Panerai Luminor Due Burgundy PAM01424 Watch Review
The Panerai Luminor Due Burgundy PAM01424 is the latest creation to emanate from the Neuchâtel Manufacture. Released to coincide with Valentine’s Day this new model embraces many of the brand’s design codes but, courtesy of its slender profile and red dial, it also exudes an air of formality. Panerai began life making purely functional objects, but these days it is also known for crafting watches brimming with Italianate style; a characteristic this model delivers in abundance.
Panerai prototype (1935)
In 1935, Panerai produced a prototype timepiece for the Italian Royal Navy. It featured a Rolex base movement, subsequently modified by the Florence-based company. Three years later (1938), Panerai produced the Radiomir, ‘the first military divers’ watch in history’, a model taking its name from the luminescent treatment used on its dial.
When appraising the dial of the Radiomir of 1938, you will note the baton-style hands, the sandwich dial construction and the fulsome hour markers, comprising Arabic numerals with lozenge-shaped apertures in between. The design was eminently practical and provided the founding elements of a design language that still proffers eye-appeal to the present day.
Panerai Luminor – the look
In the 1940s, ‘Luminor’, another luminescent material, supplanted Radiomir (radium-based powder) and, once again, inspired a name that continues to flourish within the watchmaking landscape. During the 1950s, the wire lugs of the past were upgraded with sturdier, integrated lugs and a new innovative crown protection device was adopted (1956). A small seconds display, positioned at 9 o’clock, is yet another design element associated with the Luminor (first introduced in the 1960s).
Panerai Luminor Due (2016)
Eminently practical, the specifications of the Radiomir and Luminor have slowly evolved over the years. However, beyond these functional considerations, the models have always been executed in an Italianate style, a vernacular design that has gained many admirers around the globe. These brand devotees, the so-called ‘Paneristi’ were indulged with a new collection in 2016 when the Italian-Swiss Maison unveiled the Luminor Due, a suite of models that share several Luminor codes but, courtesy of a slimmer profile, appear more elegant and sophisticated. Panerai offers Luminor Due models in two case sizes, 42 mm and 38 mm. This latter size has certainly made Panerai ownership more accessible to a female audience, something the firm has built upon with the release of several vibrant dial colours.
Panerai Luminor Due Burgundy – Valentine’s Day
Shrewdly recognising a marketing opportunity when it sees one, Panerai has just unveiled a watch in time for Valentine’s Day, the Luminor Due Burgundy PAM01424. Housed in a 42 mm steel case, this model features several details that will inevitably elicit nods of approval among the Paneristi. Baton-style hands, a sandwich dial, a crown-protection device, a small seconds display at 9 o’clock are all familiar elements most self-respecting Paneristi crave.
While reassuringly familiar, the Luminor Due Burgundy PAM01424 doesn’t languish in the past. Its dial is executed in a seductive shade of red, enlivened with sun-brushed decoration. With a slight rotation of the wrist, the dial flirts with light. Unlike some historical Luminor models, the dial of the PAM01424 is endowed with a date indication at 3 o’clock. Panerai presents the date in white numerals set against a burgundy backdrop, matching the colour of the dial as horological etiquette dictates.
The Luminor Due Burgundy PAM01424 is comparatively genteel when contrasted with the prototype of 1935. Not only is it blessed with a prepossessing face, its torso is also highly polished, endowing the watch with an almost formal appearance. The PAM01424 is supplied on a black alligator strap; however, the watch also features the ‘PAM Click Release System’, allowing the wearer to swap the strap for an alternative with just a few simple clicks, obviating the need for tools.
At the heart of the watch, ticks the automatic P.900 calibre, a movement with a 3-day power reserve, familiar to legions of Paneristi. It’s this band of brothers and sisters who appreciate the history and practicality synonymous with the luxury marque. The story began in 1935 with the creation of a prototype military watch, a utilitarian object that has since become known to numerous horophiles, prized for its glorious Italianate style, a quality perpetuated by this latest creation, the Luminor Due Burgundy.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Panerai Luminor Due Burgundy PAM01424
- Case: stainless steel case, diameter 42 mm, water resistance 5 ATM (50m), sapphire crystal to the front, steel case-back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, date
- Movement: P.900 calibre, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 23 jewels, power reserve 3 days.
- Strap: black alligator strap with polished steel folding clasp. Also features PAM Click Release System
- Price: £6,300 (RRP as of 7.2.2025)