Watches & Wonders 2020: Panerai Stuns With New High-Tech Luminors, A GMT, And A Tourbillon

The coronavirus has brought much of the world to a standstill, but like time itself, our industry continues to move forward. Kicking off this year’s digital Watches & Wonders, Panerai continues to reinvent its classic models through new high-tech materials. With eight new releases, there’s a lot to be excited about. So let’s dive in!

In 2020, Panerai marks the 70th anniversary of its tritium-based luminescent material, Luminor, which later became the name for their signature model that we know so well. To celebrate this milestone and to continue pushing the needle, Panerai is launching a team of new Luminors featuring eye-catching luminescent applications and case materials never before seen in watchmaking.
 

Let’s start with the similarities between these models before delving into their differences. Each of the new Luminors is housed within a 44mm case featuring the brand’s signature protective crown bridge and each sport the bold Arabic numerals of Luminors past. There’s also the standard dial layout with a sub-seconds register at 9 o’clock and a date window at 3 o’clock. Inside the case of each new Luminor is Panerai’s in-house P.9010 movement with two spring barrels, Incabloc shock protection, and three-day power reserve. And that is, by and large, where the similarities end.

With much of Panerai’s DNA set in stone, the brand has turned to its materials as an outlet for innovation. Of the eight new models released during W&W, only one is made from steel, and even that isn’t what you think it is.

One such material on display here is the light and sturdy Carbotech. This high-tech material is made of layers of carbon fiber (7 layers per millimeter) that are fused together under immense heat and pressure. Once cooled, these cases resemble ebony wood grain, lending a natural touch to an impressive feat of R&D. The material can be found, in whole or in part, in half of Panerai’s releases for W&W 2020.
 

Another first for the brand, and watchmaking at large, is the proprietary Fibratech of the PAM01663 and PAM01119. The material originated in the aerospace industry and has now been adapted by Panerai for timekeeping. The key ingredient here is the mineral basalt. The dark and finely-grained volcanic rock has been bound together in thin layers using polymers and, yet again, plenty of heat and pressure.

The result is 60% lighter than steel, corrosion resistance, and beautiful, forming a matte material resembling a heavily brushed metal. Of the two new Fibratech pieces, the PAM01119 stands out as the higher-end model, sporting the Tron-like accents mentioned before and limited to just 270 pieces across Panerai’s boutiques.
 

The Luminor Marina DMLS (PAM01662) is the monochrome counterpart to its brethren dressed in sunrayed blue and spikes of luminescent green. The case material here is a sandblasted DMLS titanium.

What is DMLS titanium, you ask? The acronym refers to Direct Metal Laser Sintering, a 3D printing process whereby powder, in this case, titanium, is compacted together just below the melting point to form a solid whole using a fiber optic laser. If one thing rings true at this point, it’s that Panerai did not take the path of least resistance with this latest batch of releases. The Luminor Marina DMLS is finished with a Carbotech bezel, crown, and lever with its numerals and indices finished in gray Super-LumiNova for tone-on-tone consistency.
 

Finally, gold. But not just any gold. The Luminor Marina Panerai Goldtech is cased in the brand’s own red gold alloy with 24% copper and 0.4% platinum. This precious metal iteration is perhaps the most luxurious of the bunch, reinforced by its accompanying blue alligator strap, satiné soleil dial decoration, and 5 bar water resistance.
 

(Images provided by Panerai)