Panerai

The history of Officine Panerai, an Italian luxury watch manufacturer, stretches all the way back to 1860. However, their extravagant watches first became available to the public over 130 years later in 1993. Up until then, this Florentine company was a supplier to the Royal Italian Navy and very secretive about their products.

Today, Panerai creates some of the industry's most highly coveted timepieces. Cushion-shaped cases and massive sizes of 47 mm and above lend these watches a rather masculine feel and make them truly unmistakable. Thanks to luminous hands and indices, the large round dials are always tidy and easy to read under all lighting conditions.

The Radiomir and Luminor collections get their inspiration from historical models from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. On the other hand, the diving watches in the Submersible series pair retro details with modern design and generally appeal to younger audiences.

Despite their fondness for retro designs, Panerai keeps up with the times when it comes to materials. In addition to the usual suspects like stainless steel, gold, and titanium, the manufacturer has developed their own proprietary materials, including the composites Carboech and Fibratech and special alloys like Goldtech and Platinumtech. Beyond that, Panerai is dedicated to sustainability and has produced several watches made almost entirely of recycled materials in recent years.

Panerai has been equipping certain models with in-house calibers since 2005. These movements are produced at the company's facilities in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and vary in their complications. Some calibers feature a second time zone, split-seconds chronograph, tourbillon, or minute repeater. What's more, many of these movements boast astonishing 10-day power reserves. All watches produced before 2005 get their power from calibers from different ébauche suppliers, such as ETA.

You can find Panerai watches on Chrono24 for as little as 4,000 or 4,500 USD. For that price, you can purchase a Radiomir Black Seal or Luminor Base Logo. Be sure to have between 5,400 and 6,500 USD on hand for a Luminor Marina. Models with a chronograph or second time zone change hands starting at around 6,800 USD. A series of Submersible timepieces falls in a similar price range.

A major jump in price occurs when you look into gold or bronze timepieces. For example, a Submersible 1950 Bronzo or Radiomir 1940 in rose gold will set you back about 33,000 USD.

Prices for Panerai's top models easily reach six figures. For example, the skeletonized Luminor Tourbillon GMT Lo Scienziato demands roughly 141,000 USD, and a Luminor Tourbillon Equation of Time in 18-karat gold costs upwards of 225,000 USD.

Vintage watches from the 1940s are great options for collectors. Models with the Rolex caliber 3646 are particularly highly coveted and regularly sell for more than 110,000 USD in good condition.

The Submersible collection is a modern version of the Luminor. It also features Panerai's characteristic crown-protecting bridge. However, unlike the Luminor, this timepiece comes with a unidirectional diving bezel. With 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft) of water resistance, the Submersible is also suited for diving.

Applied dot and line indices add a fresh touch to the dial. Panerai also turns to contemporary materials for the case. In addition to classic stainless steel, you'll find titanium, ceramic, and carbon editions. The collection also contains models constructed from the company's proprietary materials Carbotech and Goldtech. There are even several sustainable models, such as the Submersible eLAB-ID, which Panerai makes out of 98.6% recycled materials.

Prices for three-hand Submersibles largely depend on the exact edition. Older stainless steel models like the ref. PAN00024 change hands for as little as 5,500 USD on Chrono24. More recent versions like the Submersible Blu Notte or the Azzurro – both made of titanium – cost roughly 11,500 USD. Carbotech and Goldtech watches will set you back anywhere from 16,000 to 28,500 USD. As of writing, the eco-friendly eLAB-ID is hard to come by on the Chrono24 marketplace. However, Panerai officially lists this model for 61,700 USD.

If you're on the market for a Submersible with a flyback chronograph, be sure to have between 14,000 and 33,000 USD. Those who can do without a flyback chronograph may prefer an older Submersible chronograph like the ref. PAM00187. These watches cost about 10,000 USD.

One of the most spectacular Submersible models is the Submersible Bronzo. Its 47-mm case is made of bronze and will develop its own unique patina over time, making every timepiece truly one of a kind. Anticipate prices of around 19,500 USD for a never-worn watch with a brown dial and brown ceramic bezel inlay. A Submersible Bronzo 1950 3 Days Power Reserve with a green dial demands roughly 31,500 USD. In 2021, Panerai released the Submersible Bronzo Blu Abisso, a 42-mm bronze timepiece. As its name implies, it features a blue dial with a matching leather strap. Prices for this watch sit around 21,000 USD.

The history of Panerai began in 1860, when Giovanni Panerai opened a small watchmaking workshop and school in Florence, Italy. However, because a flood in 1966 destroyed all original documents from this time, it's difficult to reconstruct the company's exact history. What is known for sure is that the company's sign bore the words "Orologeria Svizzera" (Swiss watchmaking) at the beginning of the 20th century.

Initially, the company focused on importing and selling Swiss watches from companies like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, and Rolex. To keep import taxes as low as possible, the watches were delivered disassembled. Once the components reached the workshop, they were reassembled and adjusted by professionals who had trained at Panerai's watchmaking school. The brand's customers included prominent, rich Florentines and the Italian royal family.

Working with the Royal Italian Navy

The Italian military has belonged to Panerai's clientele since 1910, and initially, they delivered pocket chronographs. Between 1910 and 1914, Panerai teamed up with Lieutenant Carlo Ronconi to research glow-in-the-dark devices using a radium-based luminous material. The term "Radiomir" first appeared in 1916 on a French registered patent. The word is a combination of the Italian words "radio" (radium) and "mira" (sight or goal). In the years that followed, Panerai delivered compasses, barometers, depth gauges, underwater lamps, and other instruments to the Italian military.

Over the course of the 1940s, Panerai developed their iconic crown-protecting bridge. It remains an unmistakable trademark of every Luminor model to this day. Panerai invented the luminous material Luminor in the late 1940s. This material is made from tritium and replaced radioactive Radiomir.

Panerai's cooperation with the Italian Navy meant that their products were subject to strict military secrecy starting in 1936. Thus, they weren't available for purchase by the general public. This would remain the case until the early 1990s and the lifting of the confidentiality provisions.

Panerai's Success

Large and distinctive timepieces define the luxury watch manufacturer Panerai. Consistent designs and their crown-protecting bridge create a steadfast image that every watch enthusiast recognizes at first glance. The watches impress with their functionality and easy-to-read dials. They take their inspiration from the demands of the military, and more recently, action stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have helped the watches achieve cult status. The company received new financial resources after joining the Richemont Group in 1997. These funds opened doors to new marketing and technological development possibilities that led to Panerai's first in-house calibers. Today, the Radiomir and Luminor models are no longer pure military watches: They're beloved by city dwellers, creative minds, star chefs, and managers of all kinds.