The topic of sustainability isn’t one that comes up very often in the watch industry, but Panerai is doing its bit to change that. With an ever-growing focus on recycled materials, earlier this year Panerai announced the Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel collection which uses 95% recycled steel in the manufacturing of its cases, in a first for a large Swiss watchmaking brand.
This collection speaks to a wider movement inside the Panerai manufacturing facilities and offices, to run an operation that engages more thoughtfully and transparently with its entire supply chain. Not only is Panerai using recycled materials in its watches and packaging, but the brand is also taking steps to reduce the water and power usage of its buildings around the world, as well as its emissions to shrink the brand’s overall environmental footprint.
With the Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel range, the material used in the cases of the collection is sourced from pre-consumer recycled scraps of steel, both from inside the watch industry and beyond. The case isn’t the only recycled element of the watches, however, as the straps the timepieces arrive on are created from approximately 68% recycled PET plastics which further reduces their impact on the environment.
Looking now at the collection as a whole, the Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel range arrives in three different colours called the Verde Smeraldo (green), Grigio Roccia (grey), and Blu Profondo (blue). All three feature the same 44mm brushed eSteel cases, complete with Panerai’s signature oversized Submersible crown guard.
As a refreshing design update to the collection, all of the watches feature a glossy ceramic diving bezel in the same colour as the dial they frame, which is a solid contrast to the typically brushed steel or matte ceramic bezels common to the broader Submersible family. When we flip the watch over we find a solid eSteel caseback that helps guarantee the watch to 300m of water resistance.
Arriving at the dials of the collection, we have blue, green and grey tones that are each graduated in their colour to shift from near-black at the bottom of the dial all the way to a lighter version of their respective hues at 12 o’clock. Not only does this bring to mind the change of colour in ocean waters as you approach their surface, but its subtle change brings the dial to life while offering a strong background for the hands and hour markers to contrast against.
With running seconds located at the 9 o’clock position and a practical date window tucked away at 3 o’clock, the dial is balanced and expansive, with ample negative space found across its surface. The sword hands are semi-skeletonised and filled with the same luminous material as the hour markers and 12 o’clock bezel pip, to ensure time-telling is straightforward no matter the lighting conditions.
Beneath the dial in all of the watches in the collection is the P.900 calibre automatic, which is a workhorse movement that Panerai has relied upon faithfully for many years, thanks to its robust build quality and full 72 hours of power reserve. While not visible through an exhibition caseback, the calibre ticks away at 28,800vph and features an Incabloc anti-shock device.
As we mentioned previously, all models in the Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel range arrive on a recycled PET textile strap in a colour that matches the dial tone and all are secured with a brushed eSteel pin buckle. Both comfortable and hard-wearing, the straps look great on the collection and tie together the utilitarian look of the collection.
All considered the Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel collection is a strong statement from the brand, about its intent on sustainability in the years to come. While the work that Panerai is doing to reduce the environmental impact of its boutiques and offices, this collection of watches presents the perfect platform for the brand to continue to emphasise sustainability in its watchmaking too.
The Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel collection currently available at the Panerai Melbourne boutique or via Kennedy online here, with an RRP of $16,400
This article is sponsored by Panerai. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
