Few watchmakers match the exclusivity of Panerai. Only offering watches publicly in as recent as 1993, the brand was a longtime provider of timepieces for the Royal Italian Navy, and stuck to it for decades, a true testament to its reliability in timekeeping and endurance. As such, the watches that were produced during Panerai’s time as official watch manufacturer for the Marina Militare were as sought after as they were revered, but they were also rare. A recent release from the company, the Panerai Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio, is a call back to the original Radiomir, distinguished by the luminous material that gives it its name and the bezel featuring the company’s ‘brevettato’ design.
Release Date & Price
Release date: 2016
Price: US$9,800
The demand and respect given to vintage Panerai pieces, as well as watch aficionados’ love for vintage design have encouraged Panerai to look into its old designs that combine military utility with Italian design. For this particular watch, Panerai has borrowed design cues from its 1930s Panerai 3646.
Specifications:
- Movement: Manual winding
- Caliber : P.3000
- Jewels: 21
- Power reserve: ~72 hours
- Frequency: 21,600 vph
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Case diameter: 47mm
- Case material: Steel
- Bezel material: Steel
- Glass material: Sapphire Glass
- Bracelet material: Leather
Pros
Owing to the Radiomir’s original use as a military watch, the Panerai Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio has a straightforward design—there is very little to see on the dial, with only the markers, hands and logo on it, which will certainly appeal to those with minimalist sensibilities. The watches are available in hues that will both make you think retro, although the black version is a little modern than the brown. The design is very faithful to original Radiomir, from the size to the straightforward dial and the larger-than-usual crown, which is useful when you have gloves on. You may be led to believe that this is a vintage watch, that is, until you flip over the case that shows the P.3000 movement which has about 72 hours of power reserve and has a frequency of 21,600 vph.
Cons
True to the Radiomir original that this watch is after, the Panerai Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio is a rather big watch that will make it harder to wear with long sleeves as well as bothersome if you’re not used to large dials. It is also more prone to scratches than the others—the dial is made of plexiglass even though the back is of sapphire crystal. Panerai has a spare crystal in case the dial accumulates more scratches than you’re willing to have. Its water resistance is also considerably lackluster compared to other Panerai models, although it reflects the capacity of the brand’s older models.
Compare With
- Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Moon Medium
- Cartier Tank Américaine
- Chopard L.U.C XP Skeletec
- Rolex Yacht-Master II
Image credits: Horbiter (featured image and article image), aBlogtoWatch, Les Rhabilleurs, Govberg Jewelers, Your Watch Hub (article images)
