Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni

Advertising

Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni

Radiomir
Otto Giorni
News

A contemporary reinterpretation in tribute to its legendary Radiomir Collection
La Cote des Montres - April 8th, 2023

The origins
where it all began

For over a century, the Panerai family legacy has been intertwined with precision instruments made to accompany the Italian military in their exploits. Commissioned by the Royal Italian Navy to supply high-precision instruments, it was Guido Panerai’s Radiomir - a radium-based substance that illuminates for visibility in the dark – that began it all when it was patented in 1916.

An archival receipt shows that the Radiomir prototype was presented in 1935, and over the years, the sandwich construction has been progressively adjusted and is currently made of only two superimposed plates. Other improvements include the crown-protecting device, and a new luminous substance, the Luminor. A watch produced strictly for the military, the forces used it until the early 1970s, with its designs protected by military secrets.

In 1996, Officine Panerai leaped into the commercial watch market in 1992, launching three collections of ten references in limited editions - the 44 mm Luminor and Luminor Marina watches and the 42 mm Mare Nostrum chronograph, which were presented on 10 September 1993 at the La Spezia military harbor in the presence of Duke Amedeo D’Aosta, son of Sir Aimone di Savoia, the then supreme head of the Italian diving department. Radiomir was only made public in 1997 when the Vendome Group – today Richemont Group - acquired Panerai, introducing the first Vendome special edition in sixty pieces - the PAM 21 model in a platinum version.

The acquisition advanced Panerai’s history into contemporary developments from the reopening of the historic boutique in Piazza San Giovanni to the establishment of the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel where fine Swiss watchmaking meet innovation driven by an Italian soul. With a century of innovative instruments developed for performance in response to evolving technical needs, Panerai projects into the future via research, strategic partnerships, sustainability, and empowering modern heroes.

These initiatives include eSteel™, a next-generation metal obtained from pre-consumer recycled steel scraps (up to 95%) coming from different industries, preferably from Swiss watchmaking industry, whose production significantly reduces CO2 emissions, and a partnership with the IOC-UNESCO to develop solutions with the aim of building a more sustainable, equitable society.

Hand finished
eSteel™ case

for a vintage appeal

A Panerai brand-new finishing where every timepiece has a unique character.

An absolute homage to the original Radiomir and its enduring legacy in shaping modern Panerai interpretations, the new Radiomir Otto Giorni references feature strong vintage aesthetics that expounds on its retro spirit. Showcasing a characteristic antiquated look, it is inspired by the very first Radiomir prototype in 1935 which measured 47mm in diameter. The 1935 model’s entirely new dimensions of its time and design were conceived by the need for excellent readability in often murky waters near military ports. Its robustness, water resistance, and ease of reading sealed it as the sought-after instrument across different military units for various missions. To fulfil the ever-demanding military requirements, the Panerai family continuously improved on the original model introducing elements that include the now iconic sandwich dial to make the hour markers and numerals even more legible and luminescent.

The new Radiomir Otto Giorni continues this legacy accentuating its appeal to watch connoisseurs in search of authenticity and storied timepieces. Every Radiomir Otto Giorni eSteel™ case is hand-finished one by one to create a seasoned look, giving each watch a unique character. The intently weathered effect of the eSteel™ case, created via PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition), is paired with defining elements of the original Radiomir created for the Royal Italian Navy - cushion-shaped case, slim wire lugs, and signature sandwich dial. The Super-LumiNova® dial features a small seconds display at 9 o’clock, the case has an open back, and the sapphire glass crystal is domed, reminiscent of the Plexiglass® crystal of the past. The watch also has a cone-shaped crown, a design that distinguishes the Radiomir collection from other Panerai timepieces.

PAM01347 has a grainy-shaded dark brown dial and PAM01348 in blue. All the dials transition from a light center to a darker gradient at the edges to give depth to its grainy appearance. The Radiomir Otto Giorni ’s distinctive grainy dials are an ode to the historic Radiomir watches that evolved in colors and appearance over time because of the anodization process of some historic dials made from aluminium.

To match, a supple calf leather strap in the same hue of the dial with a pebbled effect and contrast stitching, made to season with wear.

The hand-wound P.5000 calibre powers the Radiomir Otto Giorni and features an eight-day power reserve, a long power reserve used historically by Panerai. The iconic 8 days movement is visible thanks to the open case-back in sapphire crystal. A distinctive element and DNA of the brand, the long power reserve was vital for the Panerai pieces used by underwater commandos of the Italian Navy, guaranteeing reliability even in the most extreme conditions of use. The dial with the term 8 giorni brevettato decal at hour 3 pays homage to Panerai’s roots of 1956 watches, where this graphic inscription comes to life for the first time on the Egiziano model.

The two Radiomir Otto Giorni references are available exclusively in Panerai boutiques.