History Runs Deep: Panerai Pairs Two Radiomir Watches With a Journey Into Its Past

Marking the centenary of its Piazza San Giovanni boutique in the heart of Florence, Panerai has opened its doors to horologists, aficionados, and new enthusiasts for a journey into the brand’s history.

Accompanying the experience is a dedicated watch set, the new Radiomir Viaggio nel Tempo Experience Set, with the PAM01729 and PAM01730 reinterpreting some of Panerai’s most iconic Radiomir features. Limited to just 30 sets worldwide, the set offers its owners the exclusive opportunity to revisit pivotal moments that defined Panerai.

“We are proud to present a new experience within the Italianity chapter: a true journey through time, offering our clients an immersive entry into the very genesis of our legend,” said Alessandro Ficarelli, Panerai’s chief marketing and product officer, in a statement.

The experience runs from September 15 to 18, beginning in the heart of Florence, just steps from the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. After taking in the century-old history of the Florentine boutique on Piazza San Giovanni, participants will retrace the footsteps of the legendary Italian frogmen, visiting their training arenas, meeting grounds, and diving points along the fabled Serchio River, Italy’s 126 km waterway. Each location highlights a different part of the brand’s heritage.

The Radiomir Viaggio Nel Tempo Experience PAM01729 features some of Panerai’s most recognizable historical elements, including the acclaimed California dial and a 47mm bronze case, a material deeply intertwined with the brand’s maritime legacy. The California dial, with distinctive Roman and Arabic numerals on its two halves, is a favorite among collectors and embodies functional design born out of necessity. The two halves provide an immediate indication of the orientation of the dial, ensuring readability in the darkest conditions.

The PAM01729’s 47mm bronze case, made from pure copper and pure tin, develops a distinctive surface patina. The alloy has long been an asset for the Maison, helping make Panerai’s bronze timepieces some of its most sought-after.

When new, the timepiece exhibits a warm, red gold-like hue that gradually develops a patina as it interacts with air, heat, moisture, and friction.

Slim wire lugs and a cone-shaped crown, a signature feature of dive watches dating back to the mid-1930s and 1940s, reinforce the PAM01729’s historical character. It is powered by the P.3000 calibre with a 3-day power reserve, a large movement that draws inspiration from historic Panerai models. With a diameter of 16 ½ lignes, its construction resembles a three-quarter plate movement, with a large bridge beside a smaller one covering most mechanical parts.

Against a black dial, blue burnished steel hands, bar markers, and a minute track complete the layout. Bluing protects against corrosion while improving legibility, with the signature hue achieved through a controlled oxidation process at around 300 degrees Celsius. A domed PLEXIGLAS, reminiscent of early dive watches with a luminescent Radiomir dial, adds to the vintage character. Beige Super-Luminova ensures visibility in low light by emitting a green glow in the dark.

The titanium open caseback has sapphire glass, allowing a peek at the P.3000 calibre perfected in Panerai’s manufactureManufactureA watchmaking term for a company that designs and produces most of its movements and components in-house, rather than relying on outside suppliers. Being a true manufacture signals deep expertise,Go to Manufacture Glossary in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Completing the watch is a dark brown rolled leather strap with a flat construction and a brass pin buckle in the distinctive trapezoidal shape, an homage to historic Panerai watches covered by military secrecy.

Radiomir Viaggo nel Tiempo Experience PAM01730

The Radiomir Viaggio nel Tempo Experience PAM01730 pairs a 47mm Radiomir with Panerai Platinumtech, a special alloy made with 95 percent pure platinum that is 85 percent harder than standard platinum. A distinctive treatment process gives it higher scratch resistance than regular platinum, while it weighs 33 percent more than 18-carat gold. Slim wire lugs and the cone-shaped crown complete the vintage look, hallmarks of the early dive watchDive WatchA water-resistant timepiece built for underwater use, typically featuring a rotating bezel, luminous markers, and a case, rated to at least 100 meters. Originating as professional tools, dive watches suchGo to Dive Watch Glossary prototypes with the luminescent Radiomir dial and links to Panerai’s military heritage.

The PAM01730 is a complex expression of Panerai’s contemporary watchmaking through the hand-wound P.3001/10 calibre. Its skeletonized bridges and perlage finishing offer a clear view of the calibre’s architecture and balance wheel in motion. A power-reserve indicator on the back preserves the minimalist dial design while providing an overview of its running time, a finish sought after by collectors who value mechanical details.

The PAM01730 features the first black circular-brushed dial with the Maison’s signature sandwich construction, a feature used since Panerai’s early dive watches to allow readability even in pitch-black darkness. A hand-executed rotational brushing technique creates micro-circles and variations in each timepiece, allowing the dial to respond differently to light and its dark tone to become more vibrant in sunlight.

A dark brown alligator strap and polished white gold buckle in the iconic trapezoidal shape complete the PAM01730. Both watches are water resistant up to 10 bar and, as with all Panerai timepieces, are designed, tested, and developed up to +25 percent of their stated resistance.

This article originally appeared in Robb Report Philippines’ Watches and Jewelry Issue.