Gloria Fung checks out the latest by Panerai at Watches and Wonders

With roots planted in its connection to the Italian navy and the nautical world as a whole, the ocean has always been at the core of Panerai’s design and watchmaking. 

As a long-time sponsor and partner of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team, the watchmaker has been drawing upon its unique ties to the sport as inspiration for its submersible Luna Rossa watches. 

This year, the brand unveils new additions to the Luna Rossa Submersible pillar with timepieces that reflect its understanding of the demands of sailing as the America’s Cup is set to kick off this summer. 

The bold and instantly recognisable shape of the Submersible gets the new Luna Rossa treatment, with iterations that include a time and date only and a GMT reference. Picking up on the design details of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team emblem, red swatches are found across all references from this Submersible range, be it across the dial or in the straps. 

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Featuring a simple display of the time with a sub-dial for small seconds and the date, the Submersible Luna Rossa PAM01562 is presented in stainless steel. Measuring 42 mm, the watch houses an automatic P.900 calibre, a sun-brushed blue dial that resonates with the design’s nautical origin. The stainless rotating steel bezel, which serves as an immersion timer, is inserted with black ceramic and accented with stainless steel markers. 

Pops of red by way of the small seconds hand and a stripe down the centre of the textile and rubber strap complete the Luna Rossa look. 

The Panerai Submersible Tourbillon GMT Luna Rossa Experience Edition is on the other end of the complication spectrum. At 45 mm, the skeletonised design houses a manual movement. The P.2015/T calibre propels the watch’s central hour and minutes, small seconds, world time, second-time zone, power reserve and tourbillon for up to four days. 

Forged in Panerai Carbotech carbon fibre martial with a titanium bezel, the piece is bold in size yet blessed with lightweight. A grey strap with that sporty red stripe and the Luna Rossa name on it completes the sporty nautical design. 

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