Ask even the most watch-agnostic bystander what they think when they hear the name ‘Panerai’, and the response you’ll get likely involves some allusion to the Luminor – a design rooted in the brand’s collaboration with the Italian navy that dates back to the 1930s.
Reimagined for the modern era, in the guise of the Luminor Marina collection, Panerai’s flagship release at Watches & Wonders 2025 is a multi-faceted expansion of this long-running collection. Fortunately, the top-line looks very familiar regardless of the specific model in question and remains (in the words of the brand’s spokespeople) “quintessentially Panerai.”
The distinctive ‘sandwich’ case and safety lock system both make a welcome return. Meanwhile, new and old Paneristi will find a host of technical upgrades: the kind intended to strengthen the Luminor Marina’s reputation as one of the most recognisable diving watches on the planet.
Additionally, a new iteration of the brand’s Platinumtech perpetual calendar is also arriving this year. For the first time ever, with a transparent dial.
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New Panerai Luminor Marina Timepieces (Steel & Titanium)
Enthusiasts of the classic Luminor look may breathe a sigh of relief as the five new time-and-date versions debuting at Watches & Wonder 2025 appear functionally identical to the current 44mm line-up. Bold lines and clean dials are, as ever, hallmarks of both the Marina aesthetic and mission: to “offer optimal readability in all conditions”.
Adequate luminescence (at night and/or beneath the open water) is a pivotal part of this calculation. To that end, every new Luminor Marina release utilises X2 Super-LumiNova. The brightest of four grades of trademarked luminescent material, Panerai contends that its “easily readable even in low-light conditions”.
While X2-grade lume is the most eye-catching feature to be found on the new Marina, performance snobs will probably get a kick out of the specifications of its P980 movement. In short: this automatic calibre gives all of the new Marina models a 72-hour power reserve and introduces ‘hacking second’ functionality – allowing for more precise time-setting.
Perhaps more interesting than this movement itself, however, is how it performs beneath sea level – now water-resistant to 500m, offering a 40 percent increase in underwater protection over the outgoing generation of Luminor Marinas.
Wearers can expect uniform sizing, water-resistance and mechanical performance across the board; yet, stylistically, Panerai’s new Luminor executions are some of the most considered we’ve seen.
Four of five feature cases made in 316LVM steel which has been vacuum arc remelted: a process Panerai asserts “improves resistance to corrosion,” and one more commonly used in the manufacture of surgical instruments.
Each steel model is further distinguished by a different dial colour, ranging from classical monochrome treatments in black (PAM03312) and white (PAM03314) to sunburst blue (PAM03313). Each is priced uniformly at US$8,800 (~AU$13,981).
Unusually, at the time of release, the only Luminor officially offered on the matching steel bracelet features a ‘light blue’ dial (PAM03323), priced at US$9,700 (~AU$15,407).
Regardless, Paneristi can expect that all of these new steel models will be compatible with integrated bracelets – thanks to the brand’s widespread adoption of a ‘Click Release’ system enabling tool-free strap swapping at the push of a button.
The only new Luminor Marina we’d assume cannot be combined with Panerai’s steel bracelet is the ‘Titanio’ (PAM003325): another ode to the brand’s “longstanding” experiments with titanium. The suave olive dial contrasting with the grey titanium case makes the ‘Titanio’ the most marvellous of all the new Marinas. Priced at US$9,700 (~AU$15,407).
The Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT Platinumtech
The new Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT Platinumtech (PAM01575) sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to Panerai’s time-and-date releases. Adding a grip of complicated functions to the (usually lean) Luminor design, it presents as a classic traveller’s watch: with the day-date apertures joined by an AM/PM indicator and all-important 24-hour hand.
To keep from cluttering the dial, a selection of the perpetual calendar’s indicators – the year, month, and leap year – are displayed on the movement side of the watch. This arrangement may prove too subtle (almost to a fault) for some collectors, but the P4100 movement cuts down on inconvenience with what Panerai describes as an “intuitive adjustment system.”
The traditional arrangement for a perpetual calendar, involving small pin-activated pushers set into the case, is here replaced with the crown – a single mechanism that wearers can wind to modify the day, date, month, and leap year.
Panerai introduced this technical breakthrough, after roughly a decade of R&D, in 2022. Now though, this watch’s gloomy sapphire dial adds another dimension of immersion: as wearers change the day and date, they’ll be able to glimpse the rotation of the corresponding disc – a neat effect absent in previous versions of the P4100-powered Luminor.
“With a sapphire dial that reveals the calibre’s intricacies and functions,” says Jean-Marc Pontroué, Panerai’s outgoing CEO, “This new Luminor provides wearers with a deeper connection to the art of timekeeping.”
Check out some of our other favourites from Watches & Wonders 2025 below:
- Montblanc’s Latest Innovation Will Take Your Breath Away
- Tudor’s New Watches For 2025 Nail The Brief
- A Legend Reborn: Cartier’s 2025 Tank à Guichets Revival
- TAG Heuer Drops Nostalgic New Grid Of F1-Inspired Timepieces
Be sure to follow our rolling coverage of this year’s show here and via Instagram.
