Panerai’s brand hallmark are large watches. It’s been a go-to for oversized timepieces, which grew as a trend years back and has become a perpetual preference for some. Though trends have shifted and the watchmaking world has turned to smaller sizes, Panerai is one of the few that holds off on going with the flow of the majority.
This year, the brand serves its patrons a surprising and remarkable gesture as it announces the new range of 38mm Luminor Due watches, which will be the smallest Panerai watches so far, may be ever.
RELEASE DATE & PRICE
Release Date: 2016
Price when reviewed: US$6,000.00 – US$25,500.00
In 2016, the Luminor Due collection was launched for the first time with hand-wound 42mm and automatic 45mm options. The first Luminor watches, which were made for the military in the ‘50s, inspired the creation of the collection so much so that the case is completely based from the original.
The watches have since come out in other colors like the trendy rose gold for the case and blue background for the dial. It marks up the price depending on the value of the more appealing features, but it always reflects the beauty of the timepiece.
For Luminor Due’s latest version, which was just announced this year, the two new 38mm automatic Luminors will be the brand’s thinnest and smallest watches, also the cheapest and most accessible in the collection at $6,000.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Diameter: 38 mm
- Height: 4.2 mm
- Movement: OP XXXIV calibre
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Power Reserve: 3 days
- Features: Date, small seconds
PROS
One of the great qualities of Panerai’s Luminors is also what sets it apart from the original in the ‘50s—its ability to fit in to any kind of occasion. It’s perfectly befitting right underneath the cuffs and can even look flattering on women’s wrists. With a smaller diameter and height on the new models, the brand is bound to welcome a new set of customers who will be happy to find that the smaller watches sit on their wrists better.
The movement used for Luminor Due watches is what people call a “group movement”. This means it’s widely used by different brands under the Richemont Group for their own iconic watches. It’s already tried and tested to be successfully working in most luxury watches that are in the market today. For the Luminor Due models, the movement is modified to match the watch’s requirements, allowing features like the three-day power reserve and the small seconds to be included on the left-hand side of the dial.
CONS
The new 38mm Luminors are celebrated for their unique standpoint when it comes to being a Panerai watch. It’s their smallest watch yet, which means it could generate a more massive appeal, but while the size is used to get people’s attention, a huge compromise sits underneath the surface.
Panerai lists the watch as having a -3 bar water resistance, which protects it only until 30 meters underwater. In so doing, the brand sacrificed the loss of its signature feature of having a water resistance of at least 100 meters. While this doesn’t affect customers who only intend to use the watch for casual events, it’s still an impressive feature that could’ve increased the value of the watches and should have been prioritized as per other Panerai watches.
Along with the decreased diameter, the straps were also made shorter than normal. It seems reasonable considering the proportions but it also limits the men who would want to get the watch if it doesn’t fit around their wrist. There’s the option to replace the straps but that’s one thing the brand could’ve made the customer do without.
Featured image credit: Monochrome Watches
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