“Slim” and “quietly elegant” aren’t terms you’d typically associate with the ever-exuberant and energetic designs of Panerai, but following the release of the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech earlier this year, the Italian-founded watchmaker is expanding its offering. The brand has recently announced the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta collection as a complete range, offering a suite of different dial colours and metals for those seeking a slightly more conservative approach to the iconic cushion case.
If there’s one Swiss watchmaker that’s known for making watches with unapologetic robustness and heft on the wrist, it’s Panerai, born on the wrists of Italian Navy Divers and retaining a distinctly muscular DNA till this day. However, as the watch industry slowly moves toward slightly smaller and more wearable case sizes, Panerai has started to shift too, first the Luminor Marina Quaranta collection in the new size of 40mm.
Clearly, the new case size has been a hit with collectors and enthusiasts alike, with the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta collection bringing some 40mm flavour (quaranta means “forty” in Italian) to another pillar of the core catalogue. Not only that, but the legendary wire-lugged and finely polished case arrives as the slimmest in Panerai history, now just 10.15mm thick and a strong contender to be the clean daily timepiece of any suit and tie folks.
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Without a doubt, the new case size and profile are significant steps in the right direction as far as widening the appeal of Panerai to enthusiasts around the world (not everyone has the wrists of an NFL quarterback). But while the case is great, the dial options within the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta collection are equally compelling and include black, white, dark green and navy blue.
As should always be the case with watchmaking at this level (and price point), the details are as important as the broad brushstrokes and to that end, Panerai has excelled with the dials. The black and navy blue references feature a darkened luminous material for the hour markers and hands, complementing the depth of the sunburst brushed dial tones, while the white and navy blue respectively boasts off-white and crisp white hour markers that accompany the dials nicely.
Beneath the dials of all five different references is the delightfully slender automatic mechanical P.900 calibre, which is just 4.2mm in thickness. Ticking away at 28,800bph and offering a full three days of power reserve from its single barrel, there’s not much to complain about there.
All considered, the Panerai Radiomir Quaranta collection is an exciting step forward, not only as a more wearable range that feels suitable for every day, but as a sign of things to come from the brand. I’d never advocate for Panerai to forget its hard-wearing history, but an expansion of its catalogue is great for collectors and the growth of the brand alike.
The Panerai Radiomir Quaranta collection is currently available online with an RRP of $9,100 for the stainless steel references, while the Goldtech model is valued at $27,600. Discover more at Panerai Boutiques in Sydney and Melbourne
This article is sponsored by Panerai. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
