Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy, Part 16: Panerai Luminor


A little over a month ago, we covered the first of Panerai’s two flagship series: the Radiomir. This week we come to the second of the two, a series that while a little younger in age does not lack in comparative heritage: the Panerai Luminor. Released in 1950 — and representing a transition in luminescence from the radium-based paste of the Radiomir to the tritium-based Luminor substance — this new watch seemed at the time to be a fluid progression of one series into another. However, with the end of the Second World War, and with the shifting focuses of Panerai over the years, it was not until the Luminor’s re-release in 1993 that the series began to gain major traction in the world of haute horology. Today, the Panerai Luminor series is separated into two sub-series, the Luminor and the Luminor 1950, and is regarded as an iconic watch that has led the way for contemporary aquatic-oriented and diving watches.

Panerai Luminor - vintage

The first piece we’ll look at is the Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days Acciaio (Ref. PAM00372). The watch uses Panerai’s hand-wound, in-house P.3000 movement, which has a power reserve of three days; this movement is housed within the familiar steel Luminor case, with a crown-protecting bridge, which measures 47 mm in diameter; the movement is visible through a clear sapphire caseback. The dial is black with dark gold accents, uses engraved Arabic numerals and tick marks for the hours, and has “LUMINOR/PANERAI” printed close to the 12 o’clock mark. This reference is priced by Panerai at $9,100.

Panerai Luminor 1950 - front

Rather noticeably, this watch bears striking similarities to the original 1950 variation of the watch. From almost exactly the same case shape, to the Panerai-unique crown protector, to the brown calf strap and dial accents, this watch sought out to capture the heritage of the series. In keeping with my previous comments on the Radiomir, I think the few changes this reference brought is for the ultimate betterment of the series. The more modern corporate print at 12 o’clock makes more sense than an a vintage military-issue logo, the clear caseback allows the wearer to admire a movement Panerai is rather proud of producing, and modern finishing practices give the watch more credentials within the luxury realm of horology.

My single critique, outside of not being able to wear this watch due to my small wrists, is with the price. While the watch is very interesting and does have a definite “cool factor,” there is a variety of more historically relevant, vintage-inspired pieces well below this price level. While I suppose Panerai has established itself has a luxury brand and now has a tag to suit that impression, I’m sure there is an array of potential consumers hoping for a more accessible entry point to these homage pieces.

Panerai Luminor 1950 - back

The next reference we’ll examine is the Luminor Marina Acciaio (Ref. PAM00111), a more contemporary variation on the Luminor series. This watch has a 44-mm polished steel case, again with the crown-protecting bridge; uses the hand-wound, ETA-based Panerai OP XI movement, visible through a sapphire caseback; and now features a seconds subdial at the 9 o’clock mark instead of the previous watch’s hour-and-minute-hand-exclusive movement. The dial is black with green-hued luminescent accents, utilizes both Arabic numerals and tick marks for the hour indices, and has the familiar Panerai-style hands. This piece is listed at $6,300.

Panerai Luminor Accaiao - front

When most people think Panerai, they think of this watch. Because of this, this piece has been very much able to set its own precedent moving into the future of horology. With that in mind, it still does not completely ignore the history of the Luminor series. The case, while a bit rounder and more polished, is very similar to those of the vintage models; the hour markers, excluding those on the 9 o’clock seconds subdial, are all the same style; and the hands, while black instead of dark gold, continue on the Panerai tradition of fusing simplicity with functionality. I would have liked to see the brand use one of its available in-house movements instead of continuing to use the ETA-based movement, but this critique does not take away from the overall aesthetic appeal of the watch.

Panerai Luminor - dark - front

I do not think that Panerai watches are for everyone, but that does not mean everyone cannot appreciate the clearly defined vintage homages and historical relevance of the brand’s modern pieces. Yes, the brand’s watches are large, recognizable, and often not incredible in their mechanical complexity, but the designs continue to find inspiration in the brand’s history when they certainly didn’t have to, and that is alone is an admirable feat. Like my thoughts on the Radiomir, the modern Luminor series as we know it today has a relatively young bloodline, so we’ll see in the next few years if Panerai is able to keep the tradition of a very unique watch ticking.

For Part 15 of this series, in which I compare the vintage and modern IWC Mark XVII, click here.

Caleb Anderson is the Director of Outreach at the online vintage and antique watch boutique theoandharris.com. Since starting at Theo & Harris, he has garnered extensive knowledge on vintage watches, and spends much of his time sharing his opinions within the field. Currently located near New York City, he is a persistent student in all things historical, a writer on watches, and a casual runner.

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