Unveiling the Maritime Legacy: An Exquisite Journey Through Panerai’s Four Legendary Collections

Born in Florence, Italy, Panerai stands as a leading representative of contemporary Italian luxury watchmaking. With a distinctly recognizable design style, timepieces from any of its collections are immediately identifiable at a glance. From robust military styles and powerful professional diving watches to elegant luxury interpretations that blend seamlessly into contemporary life, all embody Panerai’s highly distinctive profile and consistent qualities of simplicity and practicality.

Panerai’s watchmaking legend began with its deep connection to the Italian Royal Navy. Diving watches and military timepieces form the soul of Panerai’s watchmaking style. It wasn’t until 1993, when civilian watches were first released, that its unique designs gradually became widely known to the public.

1996 marked a crucial turning point in Panerai’s brand development. Following the appearance of the 44mm Luminor PAM5218-201/A in the movie “Daylight,” the Panerai trend was launched through this Vendôme timepiece. Features like large diameter cases, crown protection bridges, and prominent Arabic numeral hour markers became the identifying characteristics that attracted Panerai enthusiasts. Shortly after, Panerai became part of the Richemont Group (then the Vendôme Group) in 1997. In 1998, it made its first appearance at the SIHH Geneva Watch Fair, officially entering the international market. Emerging in an era dominated by dress watches, its masculine and substantial presence strongly challenged mainstream aesthetics.

Panerai’s increased international visibility drove the large-diameter trend that began in the late 20th century, transforming the public’s aesthetic vision of wristwatches. Today, under the leadership of CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué, the brand’s collection has been consolidated into four main series: Radiomir, Luminor, Submersible, and Luminor Due. Each is distinctly defined by brand history, functionality, and style positioning, allowing watch enthusiasts to clearly understand Panerai’s characteristics and essence.

Radiomir, the root of Panerai watches, symbolizes the brand’s commitment to innovative materials and its deep connection to military and diving watches. The term “Radiomir” carries dual meanings: it refers to the luminous paint Panerai created for the Italian Royal Navy—a self-luminous substance based on radium patented in 1916; it also represents the prototype design of the Ref.3646 watch developed by Panerai for the Italian Royal Navy in 1935. This 47mm cushion-shaped case with luminous numerals and hour markers, and welded wire lugs established many of the identifying features of today’s Radiomir watches.

Radiomir is the spiritual symbol that best narrates Panerai’s watchmaking origins. Throughout the Radiomir series, one can see design elements that incorporate the original essence while continuously interpreting the brand’s traditions through advanced materials and evolving watchmaking techniques. The Radiomir Otto Giorni Eight-Day Power Reserve watches PAM01347 and PAM01348, released in 2023, are among the most representative examples. Inspired by Panerai’s Radiomir prototype made for the Italian Navy, the unique Brunito eSteel™ case and domed crystal resembling the Plexiglass resin glass of yesteryear create a strong sense of nostalgia.

PAM01347 and PAM01348 are the first Panerai watches to feature Brunito eSteel™ cases. The surface finishing process involves first applying PVD vacuum ion coating to the recycled steel alloy eSteel™, then manually polishing away the black surface layer to create a unique aged appearance. Additionally, a noteworthy design detail is the deliberate reduction of the case diameter from the original 47mm to 45mm, responding to contemporary lifestyles through evolutionary adaptation while immersing wearers in the origins of Panerai’s legend.

The Submersible series represents Panerai’s professional diving watches, featuring cushion-shaped cases, crown protection bridges, and unidirectional rotating bezels essential for professional diving, with water resistance up to 300 meters. First introduced in 1998 as part of the Luminor series, it became an independent collection in 2019. In 2022, Panerai reintroduced the 44mm size to the Submersible series alongside the existing 47mm and 42mm specifications, launching the Submersible QuarantaQuattro watches while maintaining the classic features of the Submersible series: 300-meter water resistance, crown protection device, and unidirectional rotating bezel.

The design of modern Submersible watches draws inspiration from the GPF-2/56 watch developed by Panerai in 1956. This model was supplied to the Egyptian Navy with the consent of the Italian Navy and later commonly referred to as the “Egyptian.” The internationally patented crown protection device first officially appeared on this watch, along with a rotating bezel for calculating dive times.

The Luminor Due series, introduced in 2016, is Panerai’s thinnest collection. Its case profile faithfully draws inspiration from the classic Luminor lines of the 1950s, then undergoes meticulous redesign—essentially, it’s a slimmer version of the Luminor, retaining the classic features of cushion-shaped case, crown protection bridge, and large Arabic numeral hour markers. The Luminor Due series currently includes case diameters of 45mm, 42mm, and 38mm, making it more suitable for watch enthusiasts with relatively slender wrists. With its gender-neutral positioning, female collectors who admire Panerai can easily find models with more comfortable wrist presence. Additionally, due to the slim case design, these watches don’t interfere with the smooth movement of shirt cuffs, displaying elegance with every gesture and making them particularly suitable for wear with formal attire.

Panerai has introduced completely different approaches to the Luminor Due series compared to its military-style watches. Through rich colors and material applications, it creates an atmosphere of contemporary luxury and elegance. The PAM01309, PAM01311, and PAM01319 Luminor Due 38mm watches—the first timepieces in Panerai’s history to feature pastel colors—are particularly memorable examples. Furthermore, Panerai has equipped this series with a quick-release strap system, allowing for manual strap changes. The Luminor Due Luna watch, with its meticulous watchmaking techniques and material applications, features this quick-release strap system, enabling wearers to change straps according to different occasions and outfit requirements.