This year's "Watch Collectors Week" theme is "A Good Watch" for me. Here, in line with that theme, we'll be focusing on noteworthy brands. For our third installment, we'll introduce PANERAI, a brand that can be considered a pioneer of the "oversized and thick" watch trend.

Founded in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai as a watch shop, Panerai also housed the first watchmaker training school and watchmaking workshop in Florence, Italy, marking the beginning of the brand's history.

In the 20th century, the company supplied precision instruments to the Italian Navy, and it is well-known that in 1936, they completed the world's first professional diver's watch for special diving units. For a long time afterward, it remained a closely guarded military secret of the Italian Navy, but in 1993, they released their first civilian collection, which, with its tough, functional beauty and distinctly Italian design, became a worldwide sensation.

The brand's iconic pieces include the classic "Radiomir" without a crown protector and the "Luminor" with a crown guard. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the "Luminor," and a wide range of new models are available. Here, we'll focus on the "Luminor" collection.

The "Luminor Blue Mare - 44mm" features clean, angled lines that follow the case design of the "Luminor" from the 1990s. The model name "Blue Mare" means "blue sea" in Italian, a name that reflects Panerai's deep connection to the sea.

The blue dial, finished with a satin sunburst, exudes a smooth texture and sophisticated feel. The typeface used for the numerals at the base of the dial follows that of late 20th-century models, but the dial is engraved in the same way as the bar indices and filled with green Super-LumiNova™. This ensures clear and sustained visibility even in dark places.

Furthermore, the double-arrow "OP" logo (representing Panerai's corporate name, Officine Panerai) has a strong presence, making it a design that fans will undoubtedly love.

The movement features the in-house developed and manufactured hand-wound caliber "P.6000". Thanks to the twin bridges supporting the regulator, the "P.6000" is extremely robust, equipped with Incabloc™ shock protection, and boasts a power reserve of approximately 3 days driven by a single barrel.

This model comes with a blue calfskin strap with beige stitching, as well as a blue rubber strap. A special screwdriver for changing straps and removing buckles is also included in the box. It's great that you can switch them out yourself depending on your mood or the occasion.

"Luminor Marina - 44mm" ¥946,000

Stainless steel case: 44mm diameter, approximately 72-hour power reserve, 30 ATM water resistance, automatic winding.
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If we're talking about Panerai's most iconic model this year, it would have to be the "Luminor Marina - 44mm".

This model, featuring a sandwich-structured dial that embodies Panerai's DNA and finished with a blue satin sunburst, is paired with a blue alligator leather strap, creating a cohesive and urban feel.

The excellent design is evident even in the dark. The retro luminous green, made possible by high-performance Super-LumiNova™, is an exciting color that takes you back to the brand's origins. It not only improves visibility but also evokes a sense of adventure, allowing you to enjoy a masculine romance that somehow wells up just by looking at it.

It is equipped with the automatic winding caliber "P.9010". It is highly reliable and accurate, and the twin spring barrel provides a power reserve of approximately 3 days. It has a unique and practical function that allows you to quickly set the time and automatically adjust the date, with an hour hand that can be advanced or advanced in 1-hour increments.

By switching to the included rubber strap, it will become a reliable companion for active weekend activities.

Finally, let me introduce the "Luminor Marina Carbotech™ – 44mm".

The Carbotech™ case material is a composite material formed by compressing thin sheets of carbon fiber with the high-molecular polymer PEEK (polyether ether ketone) under controlled temperature conditions. It has high resistance to external impacts and corrosion, and because the carbon fiber fibers are layered at different angles in each layer, the irregular texture gives each piece a unique pattern. And it is surprisingly lightweight, making it very comfortable to wear.

It is equipped with the in-house developed and manufactured "P.9010" caliber. This is an automatic movement that features a function to quickly set only the hour hand for date adjustment. With a twin barrel, it boasts a power reserve of approximately 3 days, making it highly convenient.

This also comes with interchangeable rubber straps and a dedicated screwdriver, making it easy to enjoy changing them.

If you consider a "good watch" to be one that combines undeniable robustness with a beautiful design, then you should definitely consider Panerai.

► Click here for a list of articles from "2020 WATCH COLLECTOR'S WEEK"

► "Watch Collectors Week 2020" is happening again this year! What's the theme?

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