The Movement:
Inside the watch is the Caliber P.9000 in-house automatic movement, which runs at 4 Hz and consists of 197 components, including 28 jewels. Thanks to two mainspring power barrels, the watch can run autonomously for three days (72 hours). A single-piece rotor winds the movement by moving in both directions thanks to an automatic ratchet device. Although you can not see it because the caseback is solid, the balance wheel is free sprung and adjusted via screws.
The P.9000 caliber was created entirely by Officine Panerai and is used in multiple Luminor 1950 and Radiomir models. To ensure accuracy when setting the time, the movement includes a device that stops the balance wheel while the hour hand moves forward or backward in increments of one hour without interfering with the progress of the minute hand. The oscillation frequency of the balance is 28,800 vibrations per hour.
The watch functions include hours, minutes, small seconds, date, and calculation of immersion time via the bezel.
The Details:
The Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech 3 Days Automatic comes with a black, accordion-style rubber divers’ strap that is 24 mm wide at the lugs and 21 mm at the buckle. There is a quick-release strap feature, activated via a button on the back on each lug, on the left side of the caseback. Additonally, the lugs are pierced, which makes it easy to remove the strap by pressing the spring bars with a tool from the side as well.
On the wrist, the watch is bulky, and you can feel the weight but at no time did it feel too heavy or uncomfortable. The smooth edges and overall ergonomic design results in a surprisingly comfortable experience. This is not something I can say is true of many watches in this size category.
Water-resistance is 300 meters, which is three times the 100 meters required by the ISO 6425 dive watch standard. And even though there is no helium escape valve, I consider this a professional dive watch. Officially announced at SIHH 2015 in January, the watch (Ref. PAM00616) is available in stores now for $17,100.
The Verdict:
The Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech 3 Days Automatic houses a modern, in-house, automatic caliber, with a useful three-day power reserve, inside a case inspired by Panerai’s rich history, all while offering the benefits of a true professional dive watch. Furthermore, the futuristic case material is both technically and visually superb. I especially like the unique pattern of the case, which is different on each and every timepiece. It has a grayish, marbled look that is amazing to see in a watch. For someone like myself, who mostly wears 40-mm diameter cases, this was a nice change, and it was quite fun to realize I was wearing a watch that does not follow but instead sets many of the trends for large watches. Panerai practically invented this category, after all.
