Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238)
The Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238) is a new addition to the brand’s subaquatic portfolio. Interestingly, this new aquatic-themed watch offers much more than many of its rivals by inviting purchasers to travel to Italy and join Italian Special Forces troops in a series of exercises.
A means of differentiation
The problem facing many luxury brands is how to find the means to differentiate their products from those of their rivals. Producing excellent and distinctive products is essential, but it doesn’t guarantee success. Invariably, marketing professionals employ a range of strategies to improve the likelihood of sales success.
Two tactics typically employed include discounting products, albeit this will inevitably undermine the cachet of a brand, or engaging a star of track and field, music or the silver screen as a ‘brand ambassador’.
Alternatively, some brands cleverly wrap the notion of ownership with an experience money can’t ordinarily buy. For example, some prestigious Maisons invite clients to film premieres where they are able to walk the red carpet with the great and good, accompanied by the hubbub of paparazzi’s demands and flash bulb chatter.
Panerai, the Italian Swiss watch brand, is no stranger to the ‘experience’ strategy. Earlier this year, it released the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition (PAM01244). Purchasing the limited-edition model (50 pieces) incorporated all of the horological deliciousness that is synonymous with the Radiomir moniker along with a stint sailing aboard Eilean along the Amalfi coast. For readers who remember Duran Duran and its 1982 hit song ‘Rio’, Eilean was the period ketch featured in the band’s video.
Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238) – a unique experience
The newly launched Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238) is accompanied by a wholly different ‘experience’. ‘Each purchaser will be invited to Italy to join Italian Special Forces troops in a series of exercises, putting the watches through their paces in the process.’
Panerai is no stranger to all-action pursuits. Back in 1913, the firm began producing an array of precision instruments for the Royal Italian Navy, including luminous devices for firing guns at night, timing mechanisms, depth gauges, etc. Later, Panerai made various tools for the Royal Italian Navy, sometimes worn while straddling sit-on torpedoes called ‘mignatta’. Indeed, these two-seat torpedos were manned by special forces personnel, wearing three Panerai wrist-worn instruments, namely a bathometer, compass and watch.
Clearly, Panerai has much legitimacy to inhabit this testosterone-rich world.
Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238) – a closer look
Setting aside the opportunity to don military fatigues, many Paneristi will, no doubt, want to know more about this camouflage ensemble. The Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238) is housed in a 47mm DLC-coated titanium case. Its generous dimensions reinforce the model’s masculine persona.
The watch displays hours and minutes and features a small seconds display at 3 o’clock. Typical of any watch equipped with a chronograph, the watch is capable of measuring elapsed periods. However, this chronograph also has a flyback function, allowing the wearer to stop, reset and restart the chronograph merely by pressing the pusher at 8 o’clock, just once. But, the inventory of functions doesn’t stop there.
Panerai has also endowed the PAM01238 with a ‘Time to Target countdown, which indicates the time until a designated rendezvous’. The wearer sets the countdown period by repeatedly pressing the pusher at 4 o’clock until the desired time is shown. Thereafter, the wearer simply presses the pusher at 10 o’clock for the countdown to commence.
The self-winding movement, the P.9100/R caliber, features two barrels, delivering three days of autonomous operation. Endowed with a sizeable dose of military chicness, the PAM01238 features cross-hair-themed counters, green and black hues throughout and a Caoutchouc Camouflage Giungla strap. Water resistant to 300m, this Panerai is ideally suited to aquatic pursuits, on or off-duty.
With only 50 pieces being produced, exclusivity is assured.
Finally, while many horophiles, especially the so-called ‘Paneristi’ will find the release of this new model to be very interesting, marketing professionals can learn much from the Italian-Swiss firm’s ingenious ‘experience’ initiative. Evidently, Panerai knows how to differentiate its products from those of its rivals.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Panerai Submersible Forze Speciali Experience Edition (PAM01238)
- Case: DLC-coated titanium, diameter 47 mm, water resistance 30ATM (300m); sapphire crystal to the front. Solid case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, seconds reset, flyback chronograph, calculation of immersion time
- Movement: P.9100/R; self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz), 37 jewels, power reserve 3 days, 328 components
- Strap: Caoutchouc Camouflage Giungla, STD, 26/22, BA. Trapezoidal titanium buckle with DLC coating
- Price: £47,500 (RRP as of 20.9.2022)
- Limited Edition: 50 pieces