Panerai Submersible Blu Notte (PAM01068)
The Panerai Submersible Blu Notte (PAM01068) is a new addition to the Swiss-Italian brand’s portfolio. It is endowed with a blue dial and matching bezel insert, but most notably of all, it features one of the brand’s famous metal bracelets. Reformed ‘flipper’ Angus Davies, recounts his experience of Panerai bracelets and explains why he thinks it is ‘probably the best bracelet in the world’.
Over the years, I have bought and sold many watches. Sometimes, I’ve been a compulsive flipper, trading in one watch for a ‘must-have before I die’ timepiece, while on other occasions, I have been a hoarder, hiding my ticking stash from prying eyes, including my wife’s.
Returning to my flipping phase, the premise was simple, trade-in a forgotten love, combine it with some cash and ‘voila’, a new horological partner is suddenly caressing your arm. It was a filthy habit, necessitating much deception on my part. I would always refer to the cash I had ‘put to’, rather than the value of my trade-in or the overall purchase price. It assuaged guilty feelings and maintained good matrimonial relations.
Thankfully, I am now rehabilitated. No flipping, no hoarding, just a couple of cherished watches that I am unwilling to sell. In fact, being honest, despite loving watches, I seldom wear one whilst typing on my computer and mainly reserving my wrist for hands-on reviews.
When looking back, reflecting on my flipping days, I certainly regret waving goodbye to some of my former loves. One such watch was a Panerai Luminor Marina (PAM00091). It was housed in a 44mm titanium case, supplied on a steel/titanium bracelet. Sadly, it is no longer made. Other watches have since come and gone, but nothing has ever had a bracelet that felt quite as special as the one affixed to the PAM00091.
Each link of the steel/titanium bracelet comprised of two ‘superimposed pieces’ fixed to each other with titanium screws. Panerai’s patented semi-circular crown protector inspired the bracelet design. The upper bracelet links emulated the shape of the crown protection device and the contrasting tones of steel and titanium contributed to its extraordinary beauty.
To my knowledge, I can only recall the company’s Luminor models being supplied on such a bracelet, however, die-hard Paneristi may know differently. Moreover, it is my belief that the Radiomir and Submersible models have always been supplied on straps made of leather, textile or rubber.
Now, the luxury watch brand has unveiled the Panerai Submersible Blu Notte (PAM01068), pairing the subaquatic styling, synonymous with the collection, with a new polished and brushed steel bracelet.
The bracelet looks near identical to the item fitted to my beloved PAM00091, except it eschews the titanium parts in favour of full steel construction. The Panerai Submersible Blu Notte (PAM01068) comes with the usual Submersible über-robust unidirectional bezel, albeit this time featuring a ceramic insert that matches the colour of the sunbrushed dial.
Panerai supply the watch with an additional black strap in Sportech, enlivened with blue stitching. The bracelet can be removed simply by pushing a button to the rear of the lugs and swapping it for the strap, or vice-versa, with minimal fuss.
It may seem strange to talk profusely about a new bracelet, but I know from experience this is an extraordinary bracelet and a worthy enhancement to the Submersible model. Indeed, to paraphrase a famous brewer, ‘the Panerai bracelet, probably the best watch bracelet in the world’.
The brand’s press release
Panerai, a brand acquainted with testing the boundaries of imagination and invention, marks another milestone with the release of the Submersible Blu Notte. It is the first Panerai Submersible 42mm watch with a metal bracelet. A historic Panerai icon, the instantly recognizable crown-protection device, inspired the bracelet’s design.
The profile of the device, which was originally invented to assure water resistance and prevent accidental contact with the crown, appears on each link of the bracelet, accentuated by a combination of polished and brushed finishes. And its supreme elegance is matched by the comfortable wear of the graceful, lightweight design, which suits any setting, relaxed or formal.
With the patented Panerai interchangeable strap system, removing the bracelet in favour of a strap whenever the mood strikes is effortless. By using a tool available in the watch storage box, it is possible to push a button at the back of the lugs, which releases the bracelet, allowing a change in just a moment.
The ease of transforming the look of the Submersible Blu Notte makes it the foundation for a flexible and varied watch wardrobe.
Aesthetic purity merges with performance in every facet of the Submersible Blu Notte. The sunbrushed blue dial reflects light with brilliance and vitality that responds to every movement it makes; its legibility is heightened by the presence of hands, dots and indices filled with white Super-LumiNova™.
The watch features a steel bezel composed of a deep blue ceramic in the same colour as the dial, the uni-directional counter-clockwise bezel intensifies the monochromatic unity of the watch and is a resistant tool for calculating immersion time.
One of the slimmest movements in the Panerai portfolio, the P.900 calibre animates the Submersible Blu Notte, complementing its lean, refined proportions and nesting seamlessly within the 42mm case. The automatic movement features a three-day power reserve and is an instrument entirely realized by the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, guided by a commitment to innovation, precision and a legacy of crafting instruments able to confront daunting conditions.
The Submersible Blu Notte is water-resistant up to 30 bar (about 300 meters deep). In addition to its steel bracelet, it is accompanied by a black strap in Sportech™ with contrasting blue stitching and Velcro closure, a tool for interchangeability, a screwdriver and a storage box, whose outer part is made of recycled ABS plastic.
Further reading