Mar
Taking big swings as a watch manufacturer can be risky and even downright irresponsible when you’ve been in the industry for over 150 years. Fans and collectors expect a certain standard of design, functionality, and aesthetics and deviating from that will either cause a massive flop (which it seems no luxury watch brand is entirely immune from), it can become an overnight instant classic that opens up a whole new chapter of the brand, or sometimes it can be both if you give it enough time (looking at you Rolex Daytona).
For Panerai, the Luminor collection has been their bread and butter ever since their watches became available to the public in 1993 after exclusively being available to Military Naval forces. With a bold square pillow case design, large dimensions, and at least 100m water resistance the design is that of a tool watch (although that hasn’t stopped many from dressing it up). The collection was even popularized by celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger further engraving this boldly beloved collection into the hearts and minds of countless fans. So when the Italian watch manufacturer decided in 2016 to launch the Luminor Due collection many were surprised to see how different it looked from its predecessor. After all, “due” translates to “two” in Italian and many were expecting the collection to expand on what had come before. Instead, it seems, Panerai went in a different direction.
Elegance – a word not typically pulled from ones mind when thinking of the Panerai brand. And yet it comes directly to the forefront when exploring the Luminor Due collection. They’re light, thin, highly wearable, and feature beautiful sunburst dials and color configurations that break the mold. The case sizes have an expanded range of 38mm all the way up to 45mm and a thickness that is a fraction of other models providing options that can work for anyone – they certainly fall into the unisex category. To achieve this thin case design Panerai had to use thinner movements like the hand-wound P. 1000, the automatic P. 4000, or the newer P. 900. They also had to sacrifice some of the functionality as the entire collection carries a water depth rating of no more than 5 bar which is nothing compared to the nautically inclined models we’re used to seeing.
Of course, not everyone was happy about this. Some felt like the Due was a let down to their expectations of something they believed would be of the same build as the Luminor – particularly when they saw the patented and symbolic crown protector but realized the depth rating would not live up to the predecessor. And while the elements of the original Luminor can certainly be seen and appreciated within the Due, this was very much a watch for those who had never before considered Panerai as an option. This may not have been what some fans wanted but it was a huge win for the brand and its popularity. For the first time we see Panerai exploring options that work for women who are looking for something that doesn’t overpower their wrists. Or for those who fancy classic sizes of 40mm and under. All of these options exist within the Luminor Due collection. Coming in polished stainless steel, brushed titanium, and even precious metals, these watches have been made with a special flare for any occasion.