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A vintage look but the same timeless quality and craftsmanship is unveiled in the new Panerai Radiomir 1940 and the Radiomir 1940 Oro Rosso. Released at the SIHH watch fair in Geneva, the Special Edition watches speak classic style and tradition.

Panerai, founded in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai, began with a small watchmaker’s shop in Florence, Italy. It was his grandson that took the business to new heights with high precision mechanisms. Not long thereafter, Panerai became the official supplier to the Italian Navy for underwater missions. The navy was looking for a reliable and water tight instrument. Panerai was able to deliver. The company began equipping the navy with precision instruments, wrist compasses and wrist depth gauges. With such an endorsement, recognition of the Panerai brand flourished.

Panerai Radiomir 1940 Oro Rosso

The Panerai Radiomir 1940 Special Edition timepieces were inspired by their 1930s predecessor and incorporate some of the same traditional features such as:

• 1940s distinctive case formed out of the same block of steel as the case itself
• Classic case size of 47mm in diameter
• Plexiglas crystal which protects the dial, bezel, crown and screw back

The differing features on the two watches are characterized by the dial colors. The Radiomir 1940 dial consists of stainless steel with a polished finish and comes in black. The Radiomir 1940 Oro Rosso comes in brown with a red gold dial. The red gold color is achieved through a special alloy high in copper. A small dose of platinum prevents oxidation. The matching alligator strap and polished red gold buckle create an overall smooth blend of tones and richness.

Both Radiomir Special Editions come with clear sapphire crystal case backs which allow viewing of the OPXVII hand-wound mechanical movement. The watch dials are easy to read with their luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. The power reserve is 55 hours and both watches are water-resistant (of course) to 30 meters.

Unfortunately, the Radiomir 1940 models are limited editions of 100 units each, a very small number. Panerai produced 50 sets of the two watches. They are packaged in a special box which contains the two models with the same millesime numbering.

Panerai has continued their tradition of releasing timepieces that speak of quality, elegance and precision. The history of the brand is rich with new innovations and discoveries. Panerai has taken that craftsmanship and molded it into a style that is vintage yet still fashionable in today’s world.