Panerai

Panerai watches make a good investment because of their Swiss-made craftsmanship and high quality. A main feature of Panerai watches is that they’re durable and robust, incorporating the finest high-tech materials and movements into their timepieces. With regular water resistance maintenance if used for diving purposes, your Panerai watch will last a very long time. Also, many Panerai watches are desirable to collectors due to their vintage aesthetic, unique heritage and brand story. If you own a Panerai watch that’s deemed as rare, is exclusive, or is a limited edition piece, this could be appealing to Panerai enthusiasts in the future.

Panerai watches come in many different levels of water resistance. The water resistance refers to the water pressure that your Panerai watch can withstand when submerged at different depths. Panerai watches were originally crafted for professional divers, so their range of timepieces includes models that are fit for experienced divers and swimmers. The Panerai Submersible collection offers the most extreme levels of water resistance, up to 250 bar, or up to a depth of 2,500m. However, some Panerai watches are designed as dress watches for everyday use, so feature a water resistance of 3 bar, or 30m. If you’d like to use your Panerai watch for diving, you must check the water resistance first and which conditions your watch can withstand.

Panerai first opened its doors in 1860, and the Panerai watches produced did not become available to the public until the 1990s. Prior to this, Panerai watches were developed solely for military use. Until 2005, Panerai sourced external movements, from which they would make their own enhancements and construct to comply with their standards. In 2005, Panerai produced their first in-house movement, the P.2002, a hand-wound calibre with a GMT function and 8 day power reserve. Since then, the brand has developed many other in-house movements that are used in their timepieces. Panerai watches opened their studio in Switzerland in 2002, meaning these in-house movements have been Swiss-made ever since.

In 2020 it was estimated that Panerai produced around 70,000 watches each year. Since the 1990s when Panerai watches became available to the public, the brand quickly gained popularity and a name for itself in the luxury watch industry. The large quantity of watches produced by Panerai each year is testament to the brand’s success story and the high demand for Panerai watches. Prior to 1993, Panerai watches were exclusively created for military use, so the number of pieces produced each year was significantly less.

Panerai watches are available at a variety of price points. Ranging from around £4,000 to over £25,000, the Panerai watch price is determined by a number of factors. More expensive models will typically see more expensive materials, such as gold, as well as advanced functions. If your Panerai watch has a range of high-tech complications, luxurious or advanced materials for example, it will be more expensive than other models. Functions such as a deeper water resistance, chronograph function or GMT feature require precise craftsmanship and take more time to construct, so will increase the final price.

Panerai only craft mechanical watches. This means that your Panerai watch will either have an automatic or manually winding movement. Winding your Panerai watch drives the movement, to keep it ticking, ensuring that it won’t stop keeping tack of the time. Automatic, also known as self-winding watches will wind automatically via the energy generated from the movement of your wrist when wearing your watch. Although, if your wrist’s movement isn’t providing enough energy to keep your Panerai watch ticking, it will need to be wound manually from time to time. Your manual Panerai watch will not generate its own energy, and will need to be hand wound consistently. Each movement will have a power reserve to indicate how long the watch runs before winding is needed. You can wind your Panerai watch with the crown on the right hand side. The Panerai crown is unique, and first requires lifting the lever on the patented crown protecting device, before pulling out the crown and winding it. This is to ensure that when in place, the crown does not allow water to enter the mechanism. Read more in our How to Wind an Automatic Watch guide.

Panerai is a luxury watch brand, due to its in-house movements and Swiss-made excellence. Panerai watches adhere to strict watchmaking standards to ensure their quality, precision and performance. Due to their advanced functions, high-tech materials and innovative craftsmanship, they are considered luxury watches. This is reflected by the brand’s price point and their popularity amongst collectors.

Panerai was born in 1860 in Florence, Italy as a workshop and school of watchmaking. In the early 1900s, the brand started to develop wrist watches, famously for the Royal Italian Navy. Panerai started to produce watches for the public in 1993, and then in-house movements watches from 2005. It wasn’t until 2002 that Panerai became a Swiss-made manufacturer of watches when opening their studio in Switzerland, and since, Panerai has held its status as a Swiss-made brand. However, Panerai still stays true to its Italian roots and although every timepiece has Swiss-made movements, the Italian flair of Panerai watches is instantly recoginesable and iconic.

In the past, Panerai have been known for their large watches, with A Panerai Radiomir once boasting a case size of 60mm. Their large watches are a staple because of Panerai’s dedication to the durability and visibility of their timepieces underwater. However, when Panerai watches started to gain popularity for their vintage looks and luxury status, the brand started to craft timepieces with a smaller case size, for a dress watch aesthetic. Panerai Luminor Due watches are a good example of this, and their smallest model is part of this collection at 38mm. The smaller watch sizes make Panerai watches more inclusive of all wrist sizes and genders.

If you’re looking at buying your first Panerai watch, or one to add to your collection, it’s a good idea to firstly get to know the collections and characteristics of Panerai. Panerai Luminor is the best-selling Panerai collection, and is known as being the essence of Panerai. The Panerai Radiomir was the first collection ever created, recognised for its military purpose and iconic features inspired by earlier models. For a multi-functional diving tool, the Panerai Submersible collection boasts a strong water resistance, whereas the Panerai Luminor Due watches have a dress-watch style and classic elegance. When buying your Panerai watch, consider the functions you’d like your timepiece to have, and how durable it needs to be for your timekeeping needs.

Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy. Opened as a workshop and the city’s first watchmaking school, it wasn’t until the 1900s that Panerai began to manufacture wrist watches. Starting with the Panerai Radiomir timepieces, crafted for the Royal Italian Navy and diving professionals. Then came Panerai Luminor in 1949, which was influenced heavily by Radiomir, with a new luminescent material developed by Panerai, which was called Luminor. These collections were exclusively only for military use until 1993, when they became available to the public. The collections were followed by Submersible and Luminor Due. For the past couple of decades, Panerai has been internationally recognised as a leading Swiss watch brand.

Panerai watches were made in Italy up until 2002, when the brand opened its studio in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The brand’s precision and watchmaking were esteemed when produced in Italy, however Panerai achieved its Swiss-made status in 2002. As Panerai watches are now Swiss-made, this means that at least 60% of the production costs are generated in Switzerland, and that at least 50% of the components are Swiss-made by value. Panerai watches are assembled and tested in Switzerland at the Panerai studio.

Panerai was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997, a luxury goods group that owns many prestigious Maisons in jewellery and watches. Guiseppe Panerai started the brand with his son, Leon Francesco, in 1860, and it was then taken over by his grandson, Guido and in turn, Guido’s son Guiseppe until 1972. Panerai was then passed on to former Italian Navy officer Mr. Dino Zei, who was nominated as CEO of the company. Panerai then became Officine Panerai, and was eventually passed on to the Richemont Group in the 1990s.

One of the most notable fans of Panerai watches is Sylvester Stallone, who wore a Panerai watch in his movie Daylight in 1996, after buying a Panerai Luminor model in 1995. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was introduced to Panerai by his good friend Sylvester Stallone, and also become a fan of Panerai watches. Other famous wearers of Panerai watches include Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. Panerai also have brand ambassadors known as ‘heroes’ which includes esteemed adventurers and environmentalists who embody the brand’s values. Panerai’s adoration by actors and celebrities accelerated the popularity of the watches in the general public.

Whether you’re looking for a replacement Panerai watch strap, or simply want to change up your style, discover our varied selection online. From alligator leather to rubber straps, there’s different colours to choose between. Simply find the strap to fit your watches lug width and we’ll be more than happy to help change it over in store.