Officine Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 00104

Date Watch. The Date Complication, or the feature of a watch that displays the date by displaying the numbers 1 to 31, is probably the most functional development in watchmaking since the invention of a mechanism that could display the hour and the minute. Other than the time, the thing a person often needs to be reminded of is the date of the month. Because of this, the typical watch design today displays hours, minutes, seconds and the date, and the basic date watch tend to be the biggest sellers on in watch companies line-up. It is not different with the Panerai's line of watches.

Officine Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 00104. The Luminor Marina PAM 104 was released by Panerai as a contemporary version of the Panerai Luminor's originally created in the early 1940s to meet the Italian Navy’s need for a watch that was reliable, water-resistant and easy to read underwater. It is a large watch with a 44mm dial, large hands and numerals, although smaller than its 47mm forebearer.


It uses a highly accurate self-winding mechanism, the which uses the Panerai OP III Calibre which produces 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour (4 Hz). This is Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres Certified Chronometer. The movement has a 42 hour power reserve. The movement displays the date at the 3 o'clock position under a magnified sapphire crystal glass. The Panerai OP III Calibre is a Panerai modified Valjoux 7750 movement.


The PAM 104 is water resistant up to 300 meters and is protected by the Incabloc anti shock device. The clamp which protects the winding mechanism is what gives the PAM 104 and other Luminor's their distinctive look. This locking lever was first used in the early 1940's gave the Luminor's than a unprecedented water resistance of 200 meters. The locking lever was patented in Italy in 1956, and Panerai was able to obtain a U.S. Patent in 1960.

Limited Production. The PAM 104 is probably the biggest seller on Panerai's line-up, but it is far from common. Like all Panerai watches production is limited. For 2008, the production run of the PAM 104 is 6,500 pieces.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.