Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641

Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641 Watch Review

The Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641 comes on the back of last year’s release, the Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech PAM01026. Once again, housed in a highly wearable 40 mm case and formed of noble metal, this latest watch brims with luxury while promising to be eminently practical. The Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech features a small seconds dial, date display and comes with a highly useful GMT function. Angus Davies, a self-confessed Paneristi, looks at this latest ultra-luxurious creation.

Panerai military watches (1935)

Panerai earned its subaquatic spurs back in the 1930s, creating divers’ watches for the Royal Italian Navy. The design of these models was intended to be purely functional, albeit looking back at these period watches they evince Italiante charm and style.

Drawing on its vast experience of making ‘luminous devices for firing naval guns at night, timing mechanisms, depth gauges and mechanical calculators’, Panerai endowed its watches with extraordinary luminesence from the outset. Keen to ensure readability in dim light, or underwater where visibility may be impaired, the firm initially used Radiomir, a radioactive material, to bestow a nocturnal glow. Later, this luminescent material was supplanted by Luminor. Today, despite the continued use of the Luminor and Radiomir names, the Italian-Swiss firm uses modern, safe and efficient Super-LumiNova.

Over time, the design of Panerai watches has evolved. For example, the wire loop strap attachments found on the inaugural Radiomir watches of the 30s were replaced with sturdier horn-shaped lugs in the 40s. Later, in 1956, Panerai introduced its now legendary crown protection device, a feature that remains part of the Luminor vernacular design.

Panerai civilian watches (1993)

Originally a supplier of military watches, Panerai began making watches for the civilian market in 1993. The models soon came to the attention of fashionistas and horophiles alike, drawn to the brand’s portfolio of utilitarian-chic timepieces.

In recent years, Panerai has repeatedly embraced innovation while remaining respectful of its rich heritage. In 2005, the firm unveiled its first in-house movement, the P.2002 calibre. Since then, it has released additional movements, some of which have incorporated high complications such as the perpetual calendar, tourbillon and minute repeater. The Italian-Swiss marque has also adopted new groundbreaking technologies, most recently with the release of the new Submersible Elux LAB-ID.

Innovative case materials

The brand’s creative prowess has also seen it introduce new references housed in cutting-edge materials, including Carbotech, BMG-Tech, eSTEEL, Fibrotech, etc. Furthermore, the firm has revisited traditional noble metals imbuing them with additional attributes. For instance, Goldtech is an alloy that comprises 75% gold (18-carat) but with the addition of copper and platinum, elements that enrich the metal’s appearance with a reddish hue and heighten its resistance to tarnishing.

Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech PAM01026 (2023)

At Watches & Wonders 2023, Panerai released a contemporary interpretation of its Radiomir model, housed in a 40 mm Goldtech case. The Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech was endowed with the brand’s iconic sandwich dial and featured a small seconds at 9 o’clock. However, this model set aside the utilitarian remit of the 30s, favouring a sumptuous exterior formed of the eponymous noble metal, Goldtech.

No doubt mindful that many would-be Paneristi appreciate the brand’s distinctive design language but yearn for something a tad smaller than some of the firm’s larger offerings, the Italian-Swiss marque conceived the ‘Quaranta’, Panerai-speak for a 40 mm case. Shortly after releasing the new PAM01026, the firm began attracting interest from both male and female watch enthusiasts, drawn to the comparatively modest case dimensions. The commercial rationale for a luxurious housing coupled with a smaller case size clearly made sense.

Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641

Now, a new Quaranta – Goldtech combo has emerged from Panerai’s Neuchâtel-based Manufacture. The Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641 subscribes to the Luminor design of the 60s with the aforementioned sturdy lugs and crown-protection device. Once again, the watch is housed in a 40 mm Goldtech case, a size that should suit the majority of wrists.

Fitted with a black sandwich dial, the display includes the must-have small seconds dial at 9 o’clock and a useful date indication adjacent the crown. Most notably, the PAM01641 comes with a GMT function, a useful complication much loved by frequent-flyers.

The Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641 is supplied on a black alligator strap paired with a Goldtech trapezoidal buckle. Moreover, the watch features the brand’s PAM Click Release System, providing a user-friendly means of swapping the strap for an alternative without the need for tools.

Closing remarks

Seldom does a once-utilitarian object transition into a fully-fledged luxury product, but Panerai proves a rare exception to the rule.

Originally intended for military use, Panerai initially focussed on legibility, robustness, water-resistance and precision. The first watches to leave the firm’s workshops fulfilled this objective admirably, leading to a relationship with the Royal Italian Navy that endured for decades.

However, today’s Panerai repeatedly pushes the performance envelope, building on the qualities seen on its early military watches, while enhancing their appeal with new materials and complications as well as offering case sizes that appeal to new audiences. The Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641 respects the past, but it also demonstrates how the brand is moving forward. I suspect the ranks of the Paneristi will continue to swell as more discerning individuals discover the brand’s distinctive portfolio of luxury watches