While this might be the year of the Radiomir for Panerai, the latest release from the brand for 2023 is a limited-edition version of its Submersible dive watch that has been created in collaboration with the German automotive tuning company BRABUS. Crafted from recycled titanium using a 3D printing process and powered by one of its advanced Laboratorio di Idee movements, the new Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 builds upon the brand’s previous collaboration pieces with the automotive tuning house to create a new version of Panerai’s signature sports model that showcases a novel sustainable alloy and a high-tech manufacturing process that allows the brand to produce extra-lightweight titanium cases.
In terms of its overall design and functionality, the new Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 is essentially the same watch as the limited-edition Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops Edition that was released a couple of years ago, but it now features a case that is crafted from eTitanio, which is a 100% recycled titanium powder derived from pre-consumer scraps. The case still measures a sizable 47mm in diameter, and just like its predecessors, it is fitted with a unidirectional rotating timing bezel that is crafted from Panerai’s Carbotech carbon composite material. Sapphire crystals cover both the dial side of the watch and its display caseback; however, the middle case is now made from eTitanio, and it, therefore, showcases the natural gray tones of the metal that have been given a brushed finish.
Additionally, the case is produced using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology, which is an additive 3D printing process that creates components by using a high-power fiber optic laser to fuse together molecules of the recycled titanium powder. The key advantage of this manufacturing method is that it allows cases to be formed in complex shapes that would otherwise be virtually impossible with traditional machining methods. By having the internal case band be a hollow structure, the middle case of the new Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 is able to be approximately 30% lighter than a standard titanium case of the same size, while also still maintaining its generous 300 meters of water resistance.
While this new eTitanio version is slightly heavier than the Black Ops Edition that featured a full-Carbotech case, it is still impressively light for its size, and its lightweight nature almost comes off as more of a surprise due to the fact that the case is made from metal instead of carbon composite. The 47mm case diameter alone makes the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 a bit too large for what I can reasonably pull off on my fairly small wrists, although with a total weight of just 115 grams, the watch isn’t actually all that much of a burden for me to wear. Is it ever going to effortlessly slip under the sleeve of a shirt? Absolutely not (unless you are wearing a wizard’s robe), but these BRABUS collaborations are not supposed to be small watches, and the lightweight 3D-printed titanium case of the PAM01403 ultimately allows it to be quite manageable on the wrist.
The skeletonized dial of the new Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 appears to have been carried over from the previous Black Ops Edition, complete with its red highlights and optical polar date window, which consists of a clear calendar disc with a polarized lens over the aperture at 3 o’clock. This clever system allows the date to be visible when presented within the window, while the rest of the calendar disc remains clear in order to not obstruct the view of the skeletonized movement that sits below it. While the dial and hands fitted to the new Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 appear to be identical to what can be found on the previous Black Ops Edition, their red, black, and gray color profile is equally complementary to the largely black and gray colorway of the new PAM01403 and its 3D-printed titanium case.
Powering the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 is the same Caliber P.4001/S automatic movement, which features a skeletonized design with a tungsten micro-rotor, and it also offers the added utility of both GMT functionality and a power reserve indicator. Running at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 72 hours, the Panerai Cal. P.4001/S features a second centrally-mounted hour hand with a dedicated AM/PM indicator embedded within the red-accented running seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock. Additionally, rather than having its power reserve indicator located on its dial, the Cal. P.4001/S places this feature next to the micro-rotor on the reverse side of the movement so that it can be viewed through the sapphire window in the caseback.
Completing the new Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 is a duo of black straps that taper from 26mm at the lugs down to 22mm where they connect to their buckles. The first of the two straps is a bi-material option constructed from rubber with a calf leather overlay, while the second (which isn’t pictured here) is a black fabric strap with a rubberized lining that is made from 68% recycled PET that has been reclaimed from post-consumer waste. Additionally, both of the included strap options are fitted with titanium versions of Panerai’s signature chunky tang-style buckle, and, while the buckles feature Panerai’s signature, the rubber and calf leather option also includes the BRABUS logo on its strap keeper.
Like past Panerai collaborations with BRABUS, the new Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 will be produced as a limited edition, and this new boutique-exclusive model will be created in an exclusive run of 177 pieces as a reference to the year that BRABUS was founded (1977). Additionally, due to the advanced skeletonized movement powering the watch, this collaboration piece is priced similarly to past limited editions that used this same caliber, and the new Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403 is accompanied by an official retail price of $51,000 USD, which makes it significantly more expensive than most of the other models from the greater Submersible collection. That said, just like the cars BRABUS produces, these collaboration pieces are premium options within Panerai’s contemporary lineup, and this new recycled titanium edition marks the first official use of Panerai’s new eco-friendly titanium alloy. For more information on the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS eTitanio PAM01403, please visit the brand’s website.
