Panerai Luminor Marina Specchio Blue 44mm (PAM01316)
Unlike most models from Panerai, the Luminor Marina Specchio Blue 44mm (PAM01316) is not supplied on a leather or rubber strap but presented on a steel bracelet. However, based on personal experience, I can attest a Panerai bracelet is extraordinary. To coincide with the launch of its latest model, the Manufacture from Neuchâtel has introduced a new bracelet, demonstrating the brand’s passion for continuous improvement.
One of the perils of being a watch collector is parting with a cherished timepiece only to regret it later. A few years ago, I spotted a must-have timepiece but lacked the necessary cash to pay for it in full, so I hastily parted with my Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 091. I cannot remember the identity of the must-have watch, but I have never forgotten the PAM 091.
My Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 091 was housed in a 44mm titanium case, featured a brushed grey dial and incorporated an automatic movement. However, most notably it was endowed with the most amazing bracelet. It was formed of steel and titanium and featured semi-circular links sat atop rectangular links. The semi-circular links echoed the styling of the crown protection bridge.
The bracelet felt so tough, it looked capable of post-apocalyptic survival. Conversely, it had a softer side, gently caressing the skin when worn. Its construction was incredibly complex, comprising numerous components. It remains one of the best bracelets I have ever seen.
It was therefore surprising to hear that Panerai has recently updated its bracelet. The brand has reduced the thickness of the links, thereby making the bracelet lighter. Moreover, the slender profile of the links is said to augment wearer comfort. The double button folding clasp now includes a highly polished square-section, engraved with the brand’s ‘OP’ logo. Lastly, the new bracelet and case ensemble is equipped with the brand’s ‘interchangeability’ system, allowing the wearer to easily exchange the bracelet for a leather strap.
The new bracelet features on the new Panerai Luminor Marina Specchio Blue 44mm (PAM01316), a stunningly handsome model with a blue sandwich dial embellished with a sunray motif. Panerai has shown there is much wisdom in continuously seeking improvements and, based on this latest creation, they have clearly been very successful.
The brand’s press release
An experiment that pushes limits of imagination has endowed a treasured legacy with both reverence and a fresh aspect. In a year dedicated to the legendary Luminor Marina, Panerai transforms the spirit of the model with the introduction of a totally redesigned metal bracelet. Perfected in style, it has been reinterpreted to accompany the radically contemporary form of the new Luminor Marina – 44 mm (PAM01316).
Strong and lightweight, the new steel bracelet is a product of the engineering know-how of the Laboratorio di Idee, a state-of-the-art think tank grounded in Panerai’s heritage. Composed of links that mirror the silhouette of the crown-protecting bridge, a unique element of the Luminor case, the bracelet has a fundamentally reimagined form derived from construction that reduces the number of screws required along the bracelet’s sides.
Developed to combine function, design and resistance, it incorporates a large number of carefully considered components to elevate the standard of ergonomics and fit. Integrated into the case and equipped with an interchangeability system, it is lighter than previous versions thanks to careful work focused on thinning the links.
Additionally, the updated double-button deployant clasp features reimagined geometry that minimizes its dimensions and thickness. With aesthetic codes in keeping with the new stylistic direction of the collection, the Luminor Marina – 44 mm dial has a sandwich structure, a construction introduced by Panerai at the end of the 1930s for models intended for divers in the Royal Navy, which has become the signature of the brand. The resonant reference to tradition is underscored by the neon green luminescence of the indexes and hands ensured by the use of Super-LumiNova™.
Lastly, robustness and reliability on the mechanical front are assured by the technical performance provided by Caliber P.9010. A self-winding movement measuring only 6 mm thick with double barrels, it was historically applied to the Luminor Marina collection. Entirely designed and developed by the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, it stands out for the rapid time adjustment function that also changes the date and for the 3-day power reserve.
Waterproof up to 30 bar (about 300 metres deep), the new Luminor Marina – 44 mm is equipped with a steel bracelet with alternating polished and satin finish links that can be replaced with a leather strap, and equipped with a double- button folding clasp engraved with the “OP” logo. A special interchangeability tool completes the model.
Further reading