The year 2020 has been quite a rollercoaster ride. Be it the pandemic or the follow-up economic crisis, everything about this year has been unprecedented and unpredictable. The luxury watch industry has been especially affected by this global catastrophe. In addition to that, all the events that were supposed to take place had to be canceled. The upside that came from this is that watch brands like Panerai got a little more time on their hands to launch their prized timepieces. One such event that has provided a platform for Swiss horologists to unleash all the pent-up energy is Watches & Wonders.
New Panerai Watch Releases At Watches & Wonders 2020
This year saw watch brands launch numerous new references with all their gusto. I know I speak for all luxury watch enthusiasts when I say that it couldn’t be more exciting. Panerai is one such brand that released a plethora of watches during this event.
Panerai Luminor Luna Rossa GMT 44mm
The new Luminor Luna Rosa GMT will be available in a 44 mm case size. The watch, as you can figure out from the name, offers a dual time feature for those who like to keep a tab on time at all times no matter where they are. The timepiece is inspired from the 36th America’s cup Challenger of Record. By the looks of its, the watch is contemporary in design. The timepiece uses the calibre Caliber P.9010/GMT.
The watch simply looks exceptional courtesy the all black aesthetics. The watch uses titanium for the case. In addition to that Panerai has incorporated a carbon-based DLC which offers better durability and less wear and tear. Furthermore, what really strikes the eye is the very thin layer of technical fabric taken directly from the sailing equipment of Luna Rosa’s AC75 monohull.
As mentioned earlier, the Luminor Luna Rosa GMT 44 uses a Caliber P.9010/GMT mechanism. It is an in-house manufacture which offers a decent power reserve of about 3 days. The whole package comes along with a special Ponte Vecchio leather strap. Buyers will also get an additional black rubber strap. What’s fascinating is that all of this comes inside a box that is wrapped in technical sail fabric. The fabric has the logo of Luna Rosso as well as Panerai.
Panerai Luminor Marina 70 Years of Luminor Collection
This timepiece will be available in titanium, CarbotechTM, and Fibratech. This trio of unorthodox materials surely adds the necessary flair to the Luminor watches and offers a much needed breath of fresh air. These Luminor Marina references pay tribute to the luminous material Luminor that was launched back in January 1950.
The three new watches launched by Panerai has a lot of things in common. The cushion shaped case is still very much there, the case size of 44 mm has been successfully retained, and the massive crown guard too has found its way back. What’s more interesting is the in-house manufactured P.9010 mechanism working flawlessly and the astounding 70-year warranty that comes with it. Juts a reminder that this is limited to just 270 pieces globally.
the trump card in all of the three new references, however, is the new luminescent used in the watches. It is called the super-LumiNova XI. The material is said to offer better and more vibrant luminosity than its predecessors. This time, the brand has also taken the leap of crossing known territories and going to the stitching on the strap, the crown, and the crown guard with the luminescent paint.
The watch case itself is a whole other story and it would take a separate blog to explain the materials used in detail. I’ll try and keep it as short as possible. The three watches use three distinct materials for their cases. PAM 117 uses titanium , PAM 118 uses Carbotech, whiule PAM 119 uses a new material called Fibratech which is basically composed of volcanic basalt fibres. This gives it an unique, uneven, and swirly kind of texture.
Panerai Luminor Marina Goldtech
This one is for those who like their watches a little dressier. Panerai launched the 44 mm wide red gold timepiece at the Watches and Wonders 2020. Goldtech, a highly sophisticated as well as genius material engineered at the Panerai Laboratorio di Idee puts Panerai amongst the likes of Hublot and Roger Dubuis in terms of innovation. The material consists of about 24 per cent copper and 0.4 per cent of platinum.
Goldtech opens up new horizons for˜golden watches with its unique texture and vibrance. Thanks to this, the watch looks dynamic yet grounded. To add the cherry on top, the blue sandwich-style dial from the Parisian watchmaker adds to the device’s charm with the brand likes to call ‘satiné soleil’ decoration.
The watch also excels on the mechanical front with the automatic Caliber P.9010 mechanism that weighs in with a 3-day power reserve. The movement offers a standard hours, minutes, and central seconds. The blue leather strap is definitely a bonus that, needless to say, goes really well with the blue dial.
Panerai Luminor Marina DMLS
The Panerai Luminor Marina DMLS fortifies the brand’s position when it comes to the use of unorthodox materials. The new timepiece uses titanium and a method called DMLS or Direct Metal Laser Sintering. It is pretty advanced 3D printing technology that sinters the base material, that is, titanium powder via a high power fibre optic laser. The powder eventually takes solid shape that continues to grow 30 microns at a time.
The process creates a hollow case that is then merged with Carbotech, the same material that is found on the bezel as well as the crown. Making this avant-garde combination even more impressive is the unpolished anthracite dial. The indices and number are luminescent, courtesy, Super-LumiNova.
The monochrome styled watch is powered by the in-house manufactured P.9010 calibre. The brand provides a black Sportech strap with the watch with anthracite stitching to further complement the monochromatic theme of the timepiece.
Panerai Submersible Ecopangea Tourbillon GMT 50mm Mike Horn Edition
The Panerai Submersible Ecopangea Tourbillon GMT 50mm Mike Horn Edition might end up being the most avant-garde and peculiar release of the year 2020. This outstanding timepiece will only be made available in 5 pieces. What sets this timepiece apart is the fact that owners of this watch will get an opportunity to visit and explore the arctic with brand ambassador and explorer Mike Horn.
The 50 mm wide masterpiece displays a skeletonized titanium dial enveloping the manually-wound in-house manufactured Calibre P.2005/T tourbillon movement developed at Panerai’s own Neuchâtel establishment. The movement offers a power reserve of 6 long days along with a 30-second tourbillon complication rotating on a perpendicular axis. That is not the end, though. The watch offers an additional GMT function, an AM/PM indicator (obviously,) and a running small seconds sub-dial. The watch is water resistant to up to 300 meters and is available in a black rubber strap and a black strap made from re-cycled PET material.
A fun fact about the Panerai Mike Horn Limited Edition, the watch is built out of the recycled metal from 35-meter drive shaft of Mike Horn’s sailing ship, the Pangea. As a brand, Panerai has constantly shown its support and enthusiasm for environmental conservation and this timepiece reiterates that.
Panerai Luminor Marina Fibratech 44mm
Last but definitely not least, the Panerai Luminor Marina Fibratech is the ultimate reference in this list. The timepiece is made of a high-tech composite based on volcanic basalt fibres. Fibratech is a very unique compound that has been implemented in a watch for the very first time. It is about 60 per cent lighter than stainless steel as well as much more corrosion resistant. Usually seen in the aerospace industry, the use of this material in watches is truly groundbreaking.
Needless to say, the Luminor Marina Fibratech is eye catching. The impossible to replicate matte grey aesthetic is fantastic and the 44 mm case size is simply perfect. The bezel, crown, and the crown bridge lever are made of Carbotech. The blue sandwich dial looks surreal given the matte grey surrounding of the Fibratech case. The hands, the Arabic numeral quarter-hour markers, and the hour markers are filled with Super-LumiNova.
The timepiece is powered by the in-house manufactured Caliber P.9010 offering a power reserve of about 3 days. The package comes along with a blue Sportech waterproof strap as well as an additional blue rubber strap. What else does a sporting enthusiast need? Let me tell you, nothing at all.
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