Officine Panerai hoist Eilean’s sails for participation in the 2012 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge. Eilean, Officine Panerai’s 1936 Bermudian ketch, has been painstakingly restored to its original beauty and to the design specifications of its creator William Fife III. It is returning to Antigua, having been absent for over five years, to participate in the launch of the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (April 19 to 24), which is the first stage of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2012.

Antigua will celebrate with a procession of events recognizing Eilean’s restoration and return to the island, where she had been a prime contender for almost 30 years. At the close of the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta Eilean will set sail to Europe where the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge (PCYC) will pick up, as has been the tradition. The PCYC Mediterranean Circuit will then commence from June to September with focus given to August and September in the United States East Coast waters of the PCYC North American Circuit, appointment of Marblehead, Nantucket and Newport; which makes for an extremely busy social calendar for Officine Panerai.

Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2012 calendar:

• Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (Antigua) April 19th – 24th, 2012
• Les Voiles d’Antibes (Antibes, France) May 30th – June 3rd, 2012
• Argentario Sailing Week (Porto Santo Stefano, Italy) June 14th – 17th, 2012
• Panerai British Classic Week (Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK) July 7th – 14th, 2012
• Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta (Marblehead, USA) August 10th – 12th, 2012
• Opera House Cup (Nantucket, USA) August 16th – 19th, 2012
• IX Copa del Rey de Barcos de Epoca (Mahon, Minorca, Spain) August 28th – September 1st, 2012
• Museum of Yachting Classic Yacht Regatta (Newport, USA) August 31st – September 2nd, 2012
• Vele d’Epoca di Imperia (Imperia, Italy) September 5th – 9th, 2012
• Régates Royales (Cannes, France) September 25th – 29th, 2012

All this and Officine Panerai has recapitalized on its vintage watch designs, the Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days and the Luminor 1950 3 Days Power Reserve. Both models are handsomely designed with 47 mm stainless steel diameter cases having the Panerai signature winding crown protected by the brushed steel lever device. The dials are black with see-through sapphire crystal case backs with natural leather wrist straps.

The Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days

• Movement is hand-wound mechanical with the Panerai P.3001 calibre
• Three days power reserve
• Seconds at 9 o’clock and power reserve indicator on the back

The Luminor 1950 3 Days

• Movement is hand-wound mechanical with the Panerai P.3002 calibre
• Three days power reserve
• Seconds at 9 o’clock and power reserve indicator at 4 o’clock

Both timepieces are in Officine Panerai’s Historic Collection and both are reflective of Officine Panerai’s historical transition from the 1936 Radiomir design to the 1940 Luminor design. Both equally attractive and masculine.

The Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT Ceramica has a 12-sided titanium back

This year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) saw the release of Officine Panerai‘s Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT Ceramica, a model truly to be reckoned with. The brand’s newest creation combines Panerai’s trademark tourbillon mechanism with a dual time display, a mix of unrivaled sophistication and innovation.

The tourbillon is a part of a watch escapement that counteracts the effects of gravity, invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1795. Watches with this feature mount the escapement in a “carriage” or rotating frame that turns 360 degrees at regular intervals, reducing gravitational error. At the time that Breguet finalized his invention, most watches were pocket watches and thus were almost always in one position. The effect of gravity on these timepieces was especially conspicuous, so to offset adverse changes Breguet provided the perfect solution.

The Luminor 1950 has a personalized Panerai leather strap and an adjustable buckle made of steel. The 48 mm diameter case is made of synthetic ceramic with a zirconium powder base, showcasing the adept skill of Panerai’s manufacturing. The processes undergone to achieve the final model’s matte black color are particularly complex and thoroughly ensure resistance to corrosive agents, high temperatures and scratches.

The Luminor 1950 functions by the Panerai P.2005 movement, which produces 28,000 vph and exhibits a six day power reserve, thanks to a three series-connected spring barrels. The 12-sided titanium back displays a centered window of sapphire crystal so that one can glimpse at the P.2005 mechanism in action. This is the first time a Panerai model has had the P.2005 B version built in, which is essentially a blackened version of the traditional movement. Panerai’s patented tourbillon mechanism has the balance rotate on its axis every 30 seconds.

The black dial lends more to the Luminor 1950′s theme of graphic simplicity, with Panerai’s original sandwich structure to help provide for maximum visibility even under very dim lighting conditions. At 3 o’clock, the small dial indicates the time over 24 hours as well as am or pm. The dial at 9 o’clock connects to the tourbillon and moves twice as fast as the second hand, thus deemed the small seconds dial. It consists of multiple dot markers and completes one revolution in half a minute. This dual time concept is a Panerai method implemented in many models. Combined with the tourbillon, the Luminor 1950 reinforces at once both tradition and modernism.

The back of the model displays the 6 day power reserve

Angelo Bonati, CEO of Panerai

Officine Panerai is making plans to increase production and open new boutiques for its luxury watches by the end of March 2013, in addition to those that the company already has around the world.

The Florentine company plans to open 15 boutiques, adding to the 33 that are currently opened, in hopes to move towards the world of retail.

“We are changing our distribution, reducing wholesale and increasing the retail because we are confident retail will be a part of our future,” Angelo Bonati, CEO of Panerai, said to Dow Jones Newswires during an interview at the Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie show in Geneva, Switzerland.

Bonati also said that the company earns a higher profit selling through its own branded boutiques, but rejected to reveal the balance between retail and wholesale revenue.

“The new boutiques will improve our sales for sure, but they will also improve our image. Image is more important than sales, especially at the beginning because image produces sales,” he said.

Four of the new boutiques will launch in Asia in the the cities of Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau and Shanghai. Four more will open in the Middle East and three will be set up in North America. Panerai will also open one in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Locations have yet to be decided for the remainder of the boutiques.

“If you don’t have your own retail in Asia you are nothing,” said Bonati.

Panerai is also planning to increase production and efficiency by building a factory in Neuchatel, Switzerland in March.

Upon opening, the new factory will likely replace an existing one in the city. Panerai currently employs 130 people in production, but will recruit extra workers for the new factory, increasing the number of employees to 300.

Bonati added that 2011 has been one of the most successful years, in terms of sales, for Panerai and that the company will likely grow in 2012.

Currently, Panerai has boutiques all over the world, including the cities of New York, Madrid, Dubai, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Moscow and Paris. With four lines of timepieces – Historic, Contemporary, Specialties and Special Editions – each boutique acts as a meeting place for the luxury brand’s customers, collectors and fans. Typically, Panerai produces fewer watches than the market demands and many are categorized as “limited” or “special edition.” Retailers are usually put on a waiting list to receive popular models, as they receive few limited edition timepieces per year.

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.

The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), a private event in Geneva, Switzerland that exhibits luxury watch brands, is but a few days away.

Last month, Panerai released its preview for the 2012 event – and this timepiece is sure to impress. Only 18 exhibitors will be present at this esteemed event, and only 12,500 privileged guests will be in attendance.

The Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days Automatic is a 47mm vintage watch. The timepiece is comprised of 21 jewels and two spring barrels. It is a limited edition timepiece, with only 2,000  in circulation.

It has a classy brown leather strap and a stainless steel case. The dial of the watch is covered by a 3mm thick plexiglass crystal, and its watch face is marked with Panerai’s classic large Arabic numerals. Truly a marvel.

And that’s exactly what the guests at the SIHH 2012 will be doing - marveling. This high class event is any watch lovers dream. 30,000 square meters of exhibition space, 1,500 represented points of sale and 1,200 journalists to cover it all makes SIHH the luxury watch event of the year, every year.

A bevy of international watch brands will be showcasing their newest and most spectacular designs, “the result of often years of intensive research” according to the SIHH 2012 official website.

“Perfection through Tradition,” is the mantra of this event. The SIHH values ingenuity in the industry, but equally supports the notion of presenting watches that are defined by “craftsmanship and technique.” The Luminor Marina 1950 will fit right in, for obvious reasons.

The Luminor Marina 1950 finished its debut at a Milan exhibition called “The “O’Clock – time design, design time,” earlier this week, just in time for the SIHH. This event fostered quite a different vibe than the upscale and traditional SIHH event usually does. Rooted in exploring the relationship between time and design, the contemporary Milan exhibition used Panerai’s vintage, chic watch in an “in-depth reflection about time.”

Its versatile audience makes the Luminor Marina 1950 one of the hottest and most highly anticipated items in luxury watches this year.

The Panerai Luminor Marina 1950.

Panerai is hosting a tribute to Galileo with the unveiling of new collections which are celebrating the famed astronomers scientific contributions and his impact on modern timepieces.

On November 2nd 2011, luxury watch manufacturer Officine Panerai hosted “Time and Space: A look back at the Clockwork Universe” at the famed Explorers Club in Manhattan, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo discovering the four largest moons of Jupiter. Rafael Alvarez, president of Panerai’s North American Operations co hosted the event which included explorers, astronauts and some of the world’s leading astronomers. On display were three of the most unique timepieces Panerai has created, the L’ Astronomo, Lo Scienziato and a planetarium clock entitled Jupiterium. Panerai was offered 2 million euros for the Jupiterium but decided to donate the clock to the Museum of Science which has recently been reopened as Museo Galileo after two years of extensive remodeling. Panerai representatives intimated that the decision to not sell the clock was due to its creation being a showmanship of their watchmaking talent. All of these magnificent timepieces will also be on display at The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva which opens on January 16th 2012.

Officine Panerai's 'Jupiterium'

News for the brand continues with the creation of the 3000P, which features a new hand wound movement in a sleek 5.3mm case. It has a three day power reserve, 21 jewels with over 20 thousand alterations per hour. The construction is solid with a large brush finished bridge that covers the mechanical parts of the watch. This calibre was created in direct response to the Asian markets incline toward compact movements.

Earlier in the year Mr. Panerai launched an exhibition “Time and Space: A tribute to Galileo Galilei” that is currently traveling throughout Italy honoring the astronomers great achievements. The exhibit features more than 100 vintage Panerai timepieces in addition to tools and instruments used during the evolution of mechanical watch manufacturing. This comprehensive exhibit will be appreciated by Panerai fans and horology aficionados, since it includes a rare collection of timepieces that were created in the 1930s by Panerai, when he was the official supplier for the Italian Navy. In an opening ceremony Angelo Bonati, CEO of Panerai Italy said ‘This successful exhibition is also celebrating Officine Panerai’s honored past and the brands bold step into the future.’ He also announced plans to open 20 new boutiques in the region within the next few years.

The Limited Edition Panerai Radiomir 10 Days GMT PAM 391, issued to mark the opening of the new Bal Harbour and Palm Beach boutiques.

Officine Panerai, manufacturer of artisan timepieces since 1860, recently opened two boutiques in South Florida. The new galleries, one located in Bal Harbour and the other in Palm Beach, bring the total number of Officine Panerai outlets in North America to five, the other three being in Manhattan, Beverly  Hills and Boca Raton. To commemorate the opening of the two boutiques, Officine Panerai issued a limited edition Radiomir 10 Days GMT PAM 391 watch, which will only be available at the Officine Panerai boutiques.

Maintaining the classic Mediterranean ambience found in the Italian boutiques was critical in establishing a luxurious experience for the clients. According to an Officine Panerai spokesperson: “The look and feel of the Mediterranean style retail environment is reminiscent of the original Panerai store, which still can be found today on the Piazza San Giovanni in Florence.” Officine Panerai’s maritime watch making heritage also greatly influenced the boutiques’ décor. The interiors are outfitted with furniture with undulating lines, port hole shaped windows and a liberal application of teak and white marble–materials that evoke a seaside ambiance. All of these elements combine to create an atmosphere that is both welcoming and sumptuous, the perfect environment to admire the newest collections and the rarest timepieces, one of which is the limited edition Radiomir 10 Days GMT PAM 391.

The Radiomir 10 Days GMT PAM 391, of which only 300 have been manufactured, is an exquisite 47mm with a high polished stainless steel case. It features a dark chocolate watch face with pale beige hands and Arabic numerals. The automatic movement is the exclusive Officine Panerai P 2003, which is visible through the translucent case-back. The strap is brown leather.

The Officine Panerai Boutique in Bal Harbour

The gala celebrating the Bal Harbour Boutique took place at the exclusive Soho Beach House in Miami. Guests were treated to cocktails, hors d’œuvres and an exhibit of iconic Officine Panerai timepieces. The event typified the mystique of Officine Panerai: An exclusive club in a gorgeous private setting catering to an elite crowd with a high degree of connoisseurship.

The locations of the newest Officine Panerai boutiques are:

Officine Panerai Boutique Bal Harbour
9700 Collins Ave.
Bal Harbour, Fl 33154

Officine Panerai Boutique Palm Beach
150 Worth Ave.
Palm Beach, Fl 33480

Panerai Watches Are Quality Timepieces

Discover Panerai watches.  You’ll be glad you did.  If you are a watch enthusiast or just have an appreciation for true mechanical engineering…you’re going to love Panerai.  The company has made high quality precision instruments for professional use, for decades.  They bring all that innovation to their watchmaking.  Panerai watch movements are exceptional and compare to none.  One of the watches from their Contemporary line is the Luminor Chrono Daylight 44MM.  This men’s watch by Panerai is full of style, as well as smarts.  The Chrono Daylight is all Swiss made quality, it is a true, certified Chronometer and is powered by Panerai’s automatic mechanical movement.  It has a 42 hour power reserve, a devise for anti shock, and 32 jewels.  The case is a large 44mm size, and is crafted from stainless-steel in a brushed finish.  The bezel is also in that brushed stainless-steel finish, and the crystal is an anti-reflective sapphire, with a clear backing.  This Panerai watch is water resistant to 100 meters.  All that is good stuff, and I have great respect for the craftsmen at Panerai, but what caught my attention is the style of this men’s watch.  Panerai put all that precision excellence is such a handsome package.  This Panerai watch is made in a deep teal blue.  The face and alligator leather strap match perfectly, and are in harmony with the brushed steel accents.  Panerai watches are exceptional, but in this case…the color sold me!

With 11 boutiques already located in places such as Beverly Hills and Dubai, these new boutiques allow Panerai to make distribution more targeted and exclusive and offer a larger selection of products to customers worldwide.  Each boutique is made to evoke the sea, with the arcitechture, furnishings, materials, and colors all working to create a harmonious vision of the ocean.  The watch collections themselves are housed in settings of teak and steel, with portholes serving as the viewing windows and furnishings imitating waves or yatch hulls.

The locations of the boutiques represent a mix of ambitious and safe marketing.  The locations in the Middle East and China tap into rapidly growing consumer markets, while the Geneva location roots Panerai in the ancient horological culture of the Swiss.  CEO Angelo Bonati states that the new boutiques are part of an initiative to solidify and continue the legend of the historical Florentine brand.

The original Mare Nostrum, designed for deck officers in 1943, never made it past the prototype stage because the Officine Panerai had to stop production during the war, so its rerelease is even more notable today. This time, 99 pieces will be made, and each of these 52mm diameter watches will be priced at $36,000. Before you let the price of a Panerai watches stop you, remember that these Italian watches are known for retaining their value over time. Why not recreate the chic elegance of 1940’s Italy?