day power reserve. These watches are already available at the Panerai boutique in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre P-900, 3-day power reserve
CASE 38mm/42mm polished steel, Safety Lock crown protection device
STRAP Prada Re-Nylon in alabaster pink (38mm), Fiordaliso light grey (38mm), navy blue (42mm) and iron grey (42mm)
PRICE MYR 29,000 (38mm), MYR 30,700 (42mm)

Panerai Celebrates a Golden Age With Their Luminor Marina in Goldtech™ Gold

One of the most appealing elements of watchmaking as we know it today, is its provenance. Knowing the watch or brand we put on our wrist represents the culmination of decades and sometimes centuries of history is part of why we take the trouble to wear these relics of the past. Panerai understands this and goes to great lengths to update its watches in a way that preserves the heritage while still being able to offer the customer something novel.

The Luminor Marina Panerai Goldtech™ PAM01112 is the perfect example of what we mean by this. With Panerai’s history of making watches for the Royal Italian Navy since the 20th century, a lot of their designs revolve around functionality and robustness in keeping with military use. However, for this modern watch, you can still see a lot of these historic elements preserved although they are more likely to be worn with business suits than diving suits. Like the crown guard, for example, it is no longer necessary to offer this kind of protection for a full gold watch but it is the inclusion of this feature that sometimes makes Panerai’s offerings one of a kind.

The gold used on this watch is Panerai’s trademarked Goldtech™ which is an alloy of gold combining copper and platinum to give it a more intensely red appearance. And with the large 44mm diameter of the case, the heft of this watch on the wrist is substantial in the best possible way. For the sapphire crystal, Panerai chose corundum, which is an aluminium oxide material that is the hardest known substance after diamonds. The technology put into the watch doesn’t stop there. Despite its classical appearance, the P.9010 calibre movement powering the watch is made with modern technologies like the Glucydur balance which is made mainly of beryllium and copper allowing it to be more stable through temperature changes. With its twin barrels among the 200 components of the movement, it can also provide the watch with a power reserve of 3 days.

On the dial, the watch offers a sandwich construction with the indices perforated to reveal the white Super-LumiNova beneath. Fun fact, the Luminor name actually came from Panerai’s innovative luminous substance, launched in 1949 that was both safer than the radium-based Radiomir lume (not to be confused with the collection of the same name) and glowed brighter. The Luminor collection today is recognised for its cushion-style case, wide and flat bezel, and its crown-protecting device. Each of these watches will be paired with a blue alligator leather strap to match the dial and its trapezoidal pin buckle will also be made with Panerai Goldtech™. In keeping with the original function of the Panerai watches, the new Luminor Marina Panerai Goldtech™ PAM01112 will be water resistant up to 300m.

Panerai’s Foray into Web3 Marks A New Era for Watch Brands

Panerai’s Foray into Web3 Marks A New Era for Watch Brands

Earlier in March, Florence-based watch manufacture Panerai announced its entrance into Web3. The watchmaker has partnered with leading NFT platform Arianee to enhance consumers’ journey in the digital world. The latest luxe timepiece to accompany Panerai’s new venture is the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition. A total of only 50 pieces are available, and collectors looking to buy this limited edition model will also get a yacht trip along the Amalfi Coast and a unique corresponding NFT.

The luxury watch industry has been keeping up with the development surrounding Web3 and its associated assets like the metaverse and NFTs. Intending to deepen relationships with its clients, several watch brands have initiated new projects to improve the overall experiential experience. For Panerai, using NFT allows buyers to own a one-of-a-kind artwork produced exclusively for the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition. This set of 50 Genesis NFTs was designed by Skygolpe, a widely acclaimed multidisciplinary Italian artist.

READ MORE: Panerai Luminor Meets Chrono

“The 50 Genesis NFTs offer exclusive content regarding details of the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition watch, combined with a sailing journey along the Amalfi Coast aboard the Eilean,” said the brand. After the sailing trip in June, owners of the Genesis NFTs will also get priority access to Panerai’s future initiatives like new product launches, events and special services. Panerai describes the NFTs as owning a “digital passport” that connects its clients to the brand.  

Speaking about the brand’s entry into the NFT category, CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué said, “Panerai has a fearless outlook. The brand is always committed to remaining at the forefront of new technology in our manufacture and beyond. We will always pursue every medium or technology that will allow us to deliver a more enriched experience to our clients. They have deep, eclectic interests, and I know they will be excited about collecting artwork from one of the world’s most forward-thinking artists. The fact that it is an NFT that extends additional benefits and services only adds to its appeal.”

 
 
 
 
 
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READ MORE: A Quick Dive into the Popularity of Blue-Chip NFTs

Incorporating blockchain technology to elevate a consumer’s experience has become a familiar sight within the luxury sector. The most prominent is the fashion industry where it even held its own Metaverse Fashion Week. Even heavyweights like the yachting industry have also introduced cryptocurrency as a form of payment, and it won’t be long before it starts releasing its own NFTs to clients.

The watch industry has traditionally been known to be enjoyed by the older generation, and the move to include novel experiences like launching into the metaverse or releasing NFTs is a sign of brands appealing to the younger generation. This new group of spenders are big the digital experiences like interacting with brands in the virtual world or collecting digital art. Furthermore, Panerai takes a step further and merges the newfound digital journey with the physical world like the sailing trip and recording it on the individual Genesis NFTs.

No doubt, Panerai has set the bar for what it is like to meld the virtual world with the real world and its success will be the blueprint for other brands to follow. Watch collectors are definitely in for a treat when more brands follow suit.

For more watch reads, click here.

Celebrating craft and history, Panerai re-opens its Piazza San Giovanni headquarters

On July 19, 2019, Panerai inaugurated its historic Florentine headquarters once more, paying homage to its immense heritage by way of in-boutique museum and its contemporary brand values through its newly renovated flagship store. Panerai’s new Piazza San Giovanni headquarters is emblematic of the vision long held by Giuseppe Panerai, a brand which married the enduring elements of artisanship as well as the more temporal allure of exotic adventure.

“We have not changed anything. It was enough to remove the patina of the decades. Beauty that was once obscured now shines in all its originality,” – Alvaro Maggini, Creative Director of Panerai

Celebrating craft and history, Panerai re-opens its Piazza San Giovanni headquarters

Panerai’s newly re-opened Piazza San Giovanni headquarters represents the fulfilment of a destiny that arose with the very first Radiomir. Incidentally, at roughly the same time, renowned French Auction House, Artcurial, was holding a sale of unique pieces of high-quality watchmaking in Monaco, 430 km away. The collection of fine watches included a rare Radiomir which once belong to Helmut Rösel, a frogman of the German navy during the Second World War. This legacy of robust, precision timekeeping is front and centre within Panerai’s new Piazza San Giovanni flagship – a museum sits on the first floor, along with the original furniture and archival documents from the time of Giuseppe Panerai.

The brand’s namesake founder sits in the centre at his original desk, as if lifting his head slightly at your approach. “The wax figure is the work of the Musée Grévin in Paris’s IX arrondissement,” says Maggini. “The clothes were made by an Italian designer and the hair is real. If it is true that the eyes are the window to the soul, well, thanks to those eyes the soul of Giuseppe Panerai still inhabits his studio.”

“The flagship store in Florence, including the unique features of the museum, will guide the aesthetic development of all our spaces,” says Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué, whose signature seals the Panerai passport; it is a bordeaux colour, like an official Italian travel document, but with the Luminor 1312 dial on the cover. The first copies have been delivered to customers during the reopening. “To be an active part of our club, members can collect stamps from the three most representative Panerai destinations,” continues Pontroué. “They are, in addition to the Florence flagship, our historic Bermudan ketch Eilean and our Swiss manufacture in Neuchâtel.” Stamps in the Panerai passport attest to a journey through space, but also a journey through time.

Panerai’s history, front and centre

Alongside historical Panerai artefacts, the boutique’s retail displays resemble rectangular portholes, windows into the underwater world, the Italian brand’s raison d’etre; source of naval exploits since it received its first order from the Italian Royal Navy in 1936. Four displays mirroring Panerai’s centuries-old evolution: Radiomir, Luminor, Luminor Due and Submersible. Each is distinguished by a colour — military green, deep brown, 1970s yellow, navy blue.

Housed in displays composed of coloured corrugated glass and bronze, historical pieces that were the foundation for subsequent innovations are on view: in essence, ideas from the early decades of the 1900s finally expressed with cutting edge technology married with age-old handcrafted techniques in the 21st century. Together, Panerai’s Piazza San Giovanni headquarters tells a compelling story to visitors of how the brand has evolved while providing clarity amidst another traditional Italian element – hospitality; duly represented by the presence of a counter bar serving authentic Italian liquors, a feature that will eventually appear in boutiques around the world.

THE RÖSEL RADIOMIR

Just what is the value of Panerai’s history you ask? German Navy frogman Helmut Rösel’s 1940s Radomir was eventually hammered by auctioneer François Tajan for 110.500 euros, beating its estimates by over 20,000 euros. The exceptional Panerai diver’s watch  was accompanied by: a commando compass, the diver’s logbook of the period which testifies the evolution of the young soldier’s military career as well as the various missions in which he participated, a military decoration, his combat swimmer badge, an original photograph and two handwritten letters from Helmut Rösel in person. Provenance at its finest.