With the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso PAM00684, Panerai translates the Submersible aesthetic into solid gold and reduces the case size to 42 mm. This watch is the luxury version of the PAM00682, costing €25,900 and with a lower water resistance rating – 100 metres. It’s more of a luxury sports watch (click here for the Top Ten Sports Watches). The case size makes it a piece wearable by most.
Unique red gold aesthetics
The unidirectional rotating bezel has a matt black ceramic disc which contributes to the watch’s character. Apart from the black dial and bezel, the colour of the piece is entirely created by the red gold, which is an alloy with slightly more copper than usual, and a small amount of platinum that prevents oxidation of the gold.
In-house automatic movement, 3 days power reserve
The P.9010 self-winding movement has a power reserve of three days, and provides the stop-second function. In addition, the hour hand can be moved forwards or backwards in one-hour jumps without affecting the minutes hand or stopping the balance, useful when changing time zones.
Interchangeable strap
The strap in corrugated rubber has a buckle in red gold. The strap can be detached by the user as the bars are screwed. At the watch fair SIHH in January 2017 the official images presented by the brand showed the corrugated rubber strap, while the Panerai website presents the watch with a black alligator strap, which would be more logical for a watch of this type.
Price, availability, alternatives
The result of this combination of the classic diving watch features and the lavish materials is a piece that looks very attractive, with the same sort of colour combination provided by the Rolex Submariner in yellow gold, 116618LN (€31,800) the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 5000-36S30-B52A in red gold (about €22,600) or the Omega Seamaster in yellow gold (€29,000). For a budget version of this sort of look, you would have to go to bronze, in pieces such as Steinhart’s Ocean 1 Bronze (€450). Anonimo’s Nautilo Automatic Bronze (about €3,000) has the same sort of look.
But all considered, the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso PAM00684 is absolutely unique. It costs €25,900, it is a limited edition of 250 pieces, and it will be available from July 2017.
Rolex Submariner in yellow gold, 116618LN, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 5000-36S30-B52A in red gold, Omega Seamaster in yellow gold
Anonimo Nautilo Automatic Bronze, Steinhart Ocean 1 Bronze
