Earlier this year, at the SIHH, Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, Panerai announced the Submersible Luna Rossa – 47 mm – a watch that marked Panerai’s partnership with Luna Rossa, the Challenger of Record of the 36th America’s Cup. As a dive watch that was the first to mark the partnership with Luna Rossa, it made the right impact, with a sailcloth dial.
Other cues taken from the Luna Rossa team included a carbon fibre case like the monohull of the AC75 Luna Rossa, hints of red and white – just like the Luna Rossa logo and of course 300m water-resistance.
Presently, making SIAR, Salón Internacional Alta Relojería in Mexico City as the platform to announce the expansion of this collection, Panerai has brought out three new timepieces: the Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta – 47 mm (PAM01038), the Luminor Rossa Chrono Flyback – 44 mm (PAM01037), and the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT – 44 mm (PAM01036).
Significant, Differentiated and Challenging
As mentioned earlier, the first Luna Rossa watch sported a sailcloth dial, and the new color codes continue with the new timepieces. Endorsed by the Panerai Laboratorio di Idee, the material used is known for its lightness, sturdiness and resistance to stress and corrosion.
Keeping in mind the kind of materials that the sailboats will be using – the composites and metals – the new timepieces imbibe these qualities. We are talking about ‘Carbotech’s layering of carbon fibres bonded and reinforced by polymers’, which is an alchemical composite that is made by the conversion of zirconium oxide powder into the solid state and Grade 2 titanium.
The common thread between the new Luminor watches, are the high-performance materials, 3-days of power reserve and of course the sail material covering to the dial.
Panerai is the ‘Official Sponsor’ of Luna Rossa and the models crafted in this collection are designed to be used in yacht races. I am talking about features like the Regatta countdown to the Flyback chronograph and the GMT – you can set it to the Auckland time zone during the New Zealand regattas.
Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta 47mm PAM01038
Features: This timepiece comes with a regatta countdown function. What this means is that the automatic in-house flyback chronograph movement – calibre P.9100/R – is the only movement at Panerai to feature a regatta countdown function.
This is especially designed for the world of competitive sailing. The 47mm diameter Carbotech case hosts the bezel and safety lock device. The caseback is screw-down and black DLC-coated. The grey sailcloth sandwich dial sports small seconds at 9 o’clock and the knots scale on flange.
The watch is 100-meter water resistant and is teamed with a black calf leather strap. Pick it up for $26,000.
Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono Flyback 44mm PAM01037
Features: Designed as an automatic flyback chronograph, and featuring an all-purpose in-house chronograph movement, the P9100, this timepiece elegant. Hosting the Luna Rossa colors, the case, bezel and protective crown lever are crafted from micro-sandblasted black ceramic.
The case measures 44mm and details include tachymetre scale in knots, 100m water-resistance, black DLC-coated titanium screw-down caseback, grey sailcloth dial and automatic P9.100 calibre, powering the watch. Pick it up for $20,000.
Luminor Luna Rossa Gmt 44mm PAM01036
Features: When compared to the other Luna Rossa watches, this one is fairly simple in its approach. Equipped with a GMT complication, it is powered by automatic P.9010/GMT caliber, which is the same movement used in the first Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible 47mm PAM01039 model.
The 44 mm case and bezel are both made from black DLC-coated titanium, and hosts a dark grey sailcloth dial. The watch has a date window at 3 o’clock and a running seconds at 9 o’clock. A triangular tip outlined in red with white Super-LumiNova filling it up, marks the GMT hand. The watch is 300m water-resistance and can be picked up for $12,000.