Second Time With The Panerai Luminor Due

You may think you know Panerai. You may even have a few of these distinct timepieces in your collection. But the company still manages to surprise us with its innovations, most recently with the introduction of the Panerai Luminor Due collection.
 

Quintessentially Italian in both style and innovation, Panerai was founded in Florence (the birthplace of the Renaissance) by Giovanni Panerai in 1860. The company’s offerings evolved as the quickly as the modern times. In 1900, Giovanni's grandson Guido took over and started creating watches and other instruments for the Italian Navy. In 1916, they introduced Radiomir, a radium-based powder that lent a certain luminosity to watch and instrument dials. In 1936, Panerai produced a prototype for Italian Navy Frogmen, also called the Radiomir, the first military diver.

After the end of World War II, Panerai continued to innovate with the introduction of “Luminor” — a new, Tritium (hydrogen isotope) based, self-luminating compound. And one year later the manufacture took all of the technological research that it had accumulated before the beginning of the conflict to create a new crown-protecting bridge and a reinforced case with lugs carved out of the same block of stainless steel. This model became known as the Luminor 1950.

In the intervening years, Panerai continued to create timepieces for the Italian Navy. These watches were highly coveted by collectors but not widely available to civilians. At least until 1993, when limited editions of three models —the Luminor, the Luminor Marina and the Mare Nostrum — were presented to the Italian public.

In 1997, Panerai distribution went global. In 2002, they opened up a manufacture in Neuchatel, Switzerland, where they began producing in-house movements and calibers, including its first tourbillons. The brand also ushered in the era of the oversized case, favored by fellows who wanted a fine timekeeping device that also had wrist presence.

The man of the new Millennium, however, is looking for a different personal style statement. He (and more than a few shes) love the traditional look of the Luminor 1950. He is into more minimal and colored dials. And he can’t fathom how to wear a bulky watch under a suit. 

Then there are the 45 mm pieces: the Luminor Due 3 Days Automatic Acciaio (PAM00674 & PAM00739), Luminor Due 3 Days Automatic Titanio (PAM00729), and the Luminor Due 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso (PAM00675).

While the PAM00674 and PAM00739 have the same name, there is a sizable difference between the models. In that the PAM00739 is powered by a beautiful skeletonized movement featuring a 22-carat gold decentralized micro-rotor . 

The pieces feature a classic Panerai dial display and their 45mm cases give them a bigger and badder look without all the extra bulk (they are 3.95 mm thick). These watches also feature luxurious alligator straps.

The 45 mm versions are priced at $10,500 - $14,300 for the steel, $11,200 in titanium and $25,500 in gold.

Inside the hand wound Titanio is the Panerai’s in-house manufacture Caliber P.1000, with a three-day power reserve stored in two mainspring barrels. The Oro Rosso features the more sophisticated, skeletonized version, called P.1000/10.

The automatic Acciaio has a skeletonized P.4000/10 movement and a 22k gold micro-rotor decorated with clous de Paris, open worked bridges with circular brushed finishing and gilded engraving that can be seen through a sapphire “porthole” in the case back.

The newest member of the Due family, the automatic Titanio, is powered by a P.4000 caliber with a micro-rotor made of lightweight tungsten can be seen through a sapphire porthole on the case back.

The Luminor Due collection offers the lightest and thinnest cases ever offered by the manufacture, which makes these timepieces attractive to buyers who may have balked at the bulk of the original Luminor without losing the spirit.

The new Dues are some of the most accessible Panerais, price-wise, making them alluring to first-time Panerai clients.