Panerai‘s history with the America’s Cup began in 2017 when the watch brand became an official partner of the prestigious sailing event. The same year, Panerai also sponsored the Oracle Team USA and Softbank Team Japan, cementing its presence in the sport. Two years later, it was announced that Panerai would become the title sponsor of the Luna Rossa sailing team, an apt partnership between two Italian entities. As part of this partnership, Panerai has made several Luna Rossa watches since 2019. Now, two fresh models have joined the lineup: the Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech PAM01466 and PAM01543 watches, unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2024.
Diving watches serve as the inspiration for all Panerai models, stemming from the brand’s history of supplying watches to the Royal Italian Navy during the first half of the 20th Century. However, while the Luminor and Radiomir collections borrow design elements from those vintage divers for aesthetic reasons, the Submersible is Panerai’s collection of modern dive watches, complete with all the features that define the genre.
The new Panerai Luna Rossa watches belong to the Submersible family, featuring a new material the brand calls Ti-Ceramitech. Ti-Ceramitech is a titanium alloy that has undergone a patented titanium “ceramization” process through Electrolytic Plasma Oxidation, resulting in the case’s handsome blue hue. According to Panerai, the process turns the surface of the titanium alloy into a dense ceramic layer, improving the material’s hardness; Ti-Ceramitech is 44% lighter than steel and has a fracture toughness ten times higher than traditional ceramic.
Commenting on the new material, Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of Panerai, says, “We are excited to showcase the pioneering Ti-CeramitechTM, a material seven years in the making by our Laboratorio di Idee at the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, that epitomizes our dedication to advanced technologies as well as the spirit of Luna Rossa’s quest for daring performances.”
The Ti-Ceramitech cases of the Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa PAM01466 and PAM01543 measure 44mm (quaranta quattro is Italian for 44, in case you were wondering) in diameter and are water resistant to 500 meters. They’re furnished with the signature semi-circular crown guard protector, operated via a lever. The unidirectional bezel is also fashioned from Ti-Ceramitech while the caseback is made from micro-sandblasted titanium.
Beneath that caseback lies the Caliber P.900 automatic movement with a 3-day power reserve. The 4.2mm-thick caliber operates at 28,800 beats per hour and includes 171 components, 23 jewels, and a single barrel.
While both models sport identical cases and movements, their dial colors are different. The PAM01466 includes a blue sun-brushed dial whereas the PAM01543 houses a matte white grained one. The dial layout is traditional Sumbersible with a pair of large skeletonized hands at the center, a running seconds indicator at 9 o’clock, a date window at 3 o’clock, and a mix of round and rounded baton hour markers. In true Panerai form, the dials are generously accented with Super-LumiNova for optimal in-the-dark legibility.
The Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech PAM01466 and PAM01543 watches are fitted with rubber and blue textile straps, which are color-matched to the case and feature a red stripe down the center with the Luna Rossa name. The straps are finished with a trapezoidal micro-sandblasted titanium pin buckle.
The brand new Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech PAM01466 and PAM01543 watches will retail for 16,600 USD, which is on par with other Submersible models with more exotic case materials such as Carbotech. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
