PANERAI

Giovanni Panerai, a man from Florence, Italy, would open an innovative watch store in 1860. That store is now a well-known brand with a devoted following. Officine Panerai began as a sales showroom, a repair business, and the city's first watchmaking school, unlike many other watch manufacturers. The business had moved from its original position to the Palazzo Arcivescovile in Piazza San Giovanni by the turn of the twentieth century, and was now known as "Orologeria Svizzera." They were a major seller of Swiss timepieces at the time.

Guido Panerai & Figlio, Giovanni's grandson, was founded in 1864 as a mechanical engineering business specializing in the manufacture of equipment for the Royal Italian Navy. They provided the Navy with high-precision time-keeping tools such as compasses, depth gauges, and spotlights for years, as well as being partners in innovation.

Panerai submitted a patent for Radiomir, a radium-based powder, on March 23, 1916. The dials of sighting instruments and equipment are illuminated with this powder. In essence, they have excellent vision in the dark. This radium powder also had excellent underwater stickiness, making it ideal for the Navy.

Panerai builds the first prototype of the device now known as the "Radiomir" for the commandos of the First Submarine Group Command during WWII, utilizing the Radiomir paste. These "frogmen" commandos wore their timepieces in the darkest of situations, therefore illumination was crucial. The Radiomir was designed and manufactured by Panerai, while the internal mechanism was created by Rolex. According to historical naval sources, Panerai only made 10 of these prototypes.

Radium is no longer used by the modern-day Radiomir. The dangers of radium were unclear at the time, but the radioactive consequences ultimately became obvious. After cancer was linked to exposure, the substance was no longer used. The modern-day model, on the other hand, keeps many of the watch's original characteristics. The casing is big and cushioned, with welded lugs. The watch is powered by a hand-wound mechanical movement with luminous numbers and markings on the face. It also features a long strap that may be worn over a diving suit.

The Radiomir began to adapt to fulfill the demands of the Royal Navy from the beginning, but by 1949, Panerai would have developed a new means of achieving brightness. Luminor was a self-luminous paste that worked by emitting a hydrogen isotope called Tritium. Panerai utilized the name of the material to name their next model, the Luminor, after filing the patent on January 11, 1949.

The original Luminor has strengthened wire lugs made from the same steel block as the rest of the casing. It also features a broader, flatter bezel than the Radiomir and a bridge to cover the crown. The Luminor 1950 is the successor to the original Luminor models.

Panerai began collaborating with the Egyptian Navy in 1956. The Egiziano is a watch inspired by the Radiomir. It has a large 60mm casing with increased water resistance. It also contained bezel marks on the bezel that could be used to determine immersion time. The crown-protecting bridge from the Luminor is carried over to the Egiziano and becomes one of Panerai's signature features.

Panerai had a significant transformation in 1972. Giuseppe Panerai died, the company's administration and naval contracts were entrusted to Dino Zei, a Panerai engineer. He renamed the firm Officine Paneral S.r.L, which was the name that appeared on the initial models. Wrist depth gauges and compasses were among the gadgets they continued to offer.

Officine Panerai was never open to the general public during its history. In 1993, the business released three models to the general audience. The Luminor, Luminor Marina, and Mare Nostrum were their names. There were no difficulties with the Luminor, but the Luminor Marina has a second, smaller subdial. The Mare Nostrum was inspired by past versions used for World War II commandos.

The Richemont company acquires the brand in 1997, and it makes its worldwide debut on the luxury timepiece market in 1998. The Luminor and Luminor Marina are included in the first collection. A re-release of the Mare Nostrum is also planned, featuring a smaller bezel and a screw-down case back.

Officine Panerai completed a full circle in the 2000s, when their historic boutique in Piazza San Giovanni was restored and reopened. They established a production plant in Switzerland, as well as their first in-house movement.

With such a long and illustrious history, it's no wonder that Panerai is a collector's choice. Their sleek, streamlined designs combine a modern style and a retro vibe, and they look fantastic on a range of wrists.

(Giovanni Panerai above picture)