Officine Panerai had humble beginnings, and was established in Florence, Italy in 1860 as a watch store, timepiece workshop, and the city’s first watchmaking school. Over a time period spanning three centuries, Panerai timepieces have evolved into among the most highly sought after watches in the world with their prized Panerai Radiomir and Panerai Luminor series.
The first Panerai Radiomir was introduced in 1936, named for the Panerai-patented radium-based powder that provided luminosity on the watch to meet the military’s needs. This prototype featured a large 47mm steel case with wire lugs welded to the case, a hand wound mechanical movement, and a water-resistant strap. Two years after the prototype was designed, the timepiece started being produced by implementing new features drawn from lessons learned during the prototype release.
Prototype Panerai Radiomir, 1936
1938: Panerai Radiomir dial changed to feature arabic numerals for better legibility
In 1949, Panerai brought forth another groundbreaking innovation with Luminor, a Tritium-based hydrogen isotope to replace the radium-based powder in the Radiomir models. This new innovation birthed the Panerai Luminor, whose production began in 1949 and released in 1950.
Original 1940 Panerai Radiomir
Characteristics of the original 1950 Panerai Luminor can still be seen on the Luminor models produced today. The Panerai Luminor features a crown-protecting bridge, reinforced wire lugs forged from the same block of steel as the case, a flat, wider bezel, and a cushion shaped case similar to the Radiomir 1940.
First Panerai Luminor produced, 1950
Panerai watches are revered by many watch enthusiasts and celebrities alike for their distinctive cases and dials, making Panerai one of the best-selling brands on AuthenticWatches.com. As you can see, the base design of these models hasn’t changed much since their original productions. Panerai releases new editions of timeless classics with upgraded features and movements for the modern market while still keeping true to the historic Panerai appearance.
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