Whether it is the fruit of the ingenuity of a maestro or whether it is born almost spontaneously from the function for which it is intended, a design classic is immediately recognisable for the strength and the naturalness with which it imposes itself on the collective imagination.

Officine Panerai’s Radiomir 1940 has the authority of a classic of modernity. Its simple, quintessential form tells the story of the years in which it was designed while maintaining its unchanging up-to-date character. Its design stands out for its functional rigour and the simplicity of its lines, free of decorative excess: features which in 1940 were related to a new way of life and a world of evolving values which in the following years would lead to the international recognition of Italian industrial design.

Created to satisfy the demanding requirements of the specialist underwater forces of the Royal Italian Navy, the Radiomir 1940 today still has the characteristics of solidity, endurance and reliability that are the hallmarks of a timekeeping instrument designed for military use. The design of the case and dial have the same overall quality and the identical iconic power as the original, demonstrating the great versatility of a classic which is today enriched with the highest technical content of luxury contemporary watchmaking from the Officine Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel.

RADIOMIR 1940 3 DAYS AUTOMATIC

The purity and rigour of Italian design and a new sophisticated in-house automatic movement with a decentralised rotating weight

The Radiomir 1940 is presented for the first time with an automatic movement, the new P.4000 calibre which is the latest creation of the Officine Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel. The distinctive feature of the new calibre is its off-centre oscillating weight, winding in both directions. With a diameter of 13¾ lignes and just 3.95 mm thick, it has been developed to integrate perfectly with the proportions of the Radiomir 1940 case. The result is the Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic, the new Officine Panerai timepiece which is available in steel (PAM000572) or in red gold (PAM000573). It is a perfect choice for people looking for a watch that is faithful to the history of Panerai, as well as being suitable for the most elegant occasions with its classic, minimalist design.

The new P.4000 calibre is the first Panerai automatic movement with an off-centre micro-rotor. This means that the rotor is smaller in diameter than the calibre itself: a sophisticated technical solution which enables the movement – and therefore the watch itself – to be much thinner. In the model with a steel case, the oscillating weight is made of tungsten, a shiny, high density metal, qualities which make it aesthetically appealing and ideal for applications requiring a material with a high specific weight. In the red gold model, the rotor is made of 22 carat red gold. Its elegant finish and decoration can be appreciated through the sapphire crystal porthole fitted in the back. Next to the oscillating weight is the balance wheel, which oscillates at a frequency of 4 Hz, and a large bridge concealing much of the mechanism, making the structure of the movement exceptionally stable. With two spring barrels connected in series, the P.4000 calibre has a power reserve of at least three days, and it is also fitted with the device which stops the balance wheel when the winding crown is pulled out to set the time, useful for synchronising the watch exactly.

The new Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic models embody the characteristics and qualities which make every Panerai watch unique but at the same time immediately recognisable. The case re-presents that of some of the historic models created by Panerai in around 1940. It is 45 mm in diameter and is made of AISI 316L stainless steel, or of 5Npt red gold, an alloy which has a higher proportion of copper than usual and a small amount of platinum which helps to reduce any oxidation of the metal. The lugs are formed out of the same block as the case and they adapt perfectly to the line of the wrist, ensuring maximum comfort for wearers of the watch. The large polished bezel surrounds a classic dial providing excellent legibility, with its minimalist design and its structure of superimposed plates sandwiching the luminous substance between them. This construction means that the hour figures and the baton markers cut in the upper plates shine with great brilliance. As has been traditional with Panerai since the 1940s, the seconds hand rotates in a small sub-dial at 9 o’clock on the dial, which is black in the steel version and brown in the red gold version.

The Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic is water-resistant to ten bar (around 100 metres) in the steel version and five bar (around 50 metres) in the red gold version, and it is supplied with an alligator strap, black or brown respectively.