Introducing the Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641

The Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech is the latest Goldtech watch to join the Luminor watch series. It boasts pure Italian charm with its military tool-watch roots fused with modern materials.

Panerai Luminor – A Brief History

Before 1993, Panerai watches had only ever been made available to military personnel. The company has a long and storied history of creating military tools that were incredibly functional and legible for missions on the frontline. But 1993 marked a new chapter for the brand. It was the year the Panerai Luminor became available to the public, as well as the Luminor Marina variation. The models were directly inspired by the brand’s past and quickly became a worldwide success. A past that entails the founding of the company by watchmaker Giovanni Panerai who opened a watchmaker’s shop in Florence in 1860.

At first, the company became an authorised stockist of some of the biggest names in the industry. During the 20th Century, however, it became an official supplier to the Royal Italian Navy. The invention of the Radiomir – equipped with luminous powder named Radium - was invented in 1936, followed by Luminor – a safer luminous material which arrived in 1949. The watch was characterised by a cushion-shaped case, a sandwich dial, and a prominent crown with a crown protection guard. This mechanism featured a “Tight Seal Device” that was filed as a patent in 1955. Limited supplies of the watch were granted to the Royal Italian Navy as a military secret.

In 1993 Officine Panerai presented a collection of three series of limited edition models. These comprised the Luminor, the Luminor Marina and the Mare Nostrum The new-age watches featured dial elements treated with tritium as opposed to Luminor and have become some of the most covetable retro dive watches amongst watch-collecting communities. Having earned its subaquatic spurs early in the 1930s, it’s clear to see how Panerai Luminor watches have amassed such great appeal. These designs are intended to be purely functional and have immense Italiante style and elegance. These luminous devices assisted military personnel in firing naval guns at night, ensuring readability in dim light.

Horophiles still love the look of these utilitarian-chic timepieces and were more than ecstatic when the time came for Panerai to release its first in-house movement in 2005. Since then, Panerai has mastered some exceptionally beautiful movements, including complications like the tourbillon, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar. Furthermore, Panerai has innovated new materials like e-STEEL, Fibrotech, BMG-tech, and Carbotech.

The Panerai Luminor Quarranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641

Last year at Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva, Panerai released the white dial PAM01026. It was a contemporary version of the Radiomir watch, housed in a 40mm case but made from the brand’s proprietary Goldtech material. The watch was endowed with the brand’s iconic sandwich dial and featured the familiar small-second sub-dial at 9 o’clock. Collectors loved the pinky-golden hue of the Goldtech material and its sumptuous exterior, evoking high-end elegance. The reason why the watch appeals en masse to collectors is down to its distinctive design language, intact with the cushion-shaped case and the iconic crown protection guard. It also appeased those who previously found the Luminor too large for the wrist, thanks to its new and more compact 40mm diameter.

After the release of the PAM01026, fans far and wide became more intrigued about the Luminor watch. Male and female watch enthusiasts who had never considered a Panerai watch before were now looking at the brand’s larger offerings. The Quaranta was Panerai speak for “40mm” and certainly drew in a new demographic of collectors.

This year, the Neuchâtel-based Manufacture has produced a new Quaranta watch – the Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech PAM01641. It subscribes to the design language of the ever-popular Luminor watch, with sturdy lugs and a crown protection device. This 60’s Luminor design is what fans go wild for, yet the 40mm case, again made from Goldtech, is broadening the brand’s scope of clientele. This watch is fitted with a black sandwich dial with luminous elements that shine through from the underneath level. It features the same 9 o’clock sub-dial, which displays the running seconds throughout the day, as well as the large Arabic numeral hour markers at 12 and 6 o’clock.

Panerai experts choose to equip the watch with a sturdy piece of sapphire crystal glass, complete with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant properties for providing ultimate protection over the dial. The black sandwich display also features slim pill-shaped markers for the remainder of the hour track and a date window positioned at 3 o’clock. The familiar Panerai lettering takes up its usual residence at 12 o’clock, along with the BiTempo lettering above the 6 o’clock location. One of the most striking features of the Panerai watch is its GMT hand, tipped with an arrow motif and filled with lume to enable it to stand out from the sword-shaped hour and minute hands. The GMT hand is great for tracking an additional time zone when travelling frequently for business or leisure.

Of course, this GMT function will be loved by frequent flyers, but the new Panerai Godtech Luminor watch will appeal to devoted fans of the Luminor watch, as well as watch enthusiasts looking for a more compact size. This retro military watch boasts golden-coloured dial elements that match the Goldtech case beautifully, while the minute markers around the periphery of the dial are both discreet and legible at the same time. The new Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech watch is powered by the P.900/GMT calibre, which provides a 3-day power reserve with its one-barrel design. The automatic movement performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and comprises 23 jewels that promise a smooth, effortless performance, along with 171 hand-assembled components.

Complete on a black alligator leather strap and enclosing with a Goldtech trapezoid buckle equipped with a PAM Click Release System, this comfortable and stylish band completes a luxurious and dressy aesthetic on the wrist. A once utilitarian tool rarely transcends into a modern luxury must-have timepiece, but in the case of the Panerai Luminor, there is an exception to the rule. Panerai continues to push the envelope with its wide variety of in-house materials, which is a nice added bonus for those who love to collect the famous military tool watch.

If you’d like more information on the Panerai Luminor Quaranta BiTempo Goldtech you can call and speak to a member of our sales team on 01335 453453 or email us at help@jurawatches.co.uk.