Panerai returns to its roots with an historically important watch

Panerai has introduced the Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218. It is a homage to the brand’s Luminor ref. 5218-202/A, a model introduced in 1993 for Italian Navy personnel shortly after the brand introduced civilian references Luminor ref. 5218-202/A 5218-2021/A and Mare Nostrum 5218-301/A.

“Florence, September 10, 1993: a legendary moment when Panerai emerged from its classified past and into public view. From the 1910s, when the first documents attest to initial commissions for the Royal Italian Navy, until 1993, Panerai watches were exclusively worn by military personnel. Conceived as precision instruments built to withstand the most challenging missions of the Italian Navy, they were shrouded in military secrecy. It was only in 1993 that these functional timepieces became accessible to the civilian public for the first time, bearing the hallmarks of purpose-built design and marking a breakthrough moment in the world of watchmaking.”

Key Features

Functions and Operation

Hours and minutes. Crown at 3 o’clock for winding and time setting.

Dial

Image: “The dial bears the ‘Marina Militare’ inscription, a tribute to Panerai’s long-standing historical partnership with the Marina Militare, one that began in the 1910s and has spanned over a century. In addition, the font used for the numerals and letters has been specially redrawn to reflect the original typography of the 1993 reference.”

Matte black dial. A monolayer hollowed dial – the hour-markers are engraved and filled with caramel colour Super-LumiNova. Hour and minute hands are coated with a lighter tone of Super-LumiNova.

“A defining visual trait of the 1993 model has been carefully revived: the “non matching” dial and hands. Originally caused by a chemical reaction between tritium and varnish, the early production pieces developed orange-brown numerals while the hands remained greenish—a contrast that later became highly collectible. This unintentional anomaly was corrected in later batches, but only few “non matching” pieces were produced, making them especially rare. The PAM05218 recreates this effect intentionally using caramel Super-LumiNova® on the engraved monolayer matte black dial, paired with hands in a lighter tone—an exacting nod to one of the most cherished details in Panerai’s civilian debut.”

Movement

Image: The brand’s signature, logo, and watch features are engraved on the caseback.

Powered by P.6000 calibre, a hand wound movement that drives the hours, minutes, and stop seconds function. Diameter: 15 ½ lignes or 35 mm (approximately). Thickness: 4.5 mm. Parts: 110. Jewels: 19. Frequency: 21,600 vph or 3 Hz. Power reserve: 3 days provided by 1 barrel. Movement features a Incabloc® anti-shock device.

Case

Image: The DLC coated case and bezel contrast beautifully with the calf leather strap. Notice the brand’s patented crown guard.

Case, bezel, and caseback are made from steel. Case and bezel are coated with DLC. Diameter: 44 mm. Steel caseback screwed to the main case. Water resistant up to 30 bar or approximately 300 metres.

Watch comes with a gold brown coloured calf leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching and fitted with a trapezoidal sandblasted black steel DLC sewn-in buckle. A black rubber strap and additional buckle is also provided.

Our Thoughts

Image: Unmistakably Panerai. A versatile watch with a rich naval heritage.

The Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218 is a fabulous reinterpretation of an historically important watch from Panerai. For those who love the brand, and are able to carry a big, bold, “badass” watch on their wrists, the Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218 is a compelling addition to their collections.

The brand celebrates its 32nd anniversary this year as a civilian brand (not including its classified past that goes back to the 1910’s).

Please click here and here to read our earlier coverage on the brand.

Additional Details

Name: Luminor Marina Militare 

Reference: PAM05218

Price: Euro €8,500 (including sales tax)

Please visit the brand’s website and Instagram page for more information.

Exhibition

The brand is hosting “The Depths of Time” exhibition for 2 months from September 10 at their Flagship Store in Florence. Afterwards this exhibition will travel to the US and China. “The exhibition offers an unmissable opportunity to discover the history of the watch brand before it became a brand available to the public.”

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