SIHH 2011: Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days 47mm PAM00375

Composite finish.  In 2010 Officine Panerai brought us the Officine Panerai Radiomir Composite Marina Militare P2002 47mm PAM00339.  The PAM399 had an eight day manual winding movement making it distinctive. What the watch even more interesting was the material used for the case. To build the case, Panerai used a composite material which is the result of an electrochemical process of ceramization of aluminium. The ceramization process of aluminium is not the usual process used in the watch industry. In traditional process layers of ceramic particles are applied onto metal. In the Panerai process, aluminum cases are immersed in a chemical bath where it undergoes the process of "ceramization." 

Research into this process does yield a simple explanation as to how it is done. But for most, the process matters less than the result. The resulting material is light, but harder than metals like steel and titanium. It is also more durable than traditional ceramic watches. The resulting finish is extremely durable dark matte brown finish. The attractive composite finish has made a reappearance in 2011. 

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 3  Days 47mm PAM00375. The Panerai PAM 375 is my favorite release of the year. A Luminor with a composite finish is truly an attractive watch. I just wish that it came in the smaller 44mm case, but than Panerai has also brought us this year the Panerai Luminor Compoisite Marina 1950 PAM00386. Also, I do have a feeling that most of the Paneristi will be happier with the 47mm size, especially for a Special Edition release. 

The Panerai PAM 375 does not have the 8 day manual winding movement found in the PAM 339, and instead comes with the new P.3000 calibre 3 day manual winding movement. The PAM 339 sold for a very reasonable US$15,000 which is not a bad price for a watch with a limited production run of only 1000 pieces. The PAM 375 with a lower cost movement, and a higher production run of 2000 pieces, should cost even less.

Enough of comparisons. The Panerai PAM 375's dial is brown and displays the hours, minutes and seconds. It has the traditional Panerai dial with Arabic numerals a 3-6-9-12. Protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal glass. The movement is visible from the back through a sapphire crystal case back. Water resistance is rated at 100 meters. Other than the composite finish, nothing in its specifications really stands out. But I think the attractive finish is enough, and I do not expect the 2000 unit production run to stay in the market too long. If you want one, I suggest you place a call to your AD now.  

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.