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F O C U S
Ready to dive
In 2025, Panerai breathes new life into the
Luminor family, with a refreshed Luminor
Marina line and a striking new look for the
Quantième Perpétuel (Perpetual Calendar
or ‘QP’) GMT, further amplifying the char-
acter of the collection, instantly recognis-
able by its signature lockable crown-pro-
tector.
Originally developed in the 1930s for the Italian Navy,
Panerai watches were professional-grade dive instru-
ments designed for use in the darkness of the ocean
depths where they had to legible at any depth. To meet
this challenge, the Italian watchmaker first employed
Radiomir, a revolutionary luminescent compound it had
created two decades earlier for precision instruments for
the navy. As used in watches, Radiomir was exception-
ally bright, particularly on “sandwich” dials made of two
layered discs where the numerals and indices were cut
into the top disc to reveal the luminous layer beneath.
Later, Radiomir, which is radium-based and deemed to
be too radioactive, gave way to Luminor, based on trit-
ium. The names Radiomir and Luminor, now synony-
mous with Panerai timepieces, were originally used for
these essential luminescent materials developed for
underwater exploration.
Panerai turned to the public market in 1993 with a
series of limited editions, before making its international
debut in 1998. Two icons were born during this time: the
Luminor and the Luminor Marina. The latter stood out
thanks to a small-seconds display at 9 o’clock, originally
used by commandos to synchronise their watches with
precision. Both featured a 44 mm cushion-shaped case,
equipped with the brand’s patented crown-protecting
bridge, introduced in 1956. As well as protecting the
crown, it contributed to water resistance of up to 300
metres. Since then, the Luminor line has continued to
evolve, integrating new materials and movements while
preserving its iconic design.
Now, the Luminor Marina has been updated. The case
remains 44 mm across but is now 12% thinner and 15%
lighter, improving both wearability and comfort. This
is also the first model in the collection to be water-re-
sistant to 50 BAR (~500 metres). As per Panerai’s stand-
ards, every watch is tested at 25% beyond its stated rating.
Another first is that the date window on the dial has been
enlarged and bevelled, while legibility in low light has
been enhanced with Super-LumiNova® X2. The slimmer
case is made possible by the new 4.2 mm thick P.980 auto-
matic calibre, offering a three-day power reserve. Visible
through the sapphire caseback, it includes a traversing
balance bridge for added stability and accuracy, along
with a stop-seconds function for precise setting.
The new 2025 Luminor Marina series includes four
references, three in steel and one in titanium, presented
on calf or alligator leather straps both equipped with the
PAM Click quick-change system. The range also intro-
duces a new steel reference with a metal bracelet fea-
turing tapering links that decrease in width from case
to clasp. In addition to the PAM Click system, it includes
a brand-new Quick Length Adjustment system, which
allows wearers to fine-tune the bracelet by ±2 mm on
each side for optimal comfort in any situation.
Boutique exclusive
Alongside the core collection, the Luminor line wel-
comes a new Quantième Perpétuel GMT. The result of
over a decade of research and development, the P.4100
automatic calibre – launched in 2021 – was developed
in the Panerai spirit, with precision, functionality and
ease of use front of mind. It offers a three-day power
reserve and allows all calendar functions to be set via
the crown, forwards or backwards, at any time of day or
night. For legibility, only the day and date are displayed
on the dial, while the month, year, leap year and power
reserve are visible on the back.
In its 2025 version, the Quantième Perpétuel GMT
reveals more than ever before: not just through the
caseback, but also through the front, via a blue sapphire
crystal dial that preserves clarity. It is housed in a case
made of Platinumtech, a high-tech material exclusive to
Panerai. This precious alloy is 80% harder than conven-
tional platinum, offering superior durability to the pres-
tigious Luminor Quantième Perpétuel GMT PAM01575,
a timepiece reserved for Panerai boutique clients. ■
Éric Dumatin
1. PANERAI Luminor Marina PAM03323. This refreshed Lumi-
nor Marina retains its 44 mm case diameter but is slimmer, lighter
and is now water-resistant to 500 metres. It is powered by the
new automatic in-house Calibre P.980, offering 3 days of power
reserve. The PAM03323, shown here in ‘AISI 316LVM – 1.4441’
steel, displays hours, minutes, the signature small seconds at 9
o’clock and a date at 3 o’clock, all on a sun-ray brushed light-blue
sandwich dial. It also introduces Panerai’s new metal bracelet
with tapering links that has both quick-change and quick-ad-
justment systems.
2. PANERAI Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT PAM01575. The
new Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT is housed in a 44 mm Plat-
inumtech case, a proprietary alloy that’s notably hard-wearing.
The sophisticated yet user-friendly automatic in-house calibre
P.1000 offers three days of power reserve and displays essential
daily information on the front and other calendar details on the
back, resulting in a remarkably clean layout for this type of com-
plication. For the first time, the dial is in sapphire crystal, here
in blue, subtly revealing the day and date discs without compro-
mising legibility.
EMMANUEL PERRIN | CEO PANERAI