The actual roots of Radiomir dates back to the 1916s, when Officine Panerai created a radium-based powder that gave high luminosity to the dial. As a highly visible substance along with the ability to stay glued to the dial even underwater, made Radiomir an important innovation.
It was only in the 1930s that the first prototypes of the Radiomir were created for the frogman commandos of the First Submarine Group Command of the Royal Italian Navy. An important design cue like the cushion-shaped case has stayed constant, in this very evolving timepiece. The first ten watches were exclusive and laid the foundation for the collection.
By 1936, the real making of this collection took full steam, and the prototype went through a number of changes, including an innovation that improved underwater visibility by improving on the numbering of the dial. It sported just 4 large Arabic numerals at the cardinal points along with indices, hour and minute hands, sans a small seconds hand.
New Color and Beginnings
Panerai Radiomir has been an evolving collection and today we get to showcase the Panerai New Green Dial Radiomir Watch Collection. The references — PAM995, PAM997, PAM998, and PAM999 – come with a strikingly dark green dial. The watches are very much military-like and have all the cues of an evolving Panerai Radiomir.
Of the four watches, three are crafted from AISI 316L stainless steel and boast of a 45mm case. The lone ranger is a mighty 48mm timepiece crafted from sandblasted ceramic. The cases are secured with sapphire crystal, which clearly displays the luminous beige numerals agisnt the dark green backdrop.
Different Caliber for Different Watches
Although aesthetically all four watches have a commonality, under the hood, the power comes from four different calibers. All of these movements have their roots in the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel.
Panerai’s thinnest self-winding movement – P.4000 caliber, powers the Panerai Radiomir 45 mm reference PAM00995. Functions of this basic three-hander include the hour and the minute (centrally mounted), with seconds (a small hand located at 9 o’clock). The Radiomir GMT 45 mm Reference PAM00998 features a second time zone and an AM – PM indicator. It is powered by the P.4001 and supports the functions of date (at 3 o’clock). You can view the power-reserve indicator through the sapphire crystal display back.
Panerai Radiomir GMT Power Reserve Reference PAM00999 has the P.4002 under the hood and thanks to it, we see the power-reserve indicator moved to the dial. The three automatic movements feature a tungsten alloy, eccentric bi-directional winding weight. All the three watches have 3-days power reserve.
The ceramic Panerai Radiomir 48mm is powered by P.3000 and is the only manual movement in the new lineup. Functions include hours, minutes, and seconds and is water-resistant to 100 meters. The watch comes in a satin-finished green cherry wood box. The pricing ranges between $11,200 and $13,300. These new timepieces belong can be bought exclusively in brand boutiques.