PRE SIHH 2017: Panerai RADIOMIR 3 Days Acciaio

Officine Panerai presents RADIOMIR 3 days acciaio, two new special editions dedicated to a rare watch of the 1930s…

In the late 1930s, Panerai made a number of Radiomir watches with a special 12-sided bezel, engraved with the words “OFFICINE PANERAI – BREVETTATO”. This inscription referred to the patented luminous substance Radiomir used on the dial. The new Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio models are two Special Editions from the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, which for the first time reproduce all the fundamental characteristics of these vintage watches, respecting their identity and giving collectors the opportunity to appreciate a fascinating chapter in the Panerai story.

The first vintage detail of the new Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio watches is the 12-sided bezel in brushed steel, with smoothed, polished angles and the same engraving as the historic models, using the lettering of the time. The bezel is screwed into the classic cushion caseband of the Radiomir and, together with the screwed back forming the rear part of the case, like the historic watches it has an elegant symmetrical construction divided into three parts, clearly visible when looking at the case in profile. The case is made of stainless steel and it is the same classic size as that of vintage Panerai watches, 47 mm in diameter. The wire loop strap attachments are removable, making it easy to replace the tough strap of untreated brown leather, finished with ecru sewing and closed by a large buckle with a single prong.

Another fascinating element inspired by the historic models is the dial. Remarkably simple and minimalist, with the sandwich structure which maximises the legibility of the large figures and markers, the dial is available in black, the colour of the vintage model, or in shaded brown.

On the back of the case, a large porthole with its sapphire window reveals the P.3000 hand-wound mechanical movement completely created in the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel. The P.3000 movement also has the device for quickly changing the time, enabling the hour hand to be moved backwards or forwards in jumps of one hour, without interfering with the movement of the minute hand or the running of the watch.

Inside the elegant wooden box in which the watch is presented is a second Plexiglas® crystal, the certificate personalised with the serial number of the Edition, and a rare publication describing the military equipment of the special forces of the Royal Italian Navy, in which Panerai watches and instruments appear.